Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-12-14
rLe Wild mor.ns or ,rcxns.

Those who have never visited the regions
| where wild horses are caught or reared can have
but little idea how the unnamed steed of the
| prairie is rendered tractabc and useful At the
| present day in Texas the herds of mustangs
| that formerly ranged over its vast praries have
become almost extinct in the settled portions,
and cOnfne themselves to the extreme western
counties. In their places are horses mostly
crossed with American stock, which are IN a
state ofSemi-wildness-tla is, they roam at will
until certain seasons Of the year, when all such
as can be caught are driven in herds to huge
pens constructed for the purpose, to be branded
and marked, after which most of them are let
loose to roam at will again.
When the owner of portion OF herd desires
TO break any of his young horses, he proceeds
in this wise: The first movement is to lasso the
horse selected, by the head and foreieet. and
throw him to the earth; then kind of halter
called a "bosa," is put on his head, both to
serve as a bride and to take the animal by it,,
being much more ctfectual than halter or
bride in checking his frantic efforts to liberate
himself. He is either tied up closely all night or
staked at the will of the owner. The next
morning the sport begins.
All horse or stock raisers have one or more
vaqueros, whom they employ for the special
purpose OF breaking and riding wild and re-
fractOry horses. These 90 out, followed by all
the members of the family, and proceed to over
haul their saddles and see that there is no de-
feet in the "rigging" When they are satisfied
that all is secure, they lead or rather drag, for
ward the steed. He is alternately led, dragged,
and whipped forward, until he reaches the point
where he is to be Saddled.
A leather strap attached to the bosal is then
pulled over his eyes, and a saddle blanket is
dropped gently on his back; but very seldom
remains after the first trial, as he will almost
invariably shake it off. After one or two more
trials, however, he submits to both blanket and
saddle The latter is strapped on tightly with
two girths, fore and flank, strapped so tightly
| that one unaccustomed to the sight would think
| that it was intended to cut the animal in two.
The rider now adjusts the stake rope into reins,
by tying it securely to the bosal, leaving a long
| end by which to hold on in the event the horse
should succeed in throwing him.
Everything is now ready for the mount. The
rider adOrnS his heels with huge pair of spurs,
stands directly facing the horse, abreast, or
little forward of the shoulder, seizes the under
part of the bOSal with his left hand, pulls his
horses head round near him TO prevent being
kicked, takes his stirrup in his right hand to-
ward him, places his foot in it firmly Grasp
ing the pummel, he now gives the saddle shake
or two, makes one or two fants at mounting, to
sec how his horseship will take it, and then sud
denly springs, seating himself securely in the
saddle
The blinds, of course, are still over the eyes
| of the horse, and, as general thing, he stands
| with his neck stretched out and his head partly
| down, perfect picture of awkwardneSs. The
| rider is at his case, and adjusts himself and
| everything about him with the greatest care, as
| he knows there is warm work before him. When
| ready for the start he reaches gently forward
and slips off the blinds. Naturally the horse is
rather astonished and at first refuses to move.
A sharp application of the whip and spur, how
ever, induces him to change his mind. He takes
| timidly one or two awkward steps, then sudden
" doubling himself up until he resembles Il
camel, and throwing his head down before bis
| fore feet, he begins a series Of pitches, which
| consists in jumping as high and as far as he
| can, coming down stiti-legged.
Those who have accomplished the eXtraordi-
nary feat of going down flight Of stairs at one
step can form some faint idea how it feels to sit
! on the back of a pitching horse.
| Some of the more vicious will lie down when
| the saddle is buckled on, and it requires a ire
mendous amount of whipping to get them start
| ed; some will rear and tall backward, occasion
ally killing their riders some will pitch straight
| ahead for quite Il distance; while Others will
pitch straight for - few jumps, and then, as the
| Texans say, swap ends so quick that 1t makes
| your head swim"
Fortunately, they soon tire of snch violent
| exercise, being wholly unaccustomed to saddle
| or weight on their backs, and break completely
| in a few hours. The saddles are then taken
| off, and they are reserved for another trial the
| next morning
The exercise is continued for week or more,
according to the nature of the horse, when it is
| pronounced gentle and tractable for good
| rider, but woe TO the unSuSpecting greenhorn
| that is tempted to place himself on his back.
| A few of the horses are naturally gentle ma
| tured and never, unless frightened in breaking,
| attempt TO cut up at all. Those who love the
| horse, and desire to see him roaming at will in
| his beauty and symmetry, with glossy hide and
flowing name and tail, should go to the pasture