Tom Bass (horse trainer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tom Bass
|
|
|---|---|
Tom Bass riding Belle Beach
|
|
| Born | January 5, 1859 |
| Died | November 4, 1934 (aged 75) |
| Occupation | American Saddlebred trainer |
| Spouse(s) | Angie Jewell Bass |
Tom Bass was a famous horse trainer who lived from 1859 to 1934. He was born into slavery but became one of the most well-known horse trainers of his time. Tom Bass was especially good at training American Saddlebred horses. He even trained horses for famous people like Buffalo Bill Cody, President Theodore Roosevelt, and Will Rogers.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Tom Bass was born on January 5, 1859. This happened on a large farm called a plantation in Boone County, Missouri. His mother, Cornelia Gray, was a slave. His father, William Bass, was the son of the plantation owner.
Tom was raised by his grandparents, Presley and Eliza Grey. He also had a brother named Jesse. The Bass family farm raised and trained horses. So, Tom likely spent a lot of time around horses when he was a boy.
When Tom was 20, he moved to Mexico, Missouri. There, he learned about the horse business from a horse buyer named Joseph A. Potts. After that, he started his own horse training business.
In 1882, Tom Bass married Angie Jewell, who was a schoolteacher. They had a son named Inman in 1897.
A Special Way to Train Horses
Tom Bass quickly became known for his gentle ways of training horses. People from all over came to him to have their horses trained. He was known for saying, "Horses are like humans." This showed his kind approach.
He trained many important horses. One of the most famous was Rex McDonald, a powerful five-gaited Saddlebred stallion. Five-gaited horses have special ways of moving that are very smooth.
Tom Bass trained horses for many famous people. These included executives from Anheuser-Busch, Buffalo Bill Cody, Will Rogers, and President Theodore Roosevelt. He even started his own group called the Tom Bass Riding Club. Important guests like William Jennings Bryan and P. T. Barnum visited his farm.
Showing Horses and Making History
In 1892, Tom and his wife moved to Kansas City, Missouri. They opened a place where people could keep their horses, called a livery stable. Tom Bass also helped start the American Royal Horse Show. This is one of the biggest horse shows for Saddlebreds. He was the first African-American person to show a horse at the American Royal.
In 1893, Bass showed his horses at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. He won a World Championship on a Saddlebred mare named Miss Rex. People were very impressed with his riding skills.
Later, Tom Bass moved back to Mexico, Missouri. He kept training horses there. By 1917, it was thought that over a million people had seen him perform with his horses. He helped make Mexico, Missouri known as the "Saddle Horse Capital of the World."
Inventions and Special Horses
Besides Rex McDonald, Tom Bass trained another amazing horse named Belle Beach. She was a "high school" horse. This means she could do fancy tricks like bowing, curtsying, and even dancing!
Tom Bass also invented a special piece of horse equipment called a curb bit. It was designed to help riders control their horses without causing them pain. He never patented his invention, but the "Tom Bass bit" is still used today.
For all his contributions, Tom Bass was honored in 1999. He was added to the Hall of Famous Missourians. You can also see exhibits about him at the American Saddlebred Museum in Mexico, Missouri, and the American Royal Museum in Kansas City.
His Lasting Impact
Tom Bass passed away on November 4, 1934, at age 75. His friends believed that he was very sad about the recent death of Belle Beach, his beloved horse. This sadness might have contributed to his passing.
Tom Bass is buried in the Elmwood Cemetery in Mexico, Missouri. His tombstone says, "One of the World's Greatest Saddle Horse Trainers and Riders."
After Tom Bass died, Will Rogers wrote a whole newspaper column about him. He said that many people were applauded for riding beautiful horses, but Tom Bass was the one who trained them. He trained thousands of horses that others rode to fame.
Tom Bass's barn became an important historical place. Sadly, it was burned down in 1997.
