The Detroit times., 1912-08-15
ENGLISH RIDERS LACK
NERVE, SAYS TOD SLOAN,
FAMOUS AMERICAN JOCK
Lord Lonsdale in Reply Says
That American Seat" Has
Spoiled Britishers
ENGLISH RIDER DISAGREES
Says That it is Restrictions
Placed on Jockeys That
Hem Them in

LONDON, Aug. l4.-Lord Lonsdale,
one OF the greatest English author
tiles. on every branch OF sport, has
replied to the sensational indictment
OF the horsemanship OF English jock
eys made by Tod Sloan after the
classic derby race had been run on
recently.
Every one admits that Sloan's criti-
eisms of jockeyship are entitled TO be
listened to with respect. He Is un-
doubtedly one OF the greatest ge-
muses. who ever sat on a horse. He
revolutionized jockeyship In this coun.
try. Ii was he who introduced the
American seattle style Of crouch
ing over the horses withers instead
OF sitting almost bolt upright as
Fordhaln, Archer and Cannon used In
ride. The American seat" has been
riddled with criticism, but, whether 1t
| is good or bad, II has been adopted
! by every jockey who is riding with
any success today.
Sloan said:
1T IL surely a reflection on the.
horsemanship OF Englishmen that
eight Of the twenty jockeys riding in
1 the derby should be either American,
| French or colonial. can't imagine
anything worse than the horseman-
ship OF the English boys. There were
some Of them wouldn't allow TO ride
exercise at the racing stables, more
Of them ought to be chefs assistants
/ in the kitchen OF restaurant.
1T isn't only that they have no
skill, but they have no nerve. They
| are afraid TO seize an opportunity,
afraid to take the slightest risk. They
just jog along the safest way they can.
II don't thing English horses are
as good now as they are In France.
The French horses do less work on
the training grounds and more on the
race course In France IL Is nothing
for a horse to run thirty times In the
course Of O season. II colt runs In
half a score OF races In this country
everybody says he Is being overdone,
"All this coddling Of jockeys and
coddling Of horses is not doing Eng
lish racing any good. think Eng
land has a good deal TO learn from
the French methods, where the jock.
eys have TO do real fighting II they
want TO win a race, and the horses
spend their days on the course In
stead OF in the stables"
Lord Lonsdale does not altogether
agree with Sloan, but all the same
sees much to find fault with In Eng
lIsh riding and traces back the origin
OF this to the introduction of the
American seat"
1T is not want Of pluck or nerve,
he said, that prevents our English
boys riding as well as their prede
cessors.
"The fact lies in the adoption Of the
unnatural American seat with the
absurdly short feathers. II Is this
practice which is playing havoc with
} riding In this country.
The position OF the jockey Is SO un.
natural that he has TO be OF abnormal
physique IL he Is TO be in q position
10 ride the race properly.
1T Is impossible for jockey now
adays, sitting crouchel up In this
abominable way. 10 display the horse
manship with which man like Morn
ington Cannon used 10 win races.
II watched the introduction OF this
method OF riding with great distrust
and am convinced that II is responsi.
BILE for many OF our present shortcom
ings. although, as far as the intro.
duction OF the new method Of carrying
the weight well forward Is concerned
am fully alive TO It's benefits.
IL do not think there Is anything In
Tod Sloan's accusations against Eng
lish methods OF training, for condl.
lions are 20 entirely different In
France that comparison OF the sys'
TENS Is hardly applicable"
Conditions have changed" he said
since Sloan was riding here. be-
lieve II he were TO ride In big race
now he would be surprised to find how
we jockeys are hemmed In by restric-
tions which are 30 severe that there
IL practically no chance OF showing IN
diyiduality or adroit horsemanship.
The stewards have increased their
restrictions 10 such an extent within
the last few years that we have to
ride like ladies In the row Instead OF
jockeys on race course.
ut 10 the effect OF all these restric-
lions which deceived Sloan into think
ing we lack initiative.
l. "The jockey IL even expected TO
keep the place he drew at the start
now, 90 that the outside man on a
circular course has TO gallop placidly
Through the race on the outside from