The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-21
Annie Topham in May Munsey's.


 @ HE KAISER, although not par (0 ticularly enthusiastic lover of horses, or of the sports connect ed with them, is an excellent rider with a firm and graceful seat in the saddle, He has all the nerve and pluck that might be expected from his strenuous personality, and 1t is characteristic of him that he has not permitted the par tial disablement of his left arm to inter- fere in the slightest degree with his pro- ficiency as a horseman.
 The type of horse he prefers to ride is a big, powerful, outstanding animal that can get over the ground well. English men who have seen the royal stables are surprised to find that the thoroughbred is conspicuous by it's absence; but it must not be forgotten that in military Ger many-where- the needs of the army are considered first, last and all the time, and where few people except officers ride the primary conception of a horse, un- less for racing purposes, is of regi- mental charger The ideal steed is one that will look we'll on parade, carry trappings to advantage, and be docile and easy to train, without unnecessary nerves or fine-lady feelings.
 The seven or eight horses regularly ridden by the Emperor are all splendid animals of their class and type. They include several big weight-carrying Irish and English hunters. and horses from the great governmental breeding establish ments in Trakehnen and Hanover
 -The direction of the whole complicated machinery in connection with the admin istration, financial and otherwise, of the royal stables, is in the capable hands of Baron von Reisechach the Kaiser's ober- stallmeister, who formerly served in a similar capacity to the late Empress Fred erick. He, too, is a brilliant rider and an excellent judge of horsefesh, possessing capacity for hard work and organiza- tion upon which his difficult position makes frequent demands. He it is who effectively controls the various measures for the proper feeding, exercise and train ing of 36O saddle horses and carriage horses, and who maintains discipline and efficiency among the small army of grooms, coachmen and officials Attached to the rOyal SerVlce
 To explain why the stables are royal, not imperial, 1t must be remembered that they are part of the appanage of the King of Prussia, not of the German Elm peror, and all their expenses fall on the Prussian exchequer, not that Of the em- pire.
 Of the hundred saddle horses belonging to the royal marstall, or news, the ami malls not in daily use--those still in train- ing. and those needed only at times of extra pressure-remain in the Potsdam stables, adjoining the old Stadt schloss. The town of Potsdam lies half an hour by rail from Berlin, and 20 minutes by road from the Neues Palais, the sum- mer residence of the Kaiser and his family. These stables were built by the father of Frederick the Great, the testy and energetic Frederick William II of Prussia, who, indulging no esthetic tastes, and being nothing if not practical, con verted what he considered an entirely useless and unnecessary orange house into building capable of holding 4O horses. At the same time he dug up all the flowers and shrubs of the palace gar den, and turned it into a graveed pa rade ground for the giant soldiers of whom he was so singularly fond. Ths parade ground still remains, and every day the soldiers tramp backward and forward underneath the palace windows.