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DIFFICULTY IN SCHOOLING YEARLINGS. Unlimited Patience First Essential Importance of Lessons to Racers Future. Schooling yearling thoroughbreds is a ticklish job. There is not much danger attached to it, but it is about the most patience-trying, nerve-wearingoe-enpation one could find. . Assistant starter James Osborne has fairly launched his session of 1910-17 teaching at the Fair Grounds. There are nearly 150 baby racers that n ust attend classes many times before January 1, and the forenoon lessons will go on through the meeting. Each morning between 10 and 12 o clock finds Osborne at " his work. His school room has no bounds, but it generally is fixed at the three-eighths post on the backstretch of the track. Class after class each numbering between twelve and twentv is brought out and put through its studies. Lion-taming probably would be much more enjoyable than this schooling of nervous, green young colts at the barrier. Tim lion could be depended upon to get peeved and start something, but those wild-eyed colts furnish no excitement except through their apparent boneheadedness. Hischovious Pupils. Somehow or other, these yearlings have the fac-i ltv of alwavs doing just what theyre not asked to do" For instance, eighteen of them will be led out ai.d lined up at the barrier. Six of them suddenly will decide to turn around, while six others will chew at the barrier tape. The other three probably will walk right through the barrier in spite of the desperate efforts of exercise boys to hold them back. For a whole hour assistant starter Osborne may be compelled to keen n field of them standing up in a row. Then lie will wave the tape in front of them, brush their noses with it, talk to them, back them up, lead them out and then command the riders to break im, walk their mounts down the track a hundred yards and come back slowly for another lesson. Patience trying! Whew! Almost in every field there is a black sheep. Tins colt will take it unon himself to muss things up, and bv side-stepping, backing, pawing and wheeling he will disorganize the class. To strike such a performer with a whip might ruin him for months. He must be handled as gently as if iie were doing just the right tiling. Sometimes it is necessary for the teachers to repeat, a certain pose a dozen times. And they must do this every day. Of course, there are well-behaved colts among many of the classes, just as there are, m remote cases, mild-mannered and quiet boys in school rooms. These colts are great pets with the starters. They seem to have inherited the knowledge of how to conduct themselves at the barrier. But the majority well, it would be hard for any race follower who sees a well-behaved field ot thoroughbreds standing peacefully awaiting the springing of a machine to believe that once these same animals acted as the pupils of Jim Osborne s class are acting each forenoon at the Fair Grounds. "Breaking" Comes Later. No attempt is Made in the earlier lessons to teach the voungsters to break from the liarrier. This is the real trving ordeal, for once the colts get it through their heads that they are supposed to beat each other getting away from the machine tliey become more enthusiastic, and the school teacher s work is trebled. . The "breaking" lessons come after certain of the classes have become thoroughly accustomed to stand- , big in line and approaching the barrier. More assistants are needed for the breaking courses. Osborne must stand in the starters stand ready to spring the barrier, at least two men must stand in front of the long line, wliile others must get behind. When all arc standing quietly and in line, the tane flies up, the bell clangs, tlio.se men in front leap aside and those behind pop long whips and shout, while each rider stands up in his stirrups and does his best to give his mount all the benefit of the lesson. . , , A "quick breaker" is the best kind of a horse in nnv race, nrovided he can hold his own. Thats why it is necessary for these early lessons in "breaking to be thoroughly gone through and why all owners are anxious to see their colts taught properly from the beginning. Some famous thoroughbreds as Pan areta. Iron Mask, Leoehares and other sprinters owe much of their record to their ability to shoot away from the barrier, while the rest of the field is left practically flat-footed. .... , ..... , In seme race horses this quick-breaking ability Is born; in others it is developed. But, there are "bone-heads" among thoroughbreds just as there are among nrize fighters and ball players, and it is next to impossible to thrust ability on a race horse. New Orleans Times-Picayune.
