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LEIGHS WAY OF EDUCATING JUMPERS. Had Remarkable Success in France and Will Use Same Methods Here. Lexington, Ky.. February l»i. — II. Kugene Leigh, the worlds champion trainer of steeplechasers. !.; ■ decided to remain la America, at least until racing in Prance is rehabilitated, which he figures will be in about five years, and will shortly open a public stable at one of the New York tracks. In the last eleven years before the war. Leigh trained the winners of approximately 1,100 races in France. Of these approximately 700 were won on the steeplechase courses. In oaa year he won Ill! races with jumpers and in the year just preceding that ho hid MB victories with the timber toppers to his credit. And. think of it. Leigh never trained a jumper in America nor during the two years he was in Fiigland before going to France. Yt. it remained for him virtually to revolutionize the methods in that country for training Jaaapera, ju-t as he was the inspiration for the movement that resulted in an abatement of abuses growing out of the use of whip and spur and won for him recagai tion from the Preach Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in the form of a gi Id medal. French Army Methods Used. "I got the basis for the methods I use in training jumpers from the French army. said Sir. Iigh in the course of a conversation with the writer one day this week. "I noted that the bores they taught were sure about what they were doing — that they raa and jumped intelligently. I worked out a course for the schooling of thoroughbreds and set about the work of getting a few ready for steeplechastag sad I had such encouraging Mim that I went on and on. improving my methods, until I reached a state of p.rfection that brought results amounting to 00400 in one year from races aver the f.-mi s and hedges. "I do not attempt to teach n horse everything about the game in a day. He isnt apt enough to retain it all whin given to him in large doses. He gets his lessons from me in homeopathic doses, so to apeak. I teach him A today. It tomorrow. C th xt day. and so on until he is through the alphabet, and in a month he is a sure jumper — that is. In will jump so thai he will not fall unless he is crowded into a wing or otherwise interfiled with, and will make gains over his fences to such an extent that he will finish in front of a much swifter horse trained under dilferent methods. "Gene" Leighs Way with Jumpers. "I teach my Jaaiaeta to do their own jumping — to depend Bpoa themselves and not upon their riders. I have had many horses in France that a ridtr, no matter how skilful, could not compel to rise before the proper time. Much of my success in the racing of jumpers was due to this fact, for when a horse is so trained that he will jump Oily win n his judgment, knowledge, instinct, or Whatever you may choose to call it. directs him to jump, he is certata to get over easily, steadily, gracefully and to land surely and running. I have had horses that would gain five lengths at each jump aad going a nine-jump course, say, forty-five lengths gain is something for a swifter hois.-to overcome on the straight, and. let me tell you, few of them ever do it. ••When I found two year-olds in my stable that could not win on the flat. I set them to jumping before I would condemn them to the s lling ra« -If they were apt. I held them for the steeplechase sad, not infrequently . enhanced their value tenfold thereby. What I was able to do in France. I have every confidence 1 will be able to do in my native ami ill a I am toid that New York offers a great field for a good steeplechase trainer and I have decided to give New York steeplechase devotees a chan.-e to have their horses trained to jump char and clean and win. I have had a fine visit to a numb r of the farms of my old friends in the Btac Grass and I am oft this week to New-York to get busy. 1 jim now sorry that I did not bring Mrs. Leigh and cur four little girls with me. for I am lonesome without them, but the;. "11 bare to stay at Mateoas-Lafitte until the Uerssaa U boats are OVt of the water."
