The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-07-20
Evening Chat


AIthoushtthe racing Of horses is one
of the Oldest OF sports and Is mention
led in our Oldest folk,tales and its be-
ginnings are veiled in mythology
along with the first records Of the hui
man race, yet the average person
knows but little Of the traditions and
the customs OF horsemen. The COM
monest expression among visitors to
the fairs and races Is probably "oh!
Just look at that horsei See how hot
and sweaty he Is. And Just watch him
pant; it's a wonder he don't drop dead.
I think 1t Is cruel to allow men to race
them that hard" This Is about the
general idea that all Of the women ano
the, majority Of the men visitors who
have never been initiated into the Sc
cret OF how a horse can undergo such
tremendous exertion. that would kill
an ordinary animal, and yet recover
in a short time.
In a few short weeks the horses will
be racing again at the local Fair
Ground and again the wondering pub
lie an ~despecially the kind-hearteu
ladies will be exclaming over the cruel
men who race their horses until they
are alomst ready to drop dead.
But their sympathy is wasted and
misdirected. They should rather pity
the poor owner who has to pay the
feed bills and the men who care for
the horses, And the man most in need
of sympathy and understanding is the
poor "swipe" who watches over the
animal directly under his care like a
mother oyer her child.
A little explanation IS all that is
needed to dispel these erroneous ideas
from the popular mind, but most horse.
men are too busy attending to their
own business 10 take the trouble. II
they should tell the visitors and re.
lieve them from anxiety as to the suf.
fering ~ horse, at the next town 1t
would all have to be done over again.
Another reason is that all horsemen
who are racing soon learn to ignore
the thousand foolish questions that
are each day asked by a constant
stream Of visitors. The truth Of the
matter is that deaths among racing
horses from the exertion they under.
go are far more rare than deaths
among men who are exposed to the
hot u of a summer day, or deaths
among ordinary work or dray horses
that labor in the heat OF the day.
The reason for this is simple. All
horses that are being raced have un.
dergone long periods Of preparation
and special training for Just such ex.
ertion so that Is Is merely a part Of
their daily work. To take an unpre.
pared horse that had considerable
natural speed and drive two or three
miles as fast as he could go would
most certainly result in the death OF
the horse. But by beginning slowly
and driving the horse faster a BIT
each day, after two or three months
of this training the animals heart and
circulation becomes adapted to the
needs Of his body and muscles so that
It can readily undergo exertion that
before the preparation would have
killed It. Harness horses are usually
given one or two entire years Of prep.
aration before they are started In a
race. In this time the horse is trained
: to travel at extreme speed for probably
eight or ten miles. A rest Of perhaps
half an hour is given between each
mile. Thus the animal is under a great
strain for about three minutes with a
half hour in which to recover. BY In.
creasing the speed very slowly as the
training progresses the animals heart
Is gradually developed so that 1t a
care for the vast amount Of blood that
must be pumped through the body
during the fast mile.
The young horses soon learn to
breathe very deeply and this causes
the animal to blow" so that to the
ordinary observer they appear to be
distressed. In reality they are simply
enjoying their breathing to the ut
most.
A horse while racing has a temper.
ature Of between 101 and 102. This
temperature must be maintained IL the
animal is to show his best speed. Be.
fore racing the horse must be warm.
ed up" carefully and slowly SO that
the heart and circulation and the
breathing apparatus are in good work.
ing condition. Death or permanent
heart injury might result from allow.
ing the animal to go a fast mile be-
fore being warmed up. After the race
the horse must be Just as carefully
cooled out" as he was warmed up."
The cooling out process takes much
longer than the warming up. The US.
ual method is to give the animal a hot
bath In which some liniment called
a wash" Is used. This after being
scraped out and removing all Of tho
sweat, leaves the horse still warm and