, 1886-08-08
CAVALRY SERVICE.
DISCUSSION OF THE MERITS OF
GOVERNMENT HORSES.

Hardships of the Service on the West
ern Plains-Selection of Gallant Steeds
for Uncle sam-Rigorous Examination
The Last Test-Good Memory.
A lew days g q reporter engaged in
conversation with a recruiting sergeant in
the United States cavalry service, and in
the course of the chat the officer drifted
into the discussion of the merits of horses
supplied to the service and the manner in
which they are furnished to the govern
ment. Not long since 500 horses were pur-
chased in this city. st. Louis, Chicago and
other large mercantile centres for troops
in the four big western departments of
the Platte. Dakota, Missouri and Texas,
in which divisions it is estimated that
three-fourths of the army of our country
Is comprised.
Most of our cavalry horses" said the
recruiting sergeant, "are lost on the plains
in the west. No one here east can con-
ceive the rigor of our western military
duties or the hardships they entail for the
soldiers and their beasts. We suppose
that the great west is teeming with YER
dure and forage, whereas the fact is that
In very many tracts OF country scouting
parties are compelled to ride for a week or
more, at the rate of perhaps fifty miles a
- WIN ~ gam " tbtlA hOloCo Az
very little grass by the way. A general
scrutiny of the condemned army horses
would show that their retirement from
the service is due more to starvation than
anything else. Very often the troopers
horse drops in the ranks from sheer ex-
haustion and others are so badly used up
that they never recover from the priva-
ton and fatigue, and are finally con-
demned for use in the field and shipped to
recruiting stations, where they answer
much better even than green horses for
drilling recruits"
PHYSICAL QUALIFICATIONS DEMANDED.
"What are the physical qualifications
demanded for the selection OF horses for
the cavalry service!"
well, in the first place, none but geld
ings are taken. The government does not
care forastallions or mares. The animal
submitted for purchase should stand
at least fifteen hands high and
weigh about 900 pounds. He should be
short in the back and also short in the
pastern joints. A long-legged beast with
n badly-shaped head wouldn't pass mus
ter at all Low withers is one of the most
essential points, because a horse with high
withers is liable to work the saddle for
ward and get sores; and once in that con-
dition he loses flesh and becomes worth
less. In addition TO THESE speclncatlons,
he must be absolutely free from contracted
hoofs, or he won't pass the inspection of
the board"
an what manner are horses secured for
the cavalry service?"
Generally by advertising. The partic-
ular class of animals desired is becoming
scarcer every day. This, l suppose, is due
to the fact that breeders are giving their
attention to the raising of draught horses
of the Percheron, Norman and similar
stock, which are, of course, too slow for
cavalry purposes. 1t is a singular fact
that horse dealers, as a rule, consider the
government legitimate prey for all sorts
of imposition. For, instance, at the last
inspection, only eight out of sixty horses
offered were accepted. Hostlers trotted
them out for inspection full of confidence
that they could unload their employers
full stock of useless equines. Some OF
the animals names and foretops were
plated and decorated with strips of red
flannel. Their tails were lone up in COM
mon bagging of so bulgy u shape as to
suggest the probability Of their being
about ten feet long. OF course, those dec
orations had to come off to make sure
that the tails were all there, and that thu
names were of hair instead of oakum.
The eyes of a horse under inspection are
closely examined.