The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-05-17

Things to Re Avoided at All Horse
Shows.
AoE> D take good horse into
A k Madison Square Garden
q o ring and win a blue ribbon
u 4 looks simple, but only the
@0~ veterans fully understand
that this is the coping
stone of an edi6ce carefully planned
and built, month by month, until COM
pleted. Seldom. if ever, is an edifce
reared in a night. With the spread
of the country house idea, for which
the Horse Show has undoubtedly done
so much, there has naturally come
much wider field in horse ownership
than ever existed previously, or than
could exist under any other surround
ings. Most healthy men Of any ma
tionality. and Americans especially,
love a horse, rand, owning one, want
him as good as their means will permit.
The suburban dweller desires one with
a certain amount Of action, pleasant
to look at, kind, and we'll hammered.
Many q man of what may be termed
moderate means has bought horse
which suited him. His friends have
complimented him, his wlfe's friends
have envied her, and the ball rolls
along until some one says: why not
send him to the Horse Show? He is
surely better than many prize winners
of last year." This is the case with
every type Of household pet, dogs, cats,
chickens, pigeons, canaries, without
end, and the fine specimen, sooner or
later, gravitates show-ward, which is
perfectly natural.
What does the suburban dweller do?
If he boldly grooms his horse, dons
new set Of harness, enters, and heads
for Madison Square, he IS doomed to
disappointment, it may almost be said,
no matter what horse he may have.
If this point is thought over, it will be
remembered that certain enthusiastic
young men, Of practically unlimited
wealth, have, in the past, bought the
best horses they could obtain, gone to
the Garden, and were ANONYMOUSLY
gated" or sent from the ring as not
eligible for first honors. This was no
illegitimaN discrimination; it is sim
ply that they were trying to run along
a difficult road before they had taken
the trouble to learn to walk. The man
heading toward the Horse Show should
first get an expert opinion as to the
qualifications of his animal, thus saw
ing time. There are plenty OF experts
who will do this, and do it correctly.
; If the horse has scope, the expert
will point out how it may be developed,
what the defects are; if the action is
clean cut but too low, how it may be
raised; if the mouth is in good Or
der, and sensitive to the bit, and what
must be done to bring out all that Is
best; Just as one develops man on
football, hockey or baseball team. The
owner, if he has The time (his groom
or some one else, If he has not). takes
the horse in hand as soon as decision
is reached. The earlier in the spring
the better, for the course is pro-
longed one. The horse, If for harness,
is carefully driven. Speed is not de-
sired, nor aimed at. If the horse has
action "bred" in him he will show it to
a certain extent. If he has not, and
there is q sluggishness in catching 1t,
there must be more time and more
patience, or the animal must be dis
carded. Most horses have a certain
amount Of action or they would not be
considered eligible for the show.
! The idea is not to train him to go
high but rather to so forward-a great
distinction and difference. The high
action kills pace, great requisite in
the final tests, the forward action In
terferes much less, combining lyle and
speed. Take the horse Qf he has
good MOUTH with what Is known as
Liverpool bit with the reins In the
middle bar Gn the lower bar, If hard
mouth), and drive him over rengh, un-
even ground. A plowed field after the
harrows have been over it, as the deep
burrows play havoc with the springs,
and the jolt frightens the horse. Let
him be shod at least twice as heavily
as for the road, and as he catches his
feet on the uneven places, and as the
weight Of the shoes drag, so he will
instinctiyely strike higher, and more
forward, with his fore feet. The hook
action will look after itself, unless he
has a lot Of thoroughbred blood, then
the hook action generally remains
stiff.
Go leisurely, keep him up to the bit
and curb, not pushing 80 as to make
him liable to break his pace, but just
suoving smoothly along, using the whip
lightly, If at all. An hour or two each
day for week will make wonderful
difference. Then remove the shoes, re-
place with lighter ones, and this
change, with the smoothness Of the
road, will persuade him at once to
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