The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-12-10
DESCRIPTIONS
CAVALRY SERVICE.
DISCUSSION OF The MERITS or
: GOVERNMENT HORSES.


uardships of the Service on the West
ern PIafns-selection of Gallant Steeds
for Uncle sam-Rigorous Examination
The Last Test-Good Memory.
4 few days ago a reporter engaged in
conversation with a recruiting sergeant IN
;he United States cavalry service, and IN
he course Of the chat the officer drlfted
INTO the discussion Of the merits OF horses
supplied 10 the service and the manner IL /
which they are furnished 70 the govern
ment Not long since so horses We're pur-
chased in this city, st Louis, chicago ana 4
other large mercantile centres for troops /
In the four big western departments OF /
the Platte, Dakota, Missouri and Texas, I
in which divisions it Is estimated that /
three-fOurths of the army Of our country /
Is comprised
Most Of our cavalry horses said the I
recruiting sergeant, are lost on the plains /
in the west. No one here east can con-
ceive the rigOr Of our western mlnIary
duties or the hardships they entail for the
soldiers and their beasts We suppose
that the great west Is Ueenlng with YER
dure and forage, whereas the Tact Is thaU
in very many tracts Of country scouting
parties are compelled to ride for week or
mole at the rate Of perhaps nfty miles
Y.
very little grass by the way. A general
scrlltiny of the condemned army horses
would show that their retirement from
the service is due more to starvation than
ANYTHING else. Very often the trooper
horse drops in the ranks from sheer eA-
haustion and others are so badly used up
that they never recover from the pFlNa-
ton and fatigue, and are hnalIy con
deuned for use in the field and shipped TO
much better even than green horses Tor
drilling recruits.
PHYSICAL QUALIFICATIONS DEMANDED.
What are the physical qualifications
demanded for the selection OF horses Ior
the cavalry service
well. in the first place, none but geld
fngs are taken. The government does not
care for stations or mares. The animal
submitted for purchase should STAND
ct least fifteen hands high ana
weigh about goo pounds. He should be
short in the back and also short IL the
pasteru Joints. a long legged beast with
a badly-shaped head wouldn't pass mus
ter at all. Low withers Is one OF the most
essential points, because a horse with hlgh
withers is liable to work the saddle Tor
ward and get sores: and once in that con-
dition he loses flesh and becomes worth
less In addition to these specifications,
he must be absolutely free from contracted
hoOfs, or he won't pass the Inspection Oh
the board"
In what manner are horses secureu lo'
the cavalry service?"
aGeneraIIy bv Advertising The partic-
Mar class OF animals desired is becoming
scarcer every day This, l suppose, Is due
n the fact that breeders are giving their
attention to the raising OF draughU horses
of the Percheron, Norman and similar
stock. which are, of course, too SOW LOT
GIT7CrT al
that horse dealers, as rule, consider the
government legitimate prey for all sorts
Of iu1DOsition For instance, at the last
iuspection only eight out of sixty horses
offered were accepted Holsters IrotCeu
them out for inspection full OF confluence
that they could unload their employers
full stock of useless equines. some Oh
the animals names and foretops We're
Matted and decorated with strips OF req
flannel. Their tails were done up IN com
mon bagging of so bulgy shape as 10
suggest the probability of their being
about ten feet long. OF course, those dec
orations had to come of to make sure
that the tails were all there, and thaU Ihe
names were of hair instead OF oakuIL
The ewes of a horse under Inspection AT
closely examined.
4 RIGOROUS EXANfINATION.
aIf he in general outline, Is regarded as
worthy of consideration at all, he is sub
mitted to a rigorous eXaminatlOn-WmcI
takes up about a quarter of an hour-al
over him from his teeth to his fetlocks anc
hooffs. Then the hOstler Is directed C
walk the animal up and down the Length
ofthe ward and afterwards TO run him az
fast as the beast can go. If his acton L
easv he is ordered tied in for the ma
inspection.
@The last test is a run up hill for dis
lance Of 200 yards or so to see II his WINE
is GOOD. No saddle is used. The hostile
simnIv mounts and trots to the starting
point, riding back as fast as liberal az
Dlicatiou of cowhide TO his beast can carr
him. If the horse passes this muster n
is purchased and led 10 the blachsmlt
shop to be branded. His first decorauo
is a big L 5. on the left shoulder ne
he is detailed to a regiment he Is hurhe,
again with the regimental brand and VIZ
the brand of his company on the IelU MP
For more perfect identification ne receive
an additional marking on the moor anu
then ready for business. know OF hoIL
ing more painful than the branding OF
beast, and think he knows OF notnln
more painful himself. The brands o'
come obscure in a few years and are nece:
sarily renewed 1t is a peculiar Iact ina
when the time comes for renewing u
operation nine out Of ten animals reTEeu
Der the previous dose, and II IS no cas-
matter to repeat it.-New York Mail an
ExDTeSS