Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-16
TO WINNING POST
METHOD OF TRAINING AN ENG
LIsH HORSE FOR THE TRACK.
Education Begun Very Early-How
Yearlings Are Taught Their
First Steps of Racing Game.

from pearson weekly
The first sixteen or seventeen months OF
race horses existence are invariably
passed in comparative idleness and in
activity, though some breeders allow their
Youngsters to run in their paddocks, when
yearlings, in lots of eight or ten.
Horses begin to race so early these days
that. OF necessity, thoroughbreds have to
be reared more or less artifcially.
Thus, as yearlings. they are generally
fed three times a day on oats, with car
rots and occasional doses of linseed Oil,
with the addition in cold weather OF q
few beans or peas, and must have full
access to their paddocks to enable them
to seek shelter III their ''hovels.' should
necessity arise, from bad weather or
othe.' causes.
Yearlings Arrive Inhibited.
It is about the month of May, in their
yearling days. that bearing reins and
brides are first brought into requisition-
The budding race horses are then led
about to accustom them to the scenes
of everyday life, and it is quite eNtraor-
binary how soon they become civilized.
A. a rule yearlnss are sent up TO the
trainer toward the end of summer or
in early autumn. In many cases thes
rarrive inhibited and, to a great extent,
uuite ignorant of restraint, and IN con-
senuence a great deal of care and trou-
BILE has to be bestowed on their breaking
i'm, which may be considered perhaps the
first important step in their education:
For few days they are led about just
10 open their eyes TO the fact that me
world is bigger than they probably
thought il could have been when their
exercise was confined to that big. roomy
paddock at home.
The next step is to put on roller ana
crupper with side rens- Thus they are
of eight to prevent their mouths becom.
ing one sided. Then the four-legged
schoolboys' are driven with long reins'
and, after few weeks of tins exercise,
mounting is attempted
This step in their education Is often the
most troublesome of all, but when 1t Is
at last accomplished the youngsters arc
led walking and trotting, until they be-
have themselves with becoming dignity.
They are by the way. never allowed to
canter until they have learned to trot
Soberly.
Toward the end OF autumn the year
linss take their places in a long string.
led by an old horse who knows what
racing is as schoolmaster. and during
the month Of December trainers all over
the country very busy testing the
merits of their youngsters, for 1t must not
be forgotten that the entries for many
of January.
Except in isolated cases, by about
Christmas time most youngsters have be-
come as experienced as an older race
horse. They have been taught the art of
jumping off: they have been initiated into
the mysteries of the starting gate; they
have I'm fact, become thoroughly &C
uuainted with schooling methods, and
have learned all that is required of them.
\ trial for speed is the next item in
their training regime. The distance is
generally about three furlongs. or there
abouts. and the trial horse reliable sell
ing platter who can be trusted to do his
best.
The old horse leads the string of thor
oughbreds in a thoroughly steady. bust
nesslike manner. as IL he knew what
was going on we'll enough. dozen or so
yearlings follow in Indian file. some OF
them "apins' the dignified bearing OF
their seniors. others behaving like chill
dren just let out of the nursery and in
dulging in fy-jumping and all sorts of
forbidden vagaries.
After the first canter the youngsters are
allowed to walk round" and cool down.
while owner and trainer discuss the de-
tails Of the trial. Then the head lad goes