The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1940-08-30

m en- I've ever
known in sport. 49,
His name is
Thomas Hitchcock, Grantiand
father of Tommy Rice
Hitchcock Jr., who will stand as the
all-time polo player until some SUI
perman comes along. And there
are no supermen.
Everyone has admired the eff
ficiency of Connie Mack, n, and
Lonnie Stage, n, at baseball and
football. But the name of Thomas
Hitchcock belongs in this slender
group Of amazing veterans who have
thrown clocks and calendars away
and ignored time. They have made
the years their vassals, ignoring
such puny details as half-centuries.
Training Winners
I met Mr.. Hitchcock just after one
OF his horses had won another
steeplechase.
/ wanted to know how he did it.
I asked him first why it was that he
never had the front feet of his jump
ers shod.
"This," he said, '.is quite q SIM
pie matter. A horse gets his drive
and balance from his hind feet. His
forefect have . tendency to expand.
His hoofs will nearly always spread.
Now II you encase these hoofs In
An iron band there can be no ex-
pansion. There can " NO give. I
have known this after some 60 years
Of study and observshon. That n
the reason my Jumpers arc never
shod to the front.
"The trouble most horses have is
with their hoofs or legs. I have
never had any such trouble"
Other Angles to Consider
/ asked Mr.. Hitchcock just what
system he followed to bring about
such an amazing success.
First Of ALL" he answered, 81
would say the word is patience. ,
You can't drive horse at a bar
rier and force him over. Not con-
slstently. l want natural jumpers.
Not synthetic jumpers. So I start
them in this direction when they are
less than year old. I give them
minor jumps to make on their way
to eat-jumps of less than a foot.
i gradually increase this height. I
get them to feel that jump is a
part OF their lives-something they
have to make before they can eat.
"These jumps are made higher
and higher. But there Is no force
about 1t. There is nothing new
about it. 1t is something that be-
longs to their earlier memories
something they handle instinctively."
l asked Mr.. Hitchcock about other
details.
For one thing" he said, "you
must know and love horses. Few
are alike. They have their own
whims and personalities. But to get
them accustomed to people / have
young riders, 10 or IL years old, who
ride or play with them as yearlings.
l get them accustomed to the prob
lens they must face later on. I get
them used to other horses which
may be crowding in.
"All this" he said, takes a world
of patience. The horse must be
schooled over and over and over.
What you want him to do must be
made habit that he understands.
"The same thing goes for polo
ponies. / have known experts who
went out for speed. But q polo
pony must be trained and taught to
turn in split second. Speed, of
course, is factor. But SO is turn
ing agility. These are things that
take time.
TO my mind a horse doesn't
reach or approach his prime until
he is six years old. This applies
especially to jumping and to polo.
You haven't time to teach young
horses what they need to know at
these two sports"
Back OUer the Years
Just when did you begin this
schooling work." / asked.
when I was at Oxford, I'm 1891"
he said. "NO, it was before that.
Probably around 1879. Twas a little
younger then" he added, ethan
am now"
That was 81 years ago. But I
doubt he was younger then.
There is so much to do" he said
rather plaintively, "and 30 little
time In which to do Il. When you
must be patient you must have time
n which TO work"