Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-03-09
AN EQUINE DUEL.
A Fight Between Wild
Horses.
INCIDENTS ON THE PLAINS.
Experience Of . Party of Trav-
elers on the Western
Frontier.

elers on the Western
Frontier.
In 1851, when first saw the Rio
Pecos river, which is the right-hand
branch of the Rio Grande, the Pecos
81 j ins were favorite grazing ground
for vast herds of wild horses. For
years later there were plenty OF wild
ponies on the Western plains,
but in the days Of which l write there
we're herds Of good big horses, some
Of the animals standing seventeen
hands high and weighing 1900 or
1,40O pounds. went into New
Mexico with a Government sur
yeying party, which was OF semi
military character. A survey OF that
portion of the Rio Pecos lying in New
Mexico was to be made, and there
was to be military post located be-
tween Pope's Wells and the Benita
river. The country between was a
plain 100 miles long by 200 broad,
with many small streams and rich
feeding spots. The herds of horses
had been seldom disturbed by white
hunters, and whenever the Indians
wanted supply they selected the
ponies in preference, believing that
fhev we're the soonest broken and
would stand the hardest riding.
We were we'll into the plains before
We saw any horses, and the first herd
We saw came very near bringing about
q calamity. We were camped in the
bend Of the Pecos and the surveyors
and guards had just come in for
dinner. There was truce between
the whites and the Indians at that
date, but our party was a strong one
and the surveyors never went out
without protection. A truce meant
that the redskins would not kill if the
other party was the stronger. We
had two ambulances, three or four
wagons and from seventy to eighty
horses. These last were staked out on
the rich feeding ground. With no more
warning than that we felt trembling
of the earth and heard a great clatter,
q drove of wild horses numbering
at least 500 came charging around a
heavily wooded point directly at our
camp. The stream in front OF our
camp was about two feet deep, and
ran over bed of gravel, and the
horses we're probably in the habit OF
coming here to drink The herd was
led by sorrel stallion of magnificent
look and limb, and was going at such
q pace that the leaders were among
our animals before man OF us moved.
Nothing will rattle domestic horse
like the near presence of his wild
brother. A stampede of bufaloes
simply terriies him, and in his terror
he will act like fool. The wild horse
excites him and makes him for
get for the moment that he
is mans slave, and he will do
his best to throw off the yoke of
servitude and join the herd. 1t was
we'll we were all together. Every man
rushed for the horses, yelling and
shouting to drive the intruders away,
but when they went out two OF our
mules and horse went with them.
The horse was five-year-old stallion,
worth at least $500, and his fight
caused instant dismay in the camp
The mules would not be allowed to
"chum" with the herd anyhow, and
could he picked up after they had
tired their their legs little, but the
horse might never be seen again. A
score ef us mounted in hot haste and
set off to recapture him. The herd
had gone due west, in which direc-
ton a rise of ground hid them
after a short run. As we reached
this rise every man Of us checked his
horse. Below us was an almost Cir
cular valley about half a mile across,
and in this valley the herd had come
to a halt. 1t seemed that the pres
ence of our horse had aroused the
ire of the sorrel leader of the herd,
and that the question of champion
ship had come up to be settled at
once. The two stations were be-
tween us and the herd and were al
ready skirmishing. Every one Of the
horses had his head toward the pair and
was an interested spectator. At any
other time our presence would have
pnt them to flight, but under the cir
cumsfances they gave us no attention.
Now occurred combat the like of
which few men have ever witnessed.
The horses we're pretty evenly match
ed for size. Our champion had an
advantage in being shod, but to Offset
this the sorrel horse was the quicker.
Their movements showed the broad
disparity between wild and domestic
life. Our horse was agile and smart
as the terms 60, but the sorrel had
the suppleness of panther. AS box
ers feint for an opening, SO these
horses skirmished for an advantage.
They approached until their noses
almost met, and then reared up with
shrill neighs, struck at each other, aud
came down to wheel and kick. The
iron shoes of our horse hit nothing
but air, but we heard the double thud
of the sorrel's hind feet as he sent
them home. They ran off to wheel
and come together again and repeat
the same tactics, d again our horse
got the worst of it. He was a head
strong, high-strung beast and his tem-
per was now up. When he wheeled
the third time he came back with a
rush, screaming out in his anger. The
sorrel turned end for end like flash to
use his heels, but our champion
lodged the kicks and seized him by
the shoulder with his teeth. There
was terrific struggle before the hold
was broken, and then they backed in
to each other and kicked with all their
furyfor few seconds. Every hoof hit
something solid, but the iron shoes of
our horse scored point in his favor.
When they separated we could see that
the sorrel had been badly used, es-
pecially about the legs.
When the horses wheeled for the
third time, both we're bent on mis-
chiet. As they came together they