TROTTING HORSE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12175, 26 November 1917, Page 5

TROTTING HORSE.

FATE OF A WELL-BRED ONE. "The horse was bred as a. trotter,'* said a witness at the Magistrates Court this morning. The statement was made during the hearing of a case in which a black gelding, said to be by Robin Hood from a mare by Lincoln Yet, figuredIncidentally the dispute arose over a milk round. The horse that once did such noble duty in delivering the morning's supply fell Sill, and another had to bo requisitioned. The owne r of the milk round eventually found a seller, and the gelding in question proved to be, or was alleged to be, a gelding stylishly bred. The breeding would not look out of place at a meeting of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club, nut evidently the horse had failed to oho>r the early promise- tha'ti is expected of trotting stock, and eventually found his way into the undignified position, between the shafts of a milk cart. In younger days, perhaps, the gelding had visions of many stirring contests, of light sulkies, of racing home in front to tho noise of cheering thousands. Here ho simply stood outside the Courthouse while people argued about him- He. did not look a champion, but in many respects ho showed the quality of a thoroughbred. He had a "knee," a distinctly unsightly one, but bis previous owner said "he had been born liko that.'.' Possibly it would never have affected him, and, as his owner remarked, "he would trot to NewBrighton in twenty-five minutes.'' The gelding appeared tired of life, he did not resent a "Star" reporter searching for weak tendons or affections of the knees. He did not even mind the veterinary surgeon looking for faitfts. and seemed to be resigned to his position as milk-cart horse for life.