The National tribune., 1888-10-11
INDIAN HORsEMANsHIP.
Some Wonderful Displays of Aboriginal Riding.
Omaha Herald

[Onaaha Herald.
In the Indian camp of the krapahoe Chief
Friday we saw many curious scenes and learned
much of Indian life One day Friday said TO
me he would like to show off his young men
and let me see how we'll they could ride. At
first expected some treachery, as the whole
herd Of ponies was in the hands of the troops
The old Chief however, was so earnest and ap-
parently honest about it, / told the Captain
who had the herd in charge. he might let
Friday have so ponies for his young men. In
about an hour they drew up before the tents
in war paint and feathers, and were rs fine a
looking set of young fellows as / have ever
seen. Hardly one but was six feet in hight
and beautifully proportioncd. They sat their
horses like centaurs, aud were ease and grace
itseli in the saddle At a signal from the Chief
they began their movements with yell that
sent the blood curdling to the heart, and was
enough, if heard unawdtcs or in the night time,
to make ones hairstand on end. In moment
they had disappeared over a neghboriug hill
to the right, and | thought they had gone; but
hearing a mighty tramping of horses looked
to the left, and there they came. / can COM
pare is to nothing but the wind, and they swept
by so compact that they looked like bali Of
horses and men.
Splitting III two, one body swept to the right
and another to the left aud again disappeared
In about two minutes the two bodies charged
Sd.h OGiibf III bUlld iIHGo, anu i NdItHu DftalU-
lessly for tho shock but, as the horses heads
almost touched each other, the files skilfully
opeded to the right and left, and the lines pass
ed through the intervals without touching.
Wheeling to the right-about they passed back
in an instant. and again disappeared over the
| hills. 1t was ab0nt Is minutes before they
came in sight, and Friday informed me that
they were blowing their horses Presently on
they came and wheeled by fours, formed col
and finally fint.lavad aaS or II
was now we saw the finest individual horse
| manship Some would approach lying so close
to the pOnys back that nothing but the horse
could be seen. Others stood up and rode as cir
Gus men 90 Some would hang with one
foot and one hand on the horses aud sweep by,
| their bodies completely protected by the bodies
| Of the animals. Some leaped upon the ground
| holding to the maDe of the horse, and after
running step or TWO would swing themselves
| up on the backs Of the horses again as easily az
| any circus man could do it. The positions they
| assumed and tbs feats of horsemanship they
| performed were incredible, and doubt if any
| thing outside of a circus ring ever equaled it,
! They would throw objects on the ground and
| pick them up again while passing ut full speed
| the warriors hanging to the sides Of the horses
with one foot and one hand. They drew bows
and shot arrows from underneath the necks
and even the bellies, of their horses while rid.
| ing at fast galop
Our cavalry could not learn to ride as well a!
these Indians did if each man was trained for
20 years. They exchanged horses while riding
and got behind each other One man would
fall off his horse as if wounded. and two Others
would ride up beside him and, taking him by
an arm and leg. swing him between theil
horses and carry him off. The exhibition o
drill as Friday called it, lasted nearly TIVE
hours and the men and horses were completely
exhausted. / bad never seen such magnificeu
feats of horsemanship in my life, aud freely
said so. A this Friday was much pleased, anC
calling up the young men repeated to them il
a loud voice what / had said, and added few
words of his own compiimenting them. Th
young men were very proud Of the manner il
which they had acquitted themselves. and
could imagine the feelings of their parents ant
sweethearts. The performers were much worn
out, some of them being hardly able to staut
after their violent exercise and all the even
ing | saw them lying in the lodges, where tn
Indian women brought them food, bathed thei
hands, arms and limbs, and combed their hail