Star of the Kanawha Valley. [volume] (Buffalo, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1856, 1855-12-05

<1HtGS tOStttNGpNs Z
II am, then, employed in keeping
the government 'Caryard.' And,
speaking Of buffalo hatats, You would
think it almost as much fun to see me
Of o morning clap on my buckskin
Rocky Mountain leggings, my Gillian
spurs with rowels as big round as the
bottom Of q tin cup and shanks a foot
long. and then with a Spanish saddle
and Mexican bride, mount Califor-
MIA horse, when the animals are to be
driven upIto the Carrall.
"The California horse, though hard
" 50 strong and possibly not 50 swift
as our gsyy best Alnerical saddle
horses, Is Inevertheless many degrees
moro supple. The ease and beauty Of
their motion is most astonishing.
They never fall AMI, with a Mexican
CHILEAN Or Californian bit, they can
be guided by d finger and, when at
full speed. made to spin around like
q top on their hind feet in an oppo.
site direction. %J
! Sand here let me take occasion TO
remark how very opposite to oar ideas
Of good horsernanshipi the Califor.
mans. PIX I'll. T..
"How ridiculous would seem to
them. oue notion that the horse must
be held up by the man on his back,
to prevent his falling down! They
think it preposterous, that at the, same
time. that the horse cQrrses the
rider there should be a recipocM 3D.
legation on the part Of the rider 70
carry the horse, the d ifference Of the
two consistingin the horse carrying
the man on his back and the man car
rying the horse by the mouth. / am
thoroughly convinced from my own
observation, that owing to the entire.
ly different modes of riding is the
constrained motion of even our best
saddle horses forming such contrast
to the ree-and-easy moments theirs.
"They g;ire a Horse his head (yet
subject to the slightest check Of the
rein) and trusting to the, i,estinetd Of
the animal itself rs averse to falling
as the rider possibly could be. Thus
with their 'dparaho' secure, they feel
perfectly at home in thei seats, while
100 are occupied in the watching oul
horses every step, and. though NOM.
ted on them, lifting them up to keep
them from falling. II is analogous
to the idea ofNa man lifting himself
off the ground by pulling at the straps
Of his boots. r.. MI / I
2 Sand SO it is--whether to walk Of
run-wllether at half or full speed
to wheel, to halt-whether on rough
or smooth ground, up and down hill
or on the plain-whether to handle
the weapons Of war Or the chase.
when mounted at least, and in action
they have immeasurably the advan,
tage of US For instance, what eff
cient action would it DO possible fol
us to bring to bear in certain INNER
gencies 1raeea(as we are when noun
ted) on o pair of stirrups fixed fal
forward on a little paH saddle, and
leaning back heavily against a snablel
Why, before the motions Of a horse
of mettle can be sufficiently steadied
it requires us to dance HIM over sew
eral acres Of ground. ToNs say moth
ing of our gentlemen cquestrians o.
she States" good ones, too, admit
chat is, after their schooD might il
not be Of advantage to our U. s. dra
COON corpse to take some lessons il
Workmanship from these semi-bar'
bariansl For my own part, ! have
been in situations fully to know and
appreciate the advantage Of being
mounted on q horse whose energies
require to be called out when needed
instead Of requiring all my attention
to keep them in check when they art
not needed. Yet why p,eachs Ex
perienceIis the only sure. teacher, and
our young men at. home who, from
infancy, have been taught that the
perfection Of horsemanship consists
in setting a horse we'll that is, with
the use of martingale and cropper
causing him, with head up and tai
well thrown out--above all things
'bearingI nell on the If-to pace
genteely and steadily along over :
smooth road. such will require totbe
placed sucA circumstances, as alone
will teach them the advantages Of
,rougher school.
'sBut it was merely my intention K
speak Of the Californian horse sucf
as You find him in use among the ma
tives, d few Of such we have in thii
land ana d pity indeed it would bt
should they be made miserable hacks
Of abuse, such as most things undergo
from government hirelings, that is
government property. However, yov
should see me, | say, mount one o
these at the Ranch and dash of i.
hunt up the scaryard!' And, having
found Il, and let out Of me o few yell
to see the animals collect together
and dash or swift as the wind, roar
ing like thunder--and to see me clos'
at their tails, twirling the rsGtG.
d. the difference about the ground
even ~ odd down n urecinica or n,