Norwich bulletin., 1921-10-15
0DD INCIDENTS IN AMERICAN
 HISTORY

OUR PRESIDENTS AS HORSEMEN.
 General Grant has gone into history as the man on horseback, but all our presi- dents were very fond of riding. Most of Washingtons portraits are equ uestrian, and old citizens of Alexandria were re- sponsable for the statement that Wash ington rode the finest horses in Virginia. and that as a boy he broke to saddle the colts of his neighborhood. It is said that he once rode 10 different horses into Alexandria in single week. and during his later years his stables at Mount Yer non were among the best in the country. He visited his horses immediately upon rising and always saw that they had their breakfast before he had his own
 The horse Washington rode at the time of the surrender of Lord Cornwallis was a fine chestnut charger with white face and legs, and he took him 10 Mount Yer non after the war. but never allowed him to do a stroke of work. He was well sta bled and cared for, and died many years later
 When Washington, as president, lived in Philadelphia his stables contained 10 coach and saddle horses in addition to the two white chargers used when he went upon state occasions. He had coacllnan and two grooIns, who wore liv- l cry of white cieth trimmed with scarlet or orange. The presidents parade horse was white as snow and was named Pres l colt With these two white chargers 1 Washington made his tour through the | southern states in 1791. He rode for 19 miles behind them in the white chariot, ! which was talked of all over the country, and the order for firing a cannon at his arrival was: Light your matches. the 1 white chariot is in full view"
 1 Thomas Jefferson kept the finest of | horses in his stables, and, at the time of | his inauguration he rode to the capitol on his favorite saddle horse. Wild Air. While Jefferson was president he took 1 horseback rides every afternoon from l until 3, and he kept up his riding on | horseback until within three weeks of his 1 death He kept, while in the White
 House, four fiery bay coach horses, but | he seldom drove behind them.
 John Quincy Adams was entertained l by horse races, and he used to walk tc the HolInead race course, two miles from
 the White House and back again when. T ever there was a race to be held. Mrs
 Madison drove out to see races in 2
 chariot with four gray horses, and Pres iderft Jackson not only went to see race.
 but he delighted in betting on them, anc
 now and then ran his own horses.
 l Martin Van Buren had fine turnou
 while he was in the White House Hi
 carriage was of dark olive hue with orna , | nents as bright as furnished gold
 President Folks carriage was also O dark olive, highly polished. The cushion
 of the interior were of rich figured crim
 son cloth with lace trimmings He drov four horses and his equipage was on of the sights Of the capital.
 President Zack Taylor brought t Washington the old horse which he ha, } used in the Mexican war. He was a white as snow and full of spirit IF followed the remains of his master to tn l grave, being led directly behind t41e flu neral car, which was drawn by eigh
 white horses.
 President Pierce's riding horse was : fiery animal She was as blind as a ston . wall and he used to ride her about tn Q streets of Washington at night. His liv e cry was navy blue. with buttons of siIvel f President Buchanan had magnincen :. turnout and one of his sets of harnes y cost him $500.
 y President Johnson bought his horse n from those which the army sold at tf = close of the war. His favorite team wa if a pair of fiery blacks, with skin like j, n and eyes which flashed with spiri n President Lincoln paid little attention 1 l. show, and his horses were the poores q it is said, that ever occupied the Whit . House stables.
 President Grants love of horses hs