Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-23
BY HARRY c. HERSEY,
Trainer of Dan Patch

worlds champion harness horse is
big undertaking and at best is more
or less of a gamble. Practice differs
widely from the best theories. The
subject is a large one. and in my dis
cussion of it l cannot be theoretic or
scientific. What l know and will put
down is simply what 1 have learned
by a long, varied and valuable ex-
perience.
l have been fortunate in having had
charge Of the greatest race horse the
world has ever known and l cannot
believe there will ever be greater
than Dan Patch, 1855. AS l have stat
ed before, when / first took charge of
Dan for Nj. w. Savage / had little
conception of what it meant to train
successful worlds champion exhibition
horse.
Ny method of handling the champion
has undergone a considerable eVolu-
tion since 1904. Every year l have
learned many things.
Ny success with Dan Patch is un-
doubtedly due to the almost unbeliev-
able qualities of the horse himself,
and in undertaking the training and
development of Minor Heir, 1894, l
may prove that what / have learned
is special ana not general knowledge.
/ fully believe that we have in Dan
Patch and Minor Heir the two great
est harness horses in the world and
the race exhibitions this season have
been watched with the greatest in
terest. World champion horses are
born, not made. The breeding is the
first essential. There are freak indi-
viduals, but only the truly great bred
ones stand the supreme test. When
the best qualities of noble lineage
are united in a strong and perfect in
dividual then and not until then you
have the possibilities of an extraor-
binary performance. That these pos
sibilities exist in horses that through
accident or lack Of training aIe never
known to fame is very true.
These possibilities existed in Dan
Patch and have been taken advantage
of. We believe they exist in Minor
Heir after Dan Patch to greater eX-
tent than in any other turf per-
former.
Horses Indvidualities
Horses like people have distinct in
dividualities, and each one must be
cared for and treated differently. We
have so many requests from all over
the world for information as to the
daily life and care of Dan Patch that
have come to think that facts about
the champion are of general interest.
shall, therefore, set down the details
of Dan Patch's daily life.
AS everybody interested in race
horses know, Dan Patch spends his
winters and springs on the Minneap-
oils farm. This farm, with its perfect
stable accommodations, its outdoor
track for good weather and its covered
track to be used during the winter
and wet seasons, furnishes every con-
venience for the development of speed.
Savage will let his champion horses
lack for nothing, and Dan is con-
tinually under the watchful eye of one
or more men. He has been tended
during the last four years by Charles
Plummer, who watches his charge as
closely and provides for his every want
as carefully as a mother for her child
Gets Up Early
Dams day begins at o'clock in the
morning, both winter and summer
when he is fed four quarts of we'll
screened oats. He always has a fresh
bucket of spring water in his stall and
can drink when he likes. After finish
ing his morning meal he is "cross tied"
in the stall, the straw well shaken out
and fresh straw put in, after which
the stall is disinfected. He then Is
brushed off, bandages removed, feet
picked out, and prepared for his morn
ing jog, which consists of five or six
miles, weather permitting. After his
jog he is brought to the stable thor
oughly cooled off with as few blankets
on as will protect him. He is then re-
turned to the stall, his legs are band
aged with woolen bandages and sheet
cotton, feet washed out and about ten
pounds of good clean timothy hay
given to him.
Dan is then turned loose in the stall
until IL o'clock, when he is given a
feed of two quarts of oats and three
quarts of bran made into mush. AS
soon as the noon meal is finished, the
feed box is removed and he is left alone
to enjoy his afternoon nap, which he
takes daily, and which lasts from an
hour to an hour and a half. At 4:30
the stall is Strengthened up and another
ten-pound bunch of timothy hay, with
a fresh bucket of water, is given him.
At s o'clock he is fed four quarts OF
cooked oats and bran, two quarts Of
clean oats and two quarts of bran that
has been mixed with boiling water and
covered for at least two hours before
feeding. After eating this meal the
feed box is removed and Dan is put
away for the night. During meal
hours the groom's assistant Is in
charge. Dan is never left alone, as
Charley sleeps with him and the night