Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-08-29
THE KAISER'S HORSES.
Picks Thirty From the State Stud Every Year as His Royal Perquisite.

Emperor William is probably the most magnlf1cently horsed monarch in christendom. This is due to the fact that as king of prussia he has a right to select free of cost each year as his royal perqWsite thirty of the finest horses-that is to say, the pick of the flock from the state stud at Trakeh- nen. The latter Is a national institu- ton. of worldwide fame, upon which the government ever since the days of Frederick the Great has lavished enormous sums.
 Every year some of the finest horses on the English, the French and the American turf are purchased well nigh regardless of. cost, and are carried off to this huge breeding farm of the German cavalry. The stallions selected have always been those in which speed and weight carrying ca pacity are united in the highest pos sible degree. the result being that af- ter nearly POO years the Trackehnen has btcome one of the finest breeds in the world. Every year, in the month of May, the four-year-olds are distrf- buted among the auxiliary, or second- ary stud farms of Prussia. not how ever. before the emperors' master of the horse has had his pick of the fin- est thirty.
 It Is this constant addition to his stables, without cost to himself. that renders 1t necessary for the kaistr to sell each spring the surplus stock of his own stables in order to make room for the new corners. It is as well to explain this, since these clear ance sales of the royal stables at Ber- lin have excited a good deal of criti- clsm, some people blaming the en- peror for thus ridding himself of faithful equine servants, entitled to a restful old age: while others have as sumed that these sales indicated that the kaiser was too hard on his horses and quickly wore them out. Neither of these insinuations is, therefore. just. The kaiser has not room for more than certain number of horses in his stables, is obliged to make room for the new batch of thirty that arrive from Trakehnen each May and naturally gets rid of the inferior ma terial, retaining only the very best. In fact, there is perpetual process of selection and elimination going on.
 A feature of these Trakehnen horses of the kaiser is their extraor- dlnary d0cility. That spirit of su- bOrdination to authority which domi- mates all things living in Germany operates on the colt from its birth. You can enter field at Trakehnen in which a hundred three--year-old stall lions are running free watched by a mounted herder and although a stran- ger you may walk in the midst of them, pat them on the nose or flank. they will show themselves as gentle as sheep. To achieve such a result prizes are offered to those herds whose horses show the most confld- ing disposition on the approach of man. In order to promote this quail ity it is made a rule that each day the colts are to be stroked by the hand, their feet raised and in other ways so treated as to make them thoroughly familiar with their future masters.
 Trakehnen Is situated in the east ernmost portion of Prussia and the property is about ten miles in one di- rection and stretches seven miles in the other It was the father of Fred erick the Great who first pitched up- on the place and who converted the swamp, over which the moose roam- ed wild, into the finest pasture land in Germany. Of course the least fa- vorable feature about Trakehnen is its geographical position with regard to Russia; and as a matter of fact it has three times been exposed to cap- ture by invasion from across the eastern frontier. but on each occasion the officials fin charge of the Trakeh- nen stud farm have been able to es- cape with all the animals In their charge.
 Within drive. from Trakehnen Is Rominten, the favorite hunting re- treat of the kaiser, forests we'll stock ed with wild deer and boar. and where. 1t may be remembered he re- ceived Count witte on the latter's return from America on the conclu- sion of the Peace of Portsmouth.