EQUINE TEMPERAMENT

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 80, 1 October 1924, Page 7

EQUINE TEMPERAMENT

THE TRAINER'S ART.

Popularly fire and high spirits are. associated with thoroughbreds, and a colt liko Heroic makes a glorious picture- to tho eyes of a paintor, if not to those of his backers, as he dances and prances about, states a Sydney writer. . But it is no disability for a colt to be as placid and even-tempered as Spearfelt. Certainly he takes nothing out of himself by fretting in the saddling paddock and at tho barrier, so that when the tost comes he has all his reserves of vitality to draw upon.

The horse overflowing with high spir-' its may see out a long journey; the quiet, phlegmatic customer is more likely to do so.

The ex-New Zoalander V. O'Neill, who trains Spearfelt, and has no manner of doubt that he will stay, aays that he is the quietest horse he ever hud to deal

with.

O'Neill cun speak with authority too, because hu is cleverer than a circusmaster with horses. The story is told of how one day he walked into the loosebox which held a wad-headed filly who was rampaging around ready to bite the hand off anybody who came uea.r. O'Neill, heedless of all warning, boldly stepped up to her, looked her -in the eye 3, spoke a gentle word or two, took her head between his two hands, and in a minute was on quite happy terms with the young lady.

Another story they tell of him is that during tho war he was in London with a pony, and one day, in a spirit of devilment, pulled up in tho street and told the animal to sit down in front of a prominent building. O'Neill began to fan it, and iv a few minutes the traffic was blocked by the dense crowd Of course, a policeman came on the scene, but the irrepressible O'Neill, instead of explaining, merely told' the pony to get up, which it did, and off the pair walked. What could the constable do?

TRUSTING SPEARFELT.

After remarking one afternoon recently on Spearfelt's even temper, O'Neill gave a, practical demonstration. A word or two to the colt and he straightway threw himself on his back on the straw behind Spearfelt's heels, between which the^ man coolly placed his head. Then ho placed one of the colt's fetlocks against his own face and neck, and rested it there for some seconds, after which he lifted one of the colt's legs and put the hoof and shoe flat against his cheok. Spearfelt left it there and did not attempt to- take it away until he was told to.

" I broke him in,'1 O'Neill said, "and I can do anything with him." It looked like it.

Speaking oF Speaj;felt's chance in the Derby, O'Neill said he. was confident he would beat Heroic, who, although move brilliant- than Spoai-fclt, would nol. be at home over the lust couple of furlongs '■■ Nigctcr Minstrel might, beat, him." he tsaid, " Kfl 1 l.mlicvti li«i in n firm sU.ycr. but he will hftv.s iv be yreUy guyiL'-