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FRENCH HORSEMEN WORRIED Mysterious Ailment at National Stud Cause of Scare in Horse Breeding Circles. NEW YORK, N. T.. April 14.— France i.i having a thorough scare in horse- breeding circles due to the outbreak of a mysterious ailment at Haras du Fin, the Xational Stud in Normandy. Stallions of warm blood, as well as half-breds and draft types m;linly Iereherons — to the number of three or four hundred, are wintered at this commodious station, where cleanliness and order was the watchword when this writer visited it last Hecemher. The horses are exercised daily when off station, and their quarters were clean and well ventilated. Inder the stabling plan, however, it would seem easy for disease, once introduced, to go through the place like wildfire. Sixty Rercheron stallions stood side by side in the stalls, in one of the huge brick barns These animals could nose each other through the iron gratings at their heads. The mortality at Haras du Iin seems to be confined to the draft types. While baffling in its diagnosis, the trouble, in the opinion of some who have visited the station, is akin to glanders. Hrecautions have already heen taken at Chantilly. the great French training center, to prevent the scourge from getting a foothold there, and trainers are compelled to report their sick horses to the proper authorities. Thousands of horses are trained at Chantilly, and most of the owners have pretentious quarters near the superb course, or its attendant forest. Haron de Rothschild. Jean Stern, Joseph K. Widencr. Ralph Reaver Strasshurger and rrutny others have permanent quarters hard by the course. Mr. Wideners Villa de Clycines. which he recently bought, but which has been under lease-to him for some years, has an opening into the forest of Chantilly. where Jerry Carroll gallops his charges on clays when he doesnt care to visit Chantilly proper. The presence of contagious abortion at Haras du Quesnay, the great breeding farm of A. K. Macomher. is disquieting to that sportsman, who has lost over 2b foals this year. A number of yearlings have also died at the establishment, and the French veterinary authorities are doing their best in search of a remedy. All of which brings out with force- the old adage that the time to stop trouble is In-fore it happens. Trainers should exercise eve-ry care for the protection of their horses. Stables should he thoroughly disinfee-ted. and the cars furnished by railroads should be similarly treatetl. i
