The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-07-23
Horses stsrved on the Plains.

versation with q recruiting sergeant in
the U. S. cavalry service, and in the
course of the chat the officer drifted
into the discussion or the merits OF
horses supplied to the service and the
manner in which they are furnished to
the government. Not long since 800
horses were purchased in this city, St.
Louis, Chicago and other large mer-
camille centers for troops in the four
big western departments ofthe Platte,
Dakota, Missouri and Texas, in which
divisions it is estimated that three
tourths of the army OF our country IS
comp ised.
tMost of our cavalry horses" said
the recuiting Sergeant, care lost on
the plains in the West. No one here
East can conceive the rjgor 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 q
week or more, at the rate OF perhaps
fifty miles q 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 qualifica-
tions demanded in the selection Of
horses for the cavalry service?"
"Well, in the first place, none, but
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 q
muster at all. Low withers is one of
the most essential points, because q
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 service2"
Generally by advertising. The
particular class of animals desired is
becoming scarcer every day. This, /
suppose, is due to the fact that breed
ere are giving their attentionto 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 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
full of confidence that they could un-
load their employers full stock of use
less equines. Some of the animals
names and foretops were plated
aid decorated with strips ofred flannel.
Their tails were done up in common
bagging of so bulky a 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 a horse under
inspection are closely examined. II he
in general outline, is regarded as
worthy OF consideration at ELL he is
submitted to q rigorous examination
-S:hich takes up about a quarter OF an
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. II his action is easy, he
is ordered tied In for the final inspec-
tion. 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-
ton is q big u. s. on the left shoulder.
When he is detailed to q 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. ! know o.
nothing more painful than the brand
| inc of a beast. and think he knows