The Clifton clarion., 1888-04-11
THE COWBOY AS HE
Ise is Not a GOOd Eiorseman and is
 Very Indifferent Shot.

Ise is Not a GOOd Ei0rseman and is
 Very Indifferent Shot.
 The newspaper cowboy is not at
 all like the real article. according
 to the statement of John B.
 Gosnold, of Laredo, Texas, who
 has lived among them all his life.
 He talked Interestingly on the
 subject tho other day in St. Louis,
 says the Post Dispatch:
 q find that general impression
 prevails throughout the country"
 said he, ''that they are phenomenal
 horsemen and miraculous shots.
 Neither of these opinions are cor
 rect, although some have founda-
 ton in fact. First, as to thelr
 horsemanship-as far as sticking
 on and understanding what can be
 done in the saddle goes, they cer-
 tainly are second to no riders in
 the world. For Texas cowboy
 to pick mp his hat or silver dol
 lar from the ground when at full speed, to mount his horse at the gallop or to stop him at full career and turn him on saddle blanket, are every day feats The best of the riders can stand on the saddle of gallop1ng horse or pick up coin lying on the ground on the left side of the horse with his right hand, most difficult feat, and one and all can ride bucking horses. But here their horseman- ship ends, and beyond thls they are worse than the average tyro, because the cowboys have faults from which the most ordinary park rider of the east is free. l will venture to say that if a thou sand Texans start on long march where speed is necessary side by side with a United States cavalry regiment, the latter will reach its long before the former, and have its stock in serviceable while the Texas horses will be fit only for the bone-yard Men understanding less about horses and less able to keep their in good condi tion would be hard to find. Accustomed to have superabundance of horses they neither undertake eitlser to train or spare them, and would break down the best horse in America in a week. Although their horses are small, saddle from thirty to forty pounds is used, the most of this weight being useless leather. When one bears in mind the old 1 racing saying that the weight of a stable key will win or lose a race, the absurdity of this style of sad dle is apparent. During the war the value of the Texans as cavalry | men was well proved. They were greatly relied upon and much dreaded, but when they came be- fore the enemy after march of 200 and 300 miles not one horse in five was in serviceable conditional and the entire force was worse than useless. Then, when they thought that they knew everything about riding, and re- fused to receive instructions, 1t be came impossible to make them int, IS good cavalrymen as the raves recruits became after few month raining. It was practically inn possible for a horse to throw hem, but outside of thls they were and are the most destructive md worst riders in the world
 ''As to their shooting," con 5inued Mir. Gosnold, because every man used to carry revolver md was ready to use It people that they were fine shots. One thing they did under stand, and that was quick shoot ng, but as to any accuracy, not 5ne in a hundred possessed it. Pistol combats in Texas were nearly all of the shoulder to shoulder kind, where speed was of lar more importance than aim, ind a Texan could fire a great of shots in a given time. But when 1t came to fine marks