Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-07-04
CREASlNG A MUSTANG.
The Skill Displayed by Texas Marksmen
In Capturing Wild Horses.


The Skill Displayed by Texas Marksmen
In Capturing Wild Horses.
IL. Hill, at the present time live
stock agent for the Chicago & Alton,
and who for many years has been en-
gagged in cattle-raising in Texas and
the Indian Territory, remarked to re-
porter: I'm the early days Of the cattle
business in Texas, from 1857 to 1860,
the ranges were overrun by bands of
wild horses. These animals were a
great nuisance, as they would get
mixed with our loose horses and run
them off when any one approached.
AS rule. they We're rough, ILL
shaped set of beasts, and almost un-
tamable, so that few attempts were
ever made to catch them, it being con-
sidered best to shoot them on sight
and thus get rid of disturbing
influence in our horse herds. Some
times, however, really fine
animal would be seen and the ranch
men would try hard to secure
it. But the ordinary mode of capture,
lassoing, could seldom be used against
wild horses, and these beasts were very
shy, and even a poor horse, carrying
no weight, could outstrip a very fine
animal with a man On his back. I have
chased wild horses a hundred times,
and have become thoroughly convinced
of the truth of the English racing say
ing that the weight of stable key will
win or lose race.
''ln this extremity the Texans used
to resort to a means of capturing the
horses which is, believe, exclusively
American. 1t was discovered, do not
know how, that blow upon particular
sinew in horses neck, located just
above where the spine joins the skull,
would paralyze the animal temporarily
without doing it any permanent injury.
In those days the Texans were nearly
without exception fine shots, and at
short range could send a rifle ball with
phenomenal accuracy. The horses
could not be approached ex-
cept On foot, and it was
impossible to catch them on
horseback. But, not to be overcome
by any such difficulties, the cowboys
discovered way to capture them.
Taking his rifle, hunter would crawl
through the thick chaparral until
within fifty Or sixty yards of the horse
he desired to secure. Then, taking
careful aim. he would endeavor to send
a bullet through the top of the neck so
as to strike the sinew. When this was
properly done the horse would fall as
if struck by lightning and remain in
sensible for ten or fifteen minutes, re-
covering completely in an hour or two.
with no worse injury than a slight
wound in the back of the neck that
500, healed. OF course many bullets
went astray and hundreds of horses
were killed, but a good shot would Sc
cure about one horse in three that he
attempted to Grease as this mode OF
capture was called. The large caliber
rifles commonly in use were not adapted
to this peculiar mode of hunting, as if
they touched the sinew they were sure
to break it, and the wounds the
ii Or 52-calibre balls inflicted were too
severe. The weapon universally en-
ployed in creasing mustangs was the
old Hawkins rife, which a bullet not
much larger than pea, had set trig-
ger and required but small charge of
powder. These weapons were wonder
fully accurate up to one hundred yards,
but inflicted a trifing wound, and the
bullet was likelyto take course through
soft flesh around any hard object, in
stead of tearing through it, as larger
ball propelled by heavier charge OF
powder would do. Hundreds of mus
tangs, always the best animals in the
herd, used to be creased every year,
and this practice was kept up until the
herds had entirely disappeared.
''Some of the horses thus secured
were very tough and fleet animals, but
few were OF any practical use. Nearly
all were stations, as wild mare that
was good for anything was seldom seen
and the captured horses were nearly,
without exception, irreclaimably vi
cious, even when judged from the
Texas standpoint. Even when
broken to the saddle they could
only be ridden by the very best
horsemen and were ALWAYS
on the lookout to do their riders an in
jury. Strange to say they seldom tried
to kick, but a man had to be continu-
ally on the lookout for their fore feet
and teeth. They only used their hind
feet when a man was about to mount,
but nearly every one of them had a
trick of kicking forward as soon as the
rider put his foot in the stirrup, and
unless he was wary he would receive a
terrible blow On the leg. I used to own
a horse that, I believe, could scratch
himself between the ears with his hind
foot, his hind leg being apparently
made of India-rubber. The instant he
felt foot in the stirrup his hind hoof
would come forward with the speed OF
lightning, in the attempt to infict a
most vicious kick. I gave up mount
ING him in the usual wav. and ALWAYS