Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-11-19
TEN THOUSAND HORSES.
Int UNITED STATES TAKES PRIDE
IN rouR-FoorGo STOCK.
All IN. A.im.i. Ar. Required IN csafervs
9th c.s,.is Rssaissieas--A Hove oss-
.r.iiy Last. ~, y..r~. s.a is rhsa ss'<
On an. Highest Bidas.

al INC tst@%ss ~ s'~f"'- -
With Certain Rssaissie.s--A Hove oes-
.r.iiy Last. Sta ys.r~ and is rhss ssiA
% an. Highest Bidas.
Whenever, upon the occasion OF any
public parade. the cavalry stationed al
the garrison at Fort Myer forms part Of
the procession. the magnihcen, appear.
ance Of the horses efcites the universal
admiration 81 the spectators. Their sire,
for they are above the ordinary build
suggests In itself the idea ~ strength.
while the uniformly shaped head and
large. prominent eyes tell Of the intelli'
gcncs % the animal
Il IL said that France expends an
nuAlly 10000 In the improvement OF
her horscs. with a view 81 obtaining
hardy bred animals. Whose endurance
makes them especially valuable Tor such
irregular services as u required % the
Cos-acks ~ Russia. the Uhlans Of Ger.
many. and our mounted infantry.
ruEy nAvE To IA OOoD oSrs
The United States does not spend near
" - much. but Il secures class "
horses high above the average. and by
proper AMI humane Treatment loss but
a small percentage u them. Moreover
the animal when IL bccomes the property
Of Uncle sam farrs better than IT, fel.
lows. and ordinarily u life u continued
I'm the service for some years beyond
that % the hor-c- - other armies.
Congress annually appropriate. about
600. 900 10 h. expended In the purchAse
81 horscs. This amount Ia divided pro
rata among the divisions ~ the army.
tho-s on the Atlantic coast no, requiring
a. large a sum AZ th. cavalry on the
frontier. where the life 81 the animal 10
no, altogether one ~ lazy conisn,ment
In Arizona. ESPECIALLY. the equine NOR
tally u greater than In any other SO
ton, aud more horscs become disabled
AMI unit Zoe further ssTvice. Tho burn
Ing sands and alkali deserts lead to blind
NO.. and diseA~rs % the hoof, AMI the
animal has either "a IL sho, or odd.
The lack % proper pasiurage AMI feed
also cuts an important hgurc In the lie
% the cavalry horse In the remote garri-
sons - the west. Tor while his eastern
brother l. feeding lusuriAntly on fun
allowance % oats and corn twice a day
AMI slecping in comfortable stable, the
western houso u making scAniy meal
on husks and slccplng In ramshackle
building that se,m. 60 have been cspc-
elAlly constructed for a free circulation
u air
There arv nearly 10000 hor-cs in uss
by the United State. army. OF this
numbsr about 10 Isr cent. are -old an
nually b~caus. - their unhiness for fur
Their cavalry 90 artillery duty. and about
5 per cent Arc lot by death. ~. In or.
der 10 maintain the standard. !, l. ncccs-
AIRY a. purchA~' alout 800 animals
every year. When the stock - garri.
son ned. rrplcnishing the quarisrmas-
ter gyneral department IL notified An
Advertisement inviting balls IL inserted
In the prominent pap-rs and contract
entered iuto with the lowest bidder t.
deliver the hur--s az the desired point,
N. after a suitable inspection by the 49,
rciary - var. they mevt the require
msuis - the standard hK~l by the army
regulation. Tho regulations tcquirc
that tho hor.e shall H. a gliding = uni.
form AMI hardy color. from fifteen IN
lycntcru hands high. frum "a sycars
~. and weighing between ~ and 80
pounds fof cavalry horrc. and between
1860 and i.oD for artillery horses
There arr other requirements ueCcs.ary.
such A. the grneal build ~ thr animals
.nd their health Whenever u l-Comes
nrc,slafy o. purchase the half bred
horsss 20 California 90 suuihern Tctas
the standard ~ the height j. ru,lucci %
fourteen and one half hands
COMPLETE RECORD KIT
Most ~ the horscs us.l Ia the army
arr purchased Ia ~ l.oui. and Louisville.
although the general rule - late has
b-en o. obtain the animals In the neigh
horhool Ia which they arr desired Zoe
~. ih. idea b.ing a. obtain thoroughly
Acclimaicd animals. Tie average cost -
a hor-. u q trihr over siA.
A sc,n a. the purchase IL completed
the hor-. u banded with the Letters
~. y en- the left fore shoulder. and .
oonplcte descriptive list u made u him.
which always Accompanies him wherever
he 1. Transferred The horses are dis
,ributcd by the fcgimen,al commander.
and the rider, OF drivers are not allowed
20 exchange them OF permit any one else
g. ILL., them.
With every truop ~ cavalry record
81 the animals i kept, containing the
description ~ every one received and
Transferred. showing the Kind, name.
az. siEc. color. marks, brands Or other
p-culiantios. how and when acquired
and disposed -. the name 81 It, rider
AMI driver. and the us- h. which u y APP
Piled
The forage ration for horse l. four.
teen pounds Of hay and twelve pounds
~ oats. corn OF barley. and In special
cases 81 hard service OF exposure the
grain ration l. usually increased thrrc
rounds. In localities where good graK-
lng Is practicable Tor considerable por-
ton u the day. or during seasons when
little labor IL required Of the animals, the
rSion u usually reduced.
The animals usually last about siI
years. and at the end % that time are
sold at auction. OF before, II they are
disabled - A. TO he unfit for service.
When sold the officer puts another brand
on the horSe. making It impossible for
the horse 10 IL soll 10 the government
at some other point. Condemned ami
mails do not bring very much. They are
worthless for carriage purposes. and are
too much worn out 10 be ht for the more
arduous work - street car hauling.
They are usually sold TO contractors,
who employ them la hauling small loads.
But the army horse does not last long
after he drops cut % the service. Usu'
ally he does not amount TO much when
the government has no further Use for
his services, and his career thereafter u
As short as 1t Is uneyentful. Washing
a.. naaf