The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-12
TIMELY GOSSIP
OF HORSE SHOWS
What Are Suitable Vehicles
for Heavy Harness Horses
and Ponies?
BY GURNEY C. CUE.

Charles r. Hamilton writes from
Philadelphia in defence of the practice
Of showing hackney harness ponies
and horses too--hooked to pneumatic
speed wagons, and to say that ne had
sixty pound vehicle of this type spe-
cially built for the purpose a few years
ago, with two Gets of shafts to fit any
pony from 12.2 to Il hands. Mr.. Hamii-
ton is of the opinion that a hackney
Of any height makes a better show to
such a wagon than to gig or other
heavy carriage. which no doubt is true
in a measure. so far as mere speed
and action are concerned. But what
about the fitness of things? And what
about the effect on type and ultimately
on the breed?
If the purpose of show ring compete
lions Is to develop or evolve hackney
horse or pony of the light harness type,
then let us have the featherwelght
pneumatics designed by Caffrey, FER
rim and Schildwachter for the race
track and the Speedway. They are
easy to pull and a pony that lacks
the substance and power TO handle
gig or even a lighter cart or trap can
make a brave showing before one OF
them. If the heavy harness type Is 70
be preserved, however. the rule OF the
National Horse Show Association ana
of other associations which requires
appropriate vehicles in heavy harness
classes ought to be rigidly enforced.
What II means to ignore the rule was
made plain at the National this year
when Hamilton Flame was clear out
side the ribbons in a class in winch ne
nulled n gig, while Mighty Mite ana
F1lange were hooked to the pneumatlcs.
The ponies placed in this class looked
ra ther too well Suited to the speed
wagons. They were built just niue
too much like miniature trotters 10 III
the hill for pony character or heaVy
harness type If the judges had IN
sisted on seeing what they couid 40
with appropriate vehicles oehlnd theIn
Flame might have won right tleic, %
he did later in the CHAMPIONSHIP class'
where all were on an equal ioo'i"e'
Apropos of pony types. IL seelIs
strange that no breeder OF tne oaiit3 ~
hackney has sought to estabnsh us
tinct family or strain of sadie ponies
Here we have n two-year-oiu Iia1 :,
winning in an open class for aged sadole
Monies AZ the National Horse Show and
heating n mare of tie same breed tnat
wac twice champion of the Garden snow
yet both Monies were bred for harness
nurnoses. as were most of the winners
and champions Of past years. Ihere
is n bright future for riding ponies ana
some one who would take mares IKE
Little Fire Lady. Chestnut Blossom ana
Seaton Bangle and mate them with a
fine fronted pony of the stamp OF Will
lam H. Wanamaker's Sunrise, now un-
fortunately a geiding, might get long
start in the right direction
1t IS a significant and interesting fac'
that the remarkable winnings OF hackney
ponies under saddle at the National
Horse Show, where they have carried
off blue ribbons and CHAMPIONSHIPS year
after year in open competition. are large
w credited to the youngsters. Chestnut
Blossom was a four-year-old when sht
first won the championship at the Gar
den I'm 1917 freight Bounce was the
same age when he won the next year
Seaton Bangle was only two when she
defeated freight Bounce at the West
chester County Horse Show in 1918
while Mysterious, alias Little Fire Lady
was no older when she won from Chest
nut Blossom and all the rest at the last
National Horse Show.
Curiously enough. the champions have
not improved with age AS four-year-
olds Chestnut Blossom and Fireligh'
Bounce had the form and action which
suited modern taste for saddle ponies
but as they grew older they gradually
thickened up until they were rather toe
COLBY to captivate the Judges. Bangle
has gone the same way and IL Is more
than possible that Little Fire Lady may
not be so successful at six as she wa,
nj two wears old