The Washington herald., 1910-03-06
LIFE. IS NOT ALL
RIDING WINNERS TO WIRE

Vincent Powers, the New York boy who
headed the list Of American jockeys in
1905 and 1909 is inclined to discourage
ambitious youngsters who are anxious TO
become race riders, In a recent issue OF
Chicago Racing Form. Powers was quot
ed in this manner:
after taking seven long years TO climb
tho ladder Of jockeyship fame I am del
uged with letters from abitious boys who
desire 10 become riders. It is impossible
to answer the inquiries Ny answer to
them ali may be summed in one word
don't. y jockey Is born, not made. There
is no method in the world 10 teach a boy
to learn how to ride. If it is not in the
blood. then one had best spend his time
in other directions. Fer every boy who
amounts to anything in the Jockey line
there are thousands who fall BY the way
side
THE training of a jockey is hard. It
requires steady practice. long hours, and
constant work Many boys think that a
jockeys career is one round of pleasure.
Believe me, there is no play attached TO
the profession. The minute a boy begins
TO take matters easy he Immediately
starts on the toboggan and his career
winds up quickly. To be a successful
rider one has TO keep his mind strictly on
his work, No matter how good he is,
there is always room for Improvement.
and 1t IS only by Flooding that lad can
reach the stage where owners strive for
his services.
7 have been more successful than the
average rider in this country. But when
retire any boy who wishes to take my
place is welcome to it. True. the years
when 1 headed the list of winning jock
eys have been pleasant ones. But the
days when I was preparing for the saddle
were very hard My training was no diff
ferent from that Of any other lad. No
matter who you are or what you are. all
boys go through the same school. When
a youngster attaches himself TO a stable
he has to roll Up his sleeves and keep
very busy.
Work Starts at Dawn.
while the world is fast asleep the
stable Is wide awake. You are in the
midst Of your dreams at 2 o'clock in the
morning when the stable foreman COMES
around and hustles you out Of your bed.
You slip on your clothes and creep down
stair only half awake. You stumble out
in the dark 10 the pump. where a few
dashes Of cold water chase away the re-
mains Of your sleep. The foreman then
tells you TO gallop such horse for three
quarters You hunt up the rigging, saG-
die your mount. and start out on the
track.
The first morning you are ordered out
TO canter a horse fills you with fear. You
wonder how you are going to avoid get
ting thrown or killed. Clinging to the
lines, You give the horse his head. He
starts on a slow gailop and you turn him
toward the spot where you know the six
furlong post is. Suddenly out Of the
darkness you hear voice shout. Wait a
second" Then you know that the trainer
is also on the job. He yeils, Coz and
you dash out through the darkness won
dering where you viii land.
THE horse is wiser than you are. He
dashes around the turns without a falter
As you pass the different poles they flash |
up like spirits. You are being carried
down the homestretch as on a gale Of !
wind. when you hear another voice shout |
Pull up slowly" You wrap the lines |
around your hands and gradually the |
horse slows down TO a walk BY that |
time your heart is back in its proper |
place.
NO sooner have you dismounted than /
you are ordered 10 take out another |
horse. This goes on for an hoursand a |
half. The flights through the air and the |
exercise have given you an appetite fit |
for a horse. There is stnl another wait. /
The horses must be blanketed, led around |
until they are thoroughly cooled out. and /
then put back into their stalls.
Before you get your little legs under /
he table you spend many busy minutes /
carrying water and feed TO the horses. |
When they are ready to eat you get at !
the breakfast. Many don't known that I'm /
4 racing stable the horse comes first. IN |
I'll he is comfortable there is nothing do |
pg for the help. The morning meal over,
you trot back to the barn and help clean
lp the stalls.
Riding Is Dangerous.
when this work is finished the sun is
beginning to peep through the clouds in
he east The horses that are keyed I'D
o run within a day or two are then sad
He'd and given short dashes 10 keep the
EDGE on their speed. BY this time the
rack is alive with horses. Then a bow
las to be careful. This IS especially true
n the early part Of the season when the
are being educated
These babies are fretful and wonder
What all tie excitement is about. You
nay be coming along at a fast gait when
youngster in front will suddenly bolt TO
he fence. That's when your brain has
0 work, and work fast. The least mis-
axe and you either bang into the young
ter or perhaps hit the fence. That may
mean horse hurt for weeks or possibly Il