Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1916-01-03
COUNTRY SHOULD
PROTECT HORSES
c. K. G. Billings Thinks Fund
Should Be Raised for
Breeding,
NOTED AS A HORSEMAN


There is no man better qualified to
s"eak on the horse and anything per-
tanning to him that c. K. G. Billings
who owns more champion trotters
and PAGERS than any other man. and
who has become interested in racing
of thoroughbreds recently, having
purchased, in partnership with Fred
erick Johnson, dozen head of Eng
lish yearllngs, which are now quar-
tered at Belmont Park, on Long ISL
kRnd-
Mr. Billings early love was the har-
moss horse, and he has a very re-
markabte breeding stud at Curles
Neck farm, fourteen miles from Rich
mond, Va, where the champion trot-
ting stallion Of the world, The Har-
vester, with a record of 2:01, holds
court. The produce of this stud is
marketed in the fall They are
weaned in. an absolutely unframed
condition. 1t is Mr.. Billings plan to
have the opportunity for obtaining a
world-beater open to everybody, and
when the youngsters go into theering
they are sold on the breeding and in
dividuality, coupled with whatever
quality of action they may possess
naturally.
Favors Preparedness.
Like many other Americans of
great affairs, Mr., Billings is an ar
dent disciple of the gospel of pre-
paredness and thinks that no matter
engaging the attention of the people
of the United States at the present
time surpasses it in importance. No
part of the policy in his estimation
outweighs that which has to do with
the horsing of cavalry and the equip
ping of the gun and transport serv-
ice. Speaking in this connection
few days ago he said:
1T is imperative that the work of
breeding horses for the army should
be in the most competent hands pos
sible. The governments own expert
ments, which have been limited be-
cause of insufficient appropriation,
should be broadened-money should
mot be q consideration at this time
and the work should be carried on
under the control and direction of the
army which should be competent to
pass on the needs of the service much
better than a commission of outsiders
oftentimes not in sympathy with the
movement. Washington is ideally
situated for the prosecution of the
work. as it is in a section Astounding
in land that would be suitable for the
purpose. There are regions in Vir-
ginia, with it's rich, rolling pastures
and spring water, that should pro-
duce as sound and well-furnished
horses as any district in the United
States"
How do you regard the thorough
bred as a sire in this connections"
Mr.. Billings was asked.
Should Not Hide Horses.
"The thoroughbred sire of proper
type is the horse par excellence Tor
this work in the estimation of conti-
mental authorities whose success has
made their accomplishment a stand
ard for other countries. / am of the
opinion that many of our thorough
breds are made nervous and eXclt-
able through faulty education. The
policy pursued by many trainers is
to my mind wrong. Some trainers
keep horses hidden away. There
must be no noise. lest the animal be-
come irritable. To my way of think
ing, the system prevailing in trotting
horse stables is infinitely better
There each horse has his own
groom, and the animals education is
Broader because of the close human
companionship. I believe If the
thoroughbred was handled from his
birth in the same intimate fashion as
the trotter we would have better be-
haved horses in the paddock and at
tho barrier and our racing would be
benefited tremendously.
RUSSIA does these things well"
continued Mr.. Billings. In that
country the favorite hitch is the
.troika-three horses Enthusiastically
two mares and stallion, the entire
horse in the middle of the team. There
is no noise, no fuss either during the
breeding season or at other times.
Stations and mares are worked in the
double teams everywhere. Geldings
are few. When we took Uhlan to
Moscow and St. Petersburg the au-
thorities were amazed to find him a
gelding."
do you think the people of the
United States at large appreciate the
importance of the horse and what he
means to the community" Mr..
Billings was asked.
81 do not" was the response. after
a moments deliberation, but I be-
lieve we are on the eve of a gradual
awakening"
In conclusion Mr.. Billings, who re-
turned from Lexington only a few
DAYS ago, was asked about the rae
ing at that point. He pronounced it
a. great success, and had high praise
for Etawah, Peter Volo, Peter Scott,
Lee Axworthy and other stations he
saw there.