The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-04-11

lected have always been these in which
speed and weight-csrrying capacity are
united in the highest possible degree. the
result beins that after nearly 80 years
the Trakehnen has become one Of the
finest breeds in the world Every year.
in the month OF May. the foUr-year-oIds
are distributed among the auxiliary. or
secondary. stud farms OF Prussia. not.
however. before the EmperOr's master OF
horse has had his pick OF the finest thirty.
II Is this constant addition 20 MS
stables. without cost 10 himself. that rem
ders II necessary for the Kaiser 20 sell
each spring the surplus stock Of his own
stables. In order 20 make room FOR the
newcomers. II is as well 20 explain this.
since these clearance sales Of the royal
stables at Berlin have excited a good
deal or criticism. some people blaming
the Emperor for thus Kidding himself OF
faithful equine servants. entitled 20 a
Eestful old age. while others have assumed
that these sales indicated that the Kaiser
was too hard on HIS horses and quickly
wore them out Neither OF these insinua-
tiOns IS. therefore. just. The Kaiser has
not room Tor more than "A certain num-
Der 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
material, retaining only the very nest.
In fact, there IS a perpetual process Of
selection and elimination going on.
A feature about these Trakehnen
horses Of the Kaiser is their extraordI-
nary doeility. That spirit Of subordina-
ton TO authority which dominates all
things living in Germany operates on the
colt from its birth. You can enter a
field al Trakehnen in which a hundred
thTee-year-Old Trakehnen stations are
running free. watched by a mounted
herder, and, although a stranger, YOU
may walk in the midst OF them. pat them
on the nose or flank and they viii show
themselves as gentle as sheep. and moth
Ing Ike as shy. in spite OF their being an
finals Of good blood and Of questionable
spirit and pluck.
Speaking OF horses wish 10 add that
/: Belgium Is the chief horse breeding
country OF the world. Great attention is
given there 70 the development OF su-
periOr types, and the sale OF horses 20
foreign countries constitutes one OF the
most valuable items OF commerce. And
OF horses in war il should be stated that
Troy was taken three times: the first
/ time by Hercules. on account Of Laome-
don's horses; the second time BY Aga
memuon. through means Of the wooden
horse; the third by charidemus. a horse
I happened 10 stand in the way. and hin
dering the Trojans from shutting the
| gates so quickly as they should have
done.
| OF expert horsemen history says that
the Scythians Of every age have beer
/ celebrated as bold and skiIful riders
and constant practice had seated then
so firmly on horseback that they were
! supposed by strangers to perform tn,
/ ordinary duties Of civil life 10 eat, Il
drink. and even to sleep. without dis
mounting from their steeds.
/ OF Gen Washingtons horses. his his
toTians say that the charger which Dor,
Washington when he received the sworC
Of the vanqUiShel CORVALLIS was a chest
nut with a white face and legs, and wal
/ called Nelson. After the war was ove'
II was never mounted again, but vel
cared for. II died of old age at Noun
Verron many years after the Revolution
President Washlngton's stables at Phila
delphia were under the sare Of German
John, and the grooming CO the whit,
chargers viii surprise the moderns TIL
night before the horses were to be riddel
they were covered entirely over witt
white paste. OF which whiting was III
principal component part: then the ami
mails were swathed in body-clothes an,
left to sleep on clean straw In III
morning the composition had becom
hard. was well rubbed in. and currie
and brushed, which process gave TO IN
coats beautiful glossy and satin-Iik
appearance.