Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-31

What happens when you feed or
water q perspiring horse? Believe
it or not, but his muscles and auxiliary
running gear stiffen and become In
flexible, or he succumbs to an attack Of
pneumonia or some other dangerous
malady.
In q horse heat Is a strange thing.
A cold horse does not prance about to
keep warm unless he Is in q playful
mood. Rather, he stands still and
throws every calory and B. T. U. in his
natural heating plant. He Is still and
craven as bronze image. In real
frigid weather his coat bristles like the
fur of a cat.
A bath under a hose might 60 well
with an old-fashioned fire horse, but 1t
ruins a racer. Cold water applied to
the skin Of perspiring horse soon kills
him. For blue-blooded animals trainers
have devised the Turkish bath.
The thoroughbred Is taken outdoors
and run until he Is wet from exertion.
Then walked back to the stable, where
a groom has prepared good supply Of
warm water In bottles. Applied with
soap, this Is as invigorating to spirited
horse as to o man. II Is followed by q
short, sharp shower bath of cold water.
The fur Is rubbed down with clean
cloths, and the horse Is then covered
with wooden sweating blanket for sew
eral hours. After this royal treat, he
feels like breaking world record.
The domestication of horses has
brought on vast number of ailments
which make him more sensitive and diff
ficult to handle than in his natural
state. Every racers stall is hospital
ward In that the thermometer is fire.
Quently used to keep touch with the
animals health. A high-spirited thor
oughbred has O normal blood heat that
stands about 90 or 100 degrees Fahren-
heit, which Is about degree above that
Of q man. Fever in q horse brings
Nightmares and insomnia to the trainer.
He actually feels worse than the horse.
II ever you see feverish excitement
around stable, chances are some FLY
or Arab blood is running temperature.
Consider, II one horse catches cold, all
his neighbors are susceptible to 1t.
A cold means Quarantine" About
this time, the innuenzalike cold ravages
the horse barns. The patient must be
kept in seclusion and as quiet as posi-
, BILE. There are many other fever treat
ments, such as packing mixture OF
vinegar and clay into the bottom Of the
hoof, or causing q sweat 60 break out.
X 4 r
A GROOM Is q valet for the race
8 horse. At Benning, two horses are
assigned to the care of one groom. His
Job Is to watch, mother and attend to
the charge placed under his care. These
days even groom is skilled trades
man and demands q salary ranging
from $125 to $500 month. But not
everybody can 1T In with the demands
of this work. Qualities Of heart and
haoA q natural InUa nj
racehorses particularly. Yet petting
and sugaring win ruin horse just
as It spoils child. Sentimentalism
Is taboo, too. A virile racer needs q
! firm, gentle, kind hand. A blueblood
cannot be touched here and there Willy
nilly. His skin Is as delicate as piece
Of gossamer silk Stroking may drive q
horse to suicide. The art is In know
ing when and where to stroke.
In effect, your groom Is q trained
beautician. A barber may learn how
several years, but horse beautician
learns secrets as long as he Is around
the animals There's o particular way
to brush the horses eyelics. And when
It comes TO the ears their proper Brush
ing Is o careful study in itself. He
must use certain rub-rag, free from
certain odors, and he lives up to other
practices whose secret we do not know.
A thoroughbred Is more sensitive to q
human voice than any Of the other
animals. Certainly he stiffens on hear
Not only that, he understands. To hear
q groom 90 about his duties and speak
In q low subtle tone may sound ridicu-
lous, but It goes long way In horse
training.
A weil-trained horse Is responsive to
q Slight whisper. Jockeys win races on
whispers. Dumb animal, horses re-
Spouse can be . greater burst Of speed.
A punished racehorse becomes most
unruly creature. An infiexibIe rule
around stables Is that only master
may punish his horse. In the first
place, the animal win not permit his