A BAD PRACTICE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 78, 29 September 1938, Page 13

A BAD PRACTICE

FEET OUT OF STIRRUPS

After the running of the Railway Handicap at Hutt Park last Saturday, M. Holmes, the driver of Taruna, wa» cautioned for not keeping, his feet in ttiG sulky For some considerable time several drivers have developed a habit of talcing one foot, and sometimes both, from . the sulky stirrups during a race. More particularly has this been noticeable in a tight finish. In the case of Taruna, Holmes committed the indiscretion when the horse appeared to have the race won. Even though Taruna s wtteat can be attributed to his break, at , the distance, there is no gainsaying that Holmes was not capable Of doing the horse justice.when he became ten* porarily unbalanced. . . _ In the eyes of experienced American horsemen the practice is very poor tactics, for they contend that py . the dangling of legs from the spiky seat the horse is naturally unbalanced, and also prevents drivers from keeping complete control, especially when a. pacer or trotter is in a break. In some States in Australia. the taking of feet'from the sulky stirrups i» regarded as a serious offence, and it . is pleasing to note that the New Zealand authorities have decided to stop it According to a statement by one of the stipendiaries at Hutt Park it is proposed to circularise every reinsman, and .apprise .them of the .intention of dealing with offenders in the future.