Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-03-08
Kirghiz Horses.

The horses which are native to the Kir-
ghlz steppes are the hardest breed in the
world. They are small in size, usually
ugly in shape, and their gallop is not
very swift; but their powers of endur
ance, in the way of both privation and
travel, are remarkable. They are never
housed in winter, severe as is that season
IN Central Asia, nor are they blanketed
during the coolest days or nights. Their
coat OF hair, thick and long as shaggy
WfEh the tfefGdry Huttbbffiy taaplB,p taaplB, prQteefiQp
below nero. Nor is there generally any
provision made for their sustenance dur
ing the months when the ground is COW
cred with snow. Turned loose on the
steppe when the days toll is over, they
are left to make shift for themselves,
which they do by kicking away the snow
and feeding on the withered grass and
herbs. g Occasionally" says Capt Bur-
naby, u the poor beasts perish by thou
sands, and a Tartar, who is rich man
one week, may find himself beggar the
next. This comes of the frequent snow
storms, when the thermometer sometimes
descends to from forty to fifty degrees
below zero, Fahrenheit; but more often
from some slight thaw taking place for
perhaps few hours. This is sufficient
to ruin whole districts, for the ground be-
comes covered with gu impenetrablc coat
ing of ice, and the horses simply die of
starvation ~ -
Invaluable as the little animals are to
their masters, the latter do not even take
the trouble to water them, but leave them
in the winter to assuage their thirst by
eating snow. Toward the end of the
winter MONTHS" quoting again from Capt.
Burnaby, "the ribs of the poor beasts al
most come through their sides; but, once
the snow disappears, and the rich
vegetation which replaces it in the
early spring comes up, the animals gain
flesh and strength, and are capable of per-
forming marches which many people in
this country would deem impossible-a
hundred mile ride not being at all an un-
common occurrence in Tartary. 1t is said
that Kirghiz Chief once galloped with
Cossack escort ION two horses) 200 miles
in twentyfour hours-the path extending
for considerable distance over mount
ainous and rocky district The animals,
however, soon recovered from the effects
of the journey, although they were little
lame for the first few days" a.T
Neither in winter nor summer are the
Kirghiz horses shod, except when they
travel over rocky ground. The hoof is
strong enough to need no protection, and
a lame or unsound steed is d rarity. Capt
Burnaby gives an account of two remark
ably rapid marches which the Russian
cavalry were enabled to make by the use
of these stanch, wiry horses. The first
occurred in May, 1870, when Count Borkh
led an expedition against some Kirghiz
auls (villages) across the Ust Urt plateau,
which is bounded on all sides by a
scarped cliff, that in some places attains
an elevation of 400 to 600 feet, while the
tracks down its steep incline are blocked
by enormous rocks and loose stones. The
party comprised $50 Cossacks and sixty
mounted rifemen. The difficulties of the
road along the passes OF the mountain
were so great that men and horses were
continually coming down; yet no halt was
made until sixty miles had been Travelled.
Then began ride over long, sterile,
sandy steppe, which was destitute of for
age, and furnished water only at rare in
tervals in wells 180 feet deep. The force
again marched sixty miles without halt
ing, when the absolute dearth of provis
ions compelled them to retrace their steps.
The troops reached headquarters on the
sixth day, after march of 266 miles over
an arid country. The. heat during the
time was excessive, the thermometer
sometimes marking III degrees Fair. IN
the daytime, while the nights were cold.
Yet there were no sick in the party, and
only twelve horses suffered from sore
backs, and this on account of their being
saddled.
at another time, Count Borkh led a
flying column of seventy Cossacks by Sc
cluded paths, in order to surprise body
of Kirghiz. He returned to the camp
whence he started at the end of six days,
having travelled 333 miles, with the loss of
only two lame horses On the outward
trip, the troop accomplished 133 miles in
two days.-Chicdgo Tribune.
BUSINESS doesn't revive much n Nan
tucket. They have ajail there without an
occupant.