SC Rewind: 'No-Hands' Colby Turner

In this week's Rewind Robert Smith recalls the career of an amazing man named Colby Turner who trained and drove horses despite losing both of his arms in an accident.

Most of us have known of someone who has overcome insurmountable odds and been able to do the 'impossible', seemingly by sheer determination. In the world of sports, a young man named Jim Abbott comes to mind as a great example. Despite being born with just one hand, he was able to enjoy a long career in the major leagues as a pitcher and even threw a no-hitter. Although Abbott seldom went to bat, he was what might be termed a 'decent' hitter as well despite his limitations.

In harness racing there have been many who have persevered and even excelled despite being faced with tremendous adversity. In my opinion a man named Colby Turner, who trained and drove horses for many years, deserves to be at the top of this list. Dubbed "The Armless Wonder" in the 1940's and '50's, he was able to drive and win races with regularity. He competed at the biggest and best tracks in the nation including Roosevelt Raceway, Saratoga and the County Fairs in Ohio. I think his story is without parallel.

A 1940's picture of the amazing Colby Turner who actually drove horses despite the loss of both arms.

Colby Turner was born in 1880 on a farm in Clinton County near Wilmington, Ohio. Long before the days of mechanized farming, everything was done with horses. At the age of nine Colby was out in the hayfield with his father David who was mowing hay with a team of horses. His father took a break and went a short distance to get a drink of water. Eager to drive the horses, Colby jumped into the driver's seat and started the horses up.

A short distance down the field the mower went through a dip in the terrain and Colby was thrown off. The mower severed one arm and after being dragged a bit further, the other arm was also cut off. Both arms were severed just below the elbows. Miraculously he was rescued and once his arms healed his father purchased Colby mechanical wooden arms. What something like that must have cost in 1889 is anyone's guess but they must have been expensive.

The young lad immediately refused to use the artificial limbs. In an interview with Hoof Beats many years later, his niece Carolyn Wallace said "Uncle Colby would have nothing to do with those arms; he never once used them." How then did he handle this horrendous tragedy at such a young age?

Reportedly he looked at his father and said "Pa, will I die?" and his father replied "No son, you're not going to die." Apparently from that day on young Colby Turner refused to complain about his handicap and he never allowed it to stop him from accomplishing anything. Just exactly how he eventually became involved in harness racing is not known but it certainly continued his amazing story. He was not about to let anything stand in his way of working with the horses.

When he started driving, Colby devised a number of simple 'tricks' which he perfected that enabled him to do the things that others with hands take for granted. He used his teeth to grip the lines which he had sewn together. He then was somehow able to wrap them around his upper arms and still skillfully control a horse. He even mastered the use of the ever important stopwatch which he had pinned to his jacket. He attached a rubber band to the stem which he pulled with his teeth to start. At the wire he used his chin to stop the timer.

He applied his ingenuity to other similar tasks. He was an excellent card player and enjoyed several different games such as poker, bridge and pinochle. He even had a special spot for his winnings which were kept in his hat. He could do almost anything that a 'handed' person could do with the exception of tying his shoes. Once when asked if he had trouble eating he cheerfully replied "My only problem is when there's not enough food on the table."

Despite his tremendous ingenuity and amazing accomplishments, life was not without mishaps and accidents but those he also faced boldly. Once while racing at the Greene County Fair near his home in Xenia, Oh., Turner was seriously injured and ended up in the hospital with a broken leg. Soon after the accident he told his doctor "I don't have time to be in here and take care of the horses too." He promptly left the hospital with his leg in a cast and walked back to the fairgrounds to tend to his horses.

Colby Turner wins a race behind the trotter Miss Jet Propulsion at an Ohio County Fair [Hoof Beats]

While Turner was associated with a number of successful horses such as the trotter Miss Jet Propulsion, he is best remembered for being involved as the trainer of a rather famous horse named Amortizer. Ohio horseman McKinley Kirk enlisted the services of Colby to handle a number of his horses based on Turner's past accomplishments. Kirk liked what he saw and eventually turned his star Amortizer over to him.

In 1956 with Eddie Cobb driving, Amortizer set a world record for the 1 1/16 mile distance. Both Cobb and owner McKinley Kirk were quick in their praise of Colby Turner for his long and meticulous preparation of this horse. Reportedly Amortizer was a rather high strung horse but thanks to Turner's diligent training the horse overcame his anxieties.

Wherever he travelled throughout his lengthy career people were drawn to Colby. He was once the subject of a Ripley's Believe It Or Not episode. He also had a short movie made about his amazing life in which he displayed his unbelievable talents. It was shown at movie theatres between shows as was the practice many years ago. It showed him driving a stick shift car and harnessing a horse.

Colby Turner lived a long and productive life passing away in 1975 at the age of 94. His niece quoted earlier said "Colby was a very independent man. He devised ways to do everything for himself because he didn't want to be a burden to anyone, but most importantly he didn't want anybody to feel sorry for him. "

Billy Current, a one time horseman who later worked in security at Saratoga and grew up in the same hometown, probably summed it up best. He was quoted in a 1985 Hoof Beats article as saying "Colby could do anything anybody else could do. He might have to work at it a bit harder, but he got it done just the same. "