The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-12-10


i the course the horses were marshaled
In line and the trainer passed each
one, inspecting them critically and
searching for an evidence OF unsound-
ness on the part of the animal or
/ carelessness on the part of the en-
ploye. Nothing escaped his sharp eye,
and when he was satisfied that all was
right he said laconicaIly: Get up"
and turning on his heel, walked
toward the training track, the horses
following in Indian file.
4 The head lad, so-called, though on
this occasion the man. in question was
upward of so, brought up the rear.
Each boy sat his mount with the
greatest care, evidently bent on mas
tering the trade Of jockey in time and
becoming famous horseman. Upon
reaching the course the boys lined
their horses up once more and the
7 trainer began issuing his instructions.
1t was a mild canter or a brisk gall
lop for the bunch, a sharp workout
under pressure fog another pair and
trotting skirmish perhaps for the
! others, the work of all varying accord
ing to their engagements, and the
4
| to put them in shape for their races,
or once ready for the tests necessary
| to keep them at their very best. The
/ horses were as rule worked in pairs,
and as they breezed or galloped at
speed the trainer stood grim and silent
watch in hand, to note how fast they
moved.
Sometimes the jockeys or jockey un-
der contract to the stable ride in the
! work, but there is scarcely racing
establishment which does not possess
one or more boys whose forte is this
working of race horses. Though some
of them have never ridden in public
races, they surpass' the professional
Jockeys as judges of PAGES; that Is
they can obey orders to the letter and
know intuitively how fast they are GO
ing, and these boys are very often pre-
ferred to the professional on such oc-
casions.
With such lads in the saddle the
trainer, whose orders may have been
given for mile in two minutes or a
mile and quarter in 2:10, has little
worry, but if the boy is new one to
the business there is always the duty
of waving him on or stopping him If
he Is coming too fast or too slowly, as
the case may be. This is accomplish
ed with handkerchief, the rider hav-
ing been instructed to watch for the
signal.
All the horses were trotted and
walked for perhaps half an hour be-
fore they were ready for the hard
work OF the day AS each pair pulled
up before the trainer their mounts
were sponged by attendants and once
more they were aligned for inspection.
Feet and legs were examined, after
which their bodies, glistening with
sweat, were scraped. This was fol-
lowed by cooling application of body
wash, composed of generally equal
parts of witch hazel and alcohol, all
though some trainers have special
preparations of their own containing
other ingredients.
After a thorough bath in this the
rubbing cloths were brought into play,
the result being beautiful bloom to
the coat and a horse ready for his
breakfast. Each horse is permitted to
have a. half dozen swallows of water
and is blanketed heavily or lightly,
according to the season. Then the
start for home is made.
In each box stall at the stable
bundle of savory hay, picked until on
ly theGpurest timothy is left, is to be
found. and after the feet have been
cIeansed of dirt, each hoof being lifted
in turn, carefully picked with the steel
hoofpick each man carries. in his
pocket, with rubber and scraper as
companions. the frog is washed with a
sponge of water. The legs are then
rubbed vigorously for q few minutes
and bandases with rolls of, cotton be-
meath them are applied.
While the horses are munching their |
hay the men and boys breakfast in one
part of the big dining room or kitchen
reserved for each owner at the track, !
the trainer partaking Of the morning |
meal alone i'm another portion of the |
building unless the owner or some of |
his friends or an acquaintance Of the |
trainer should be on hand.
Breakfast is Tasterut.
1t is a treat for an outsider to share |
in one of these race track breakfasts. |
The cooks employed are generally me- !
groes or Cinnamon, and the fare is de- |
licious as a rule. Colored men are |
born bread and roll makers, and moth |
ing could be more inviting than the
table spread on such occasions.
Breakfast over the rations Of the |
various horses are doled out by the !
trainer Or head lad-always by the for |
mer when the man knows his job thor
oughly and bestows the attention on |
his charges which the responsible po- |
sition demands. Some thoroughbreds |
are gIuttons for food, just as some are
for work and require larger rations |
than others, while still others have to
be coaxed with dainties.
The man who understands the details
of the trainers calling makes a study |
of the individual tastes of each and
every horse in his charge. 1t is for
this reason that the best men in the
profession not only allot the feed each
horse is to have, but see that it has all
r'~reod 1,n. making a tour of the
stalls an hour or so after feeding time
.ss.t purpose.
THE horses having been fed and wa
tered, the bedding lin each stall is
shaken down, the bandages on the abb
sound horses are removed, and
the foot and legs Of those not under
suspicion are looked over, for eternal
vigilance is the price Of safety on the
race course as elsewhere.
If any of the horses need plating i
and all of those that are to race that
day must be freshly shod. the trainer
now follows his charges to the smithy n
IL one be convenient, or generally
speaking, he goes to a particular stall n
In his stable, where his own black
smith nmp1oyad bV tha month does