Little Falls transcript., 1886-07-23
Horses Starved on the Plains.

Horses Starved on the Plains.
@ 4 few days ago q New York Nail
Ind r1 Express repo orter engaged incon
yeslrsation with 3 recruiting sergeantin
the 2. 8. cavalry service, and ia the !
course Of the chat the officer drifted
into the discussion 81 the merits Of
horses supplied to Che service and the
manner is which they are furnished TO
the government. Not long since 500,
horses were purchased in this city, st.
Louis, Chicago and other large n1er-
cantile centers for troops in the four
big western departments ofthe Platte,
Dakota, Missouri and Texas, III which
divisions it IS estimated that three
fourths Of the army of our country is
comprised. LIMIT &. .s=s.s -. q.
Most Of our. cavalry horses" said
the recuiting Sergeant, care lost on
the plains in the West. No one here
East can conceive the rigor Of our
Western military duties or the hard
ships they entail for the soldiers and
their beasts. We suppose that the
great West is teeming with verdure
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 day, with no grain for
their horses and 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 any
thing else. Very often the troopers
horse drops in the ranks from sheerex-
haustion and others are so badly used
up that they never recover from the
privation and fatigue, and are finally
condemned for use in the field and
shipped to recruiting stations, where
they answer much better even than
green horses for drilling recruits"
"What are the physical quali6ca-
tlons demanded in the selection OF
horses for the cavalry service?''
''SAA, AAA OAAC AkSV pl61COe OuO
geldings are taken. The Government
does not care for stations or mares.
The animal submitted for purchase
should stand at least fifteen hands
high and weigh about nine hundred
pounds. He should be short in the
back and also short in the pastern
joints. A long-legged beast with d
badly-shaped head wouldn't pass
muster at all. Low withers is one OF
the most essential points, because a
horse with high withers is liable to
work the saddle forward and get sores;
and once in that condition he loses
flesh and becomes worthless. In ad-
dition to these specifications he must
be absolutely free from contracted
hoofs or he won't pass the inspection
of the Board"
"In what manner are horses secured
for the cavalry service?'
Generally by advertising. The
particular class of animals desired is
becoming scarcer every day. This,
suppose, is due to the fact that breed
ers are giving their attention to rails
ing draught horses OF the Percheron,
Norman and similar stock, which are
OF course, too slow for cavalry purpo-
ses. 1t is q singular fact that horse
dealers, as q rule, consider the Govern
ment legitimate prey for all sorts of
imposition. For instance, at the last
inspection only eight out of sixty
horses offered were accepted. Host
lers trotted them out for inspection
tull of confidence that they could un-
load their employers full stock OF use
less equines. Some Of the animals
names and foretops were plated
and decorated with strips ofred flannel.
Their tails were done up in common
bagglng Of so bulky shape as to sug-
gest the probability OF their being
about ten feet long. OF course these
decorations had to come off to make
sure that the tails were all there, and
that the names were of hair instead
OF oakum. The eyes OF q horse under
inspection are closely examined. ii he
IN general outline, is regarded as
worthy of consideration at all, he is
submitted to q rigorous examination
which takes up about a quarter ofan
hour-all over him from his teeth to
his fetlocks and hoof. Then the hos
tier is directed to walk the animal up
and down the length OF the yard, and
afterwards to run him as fast as the
beast can go. If his action is easy, he
is ordered tied IN for the final inspec-
ton. The last test is a run up hill for
a distance Of 200 yards or so to see
il his wind is good. No saddles used.
The hostler simply mounts and trots
to the starting point, riding back as
fast as a liberal application of cow
hide to his beast can carry him. Ii
the horse passes this muster he is
purchased and led to the blacksmith
shop to be branded. His first decora-
tion is q big U. S. on the left shoulder.
When he is detailed to regiment he
is burned again with the regimental
brand, and with the brand OF his COM
pany on the left hip. For more per-
feet Identification he receives an ad-
ditional marking on the hoof, and is
then ready for business. l know of
nothing more painful than the brand
ing of beast, and ! think he knows
ofnothing more painful himself. The
brands become obscure in a few years,
and are necessarily renewed. It is a
peculiar fact that when the time comes
for renewing the operation nine out of
ten animals remember the previous
dose, and it is no easy matter to re-.
peat it,"
The King Business.
It will not pay. It is all very we'll
to think OF the gorgeous splendor OF