Show I or D P Cf I like said the Duller Dutter serenely To read of the faults in this game Of faults that are almost obscenely Blockading the highway of fame Of those who are stymied or bunk bunk- ered Who dont don't pivot right on the tee t So I lease please print a lot of the incorrect clutch I Of those who are swaying or ducking duck ing too much Just any old fault is a personal touch For that's what's the matter with me SARATOGA N. N Y The Y-The The top horseman horseman horseman horse- horse man of the world today Is in the general direction of his eightieth year year high high up In the seventies lie He schooled his first steeplechaser 01 61 years ago and ago and after after alter aft alt er 61 years he is isi i still many lengths in front under wraps lie tie is also J one of the top I sportsmen of all time one of the most remarkable r men Ive I've ever known in sport t. t His name is Grantland Thomas Hitchcock Itice father of Tommy Hitchcock Jr who will stand as the time all-time polo player until some superman superman su suo su- su perman comes along And there are no supermen Everyone has admired the efficiency efficiency ef ef- of Connie Mack 77 Und And Lonnie Stagg 77 77 at baseball and football But the name of Thomas Hitchcock belongs in this slender group of amazing veterans who have I thrown clocks and calendars away and Ignored time They have made madeth th the tha years their vassals Ignoring such puny details as half half Training Winners I I 1 met Mr Hitchcock just after o one e eI of his horses had won another I steeplechase I wanted to know how he did It I I asked him first why it was that he never had the front feet of his jumpers jump jump- jumpers ers shod This he said is quite a simple simple simple sim sim- matter A horse gets his drive and balance from his hind feet Ills Ilia forefeet have a tendency to expand Ills His hoofs will nearly always spread Now ow if it you encase these hoofs Inan in inan inan an iron band there can be no ex ex- There can be no give I have known this after some 60 years of If study and observation That is the reason my jumpers are 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 I asked Mr Hitchcock just what system he followed to bring about such an amazing success First of all all he answered I would say the word is patience You cant can't drive a horse at a barrier barrier barrier bar bar- rier and force him over Not con con- I want natural jumpers Not synthetic jumpers So I start them in this direction when they are less than a year old I give them minor jumps to make on their way to 10 eat jumps eat jumps of less than a foot I gradually increase this height I get them to feel that a jump Is a apart apart apart part of their lives something lives something they have to make before they can eat These jumps arc are made higher and higher nut But there is no force about it There is nothing new about It 16 It Is something that belong belongs belongs be be- longs long to their earlier memories memories- something they handle Instinctively I asked Mr Hitchcock about other details lis s. s For one thing he said you must know and love horses Few are ahk alike They have their own whims and personalities But Dut to get them accustomed to people I have J riders 10 or 12 years old old who ride or ur play with them as yearlings 1 I get them accustomed to the problems problems problems lems they must face later on I get them Lem used to 10 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 a habit that he understands The same thing roes goes for polo ponies I have known experts who went out for speed But a polo pony must be trained and taught to turn urn In fn a split second Speed of course is a factor But Dut so In Is turning t turnIng turn turn- rn- rn Ing agility These are things that take timeTo timeTo timeTo time To my mind a horse doesn't each reach i 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 Bach Over Oter the Site Years ears Just when did you begin this schooling work I asked When I was at Oxford In 1881 he said No it was before that Probably around 1879 I 1 was a little younger then be he added than I Iam Iam Iam am now DOW That was 61 Sl years ago But I doubt he was younger then There Is so much to do he be said laid rather plaintively and so little time in which to do It When you most mast be patient you must have time lime In which to work |