Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-19
fCopyrtghted 1881


England visits the country seat Of q gentleman,
with whose daughter he falls in love. So. too,
does an English captain Of cavalry, who owns
and rides q superb bay hunter he calls tinker
man" They ride q race, in which the English
man leads most of the way. but in left far be-
hind when they come to . long steep descent
Here, true TO the teachings Of his school. the
captain reins in and, leaning back in saddle.
checks Inkerman's speed to . comparatively
slow and cautious canter. The American. on
the contrary, has been holding back until this
stretch is reached and then. though beaten on
the level and scross hedge and ditch, he as
tounds his rival and spectators by giving Cho-
him at top speed down the steep and out on
the hass beyond, landing an easy winner
Now this was not an exceptional feat; neither
was 1t once only attempted in America Capt
practically the same thing when he bore Lord
Raglan's order TO the earl Of Lucan on the
fatal day Of Balaklsva. Kinglake tells Us that
instead Of awaiting himself Of the road wind
ing down from the sapoune heights. on which
were grouped the Commander Of the forces
and Els sta6, the young huzzar galloped
straight down the slope from the elevation Of
some coo feet, and 90 ''swooped augering
down" upon the hesitant division general be-
low. But il 10, and was exceptional, in the
Louis Nolan would have attempted il. He was
the most daring and accomplished horseman
of them ell.
TIE NORTHERN INDIANS.
It 10 exceptional in the American cavalry, in
which are hundreds Of bold and skillful riders.
1t in practically forbidden in the schools, and
never yet have met and ridden with a civilian
who did not rein in and check his horse when
ever we came to sudden descent in the road, or
TO a steep slope when coursing antelope or
..jack rabbits" on the prairies of the great west
Nine out of ten Of our cavalry officers will do
the same to-day. especially If they be "heavy-
weights," and vet have watched horsemen
day after day who never thought of such
thing, who darted down hill full tilt, giving
their steeds their heads as they did so, and,
simply leaning back little, rode with loose
rein down any and every kind Of slope at Q
speed that almost took ones breath away to
watch it. These we're the mounted warriors
the Indians of the northern plains.
DOWN A BUFFALO TRAIL
On the afteroon of September 9, 1876, when
the noted Sioux chieftsin, Crazy Horse.
swooped down with seven or eight hundred
braves to the attack of General Crooks COM
mand at Slim But.es. Dakota. these daring
riders dashed into view from behind a high
ridge to the west of our picket lines and
s cha down. down steep slope at top speed yell
point Of bluff around which trail led down
into deep ravine. II was a mere buffalo
track or game trail on which they had to ride
In single file. but, one after another counted
at least fifty warriors who shot around that
point on their nimble ponies and plunged at
the gallop down an incline, steep as the Horse
neck Stairs" where stout old Israel Putnam
left the British Dragons in revolutionary days.
That year of rs the Crows and Shoshones were
our allies and several hundred of them were
with the column. They rode down hill as dar-
hgly as the Sioux and Cheyennes and, when it
came TO climbing up-never dismounted to ease
or aid their horses
WE cAvALRyNKy,
on the contrary, slowed up" going down. and
generally dismounted goig up-mainly, it is
true, to save our worn out chargers, but the
Indians laughed at N. They pointed out that
q horse or any other quadruped scsmpered up
or down Q slope without slack or hesitation.
Why should We fear to let them do as they
would unincumbered by bride or rider? We
were always taught TO haul taut'' on the rein
and % TO raise the horses head when going down
hill whats the use?" asked the Indians
''fou only prevent his seeing the ground and
% make a stumble the more likely" 1t led to
change Of principles on part OF several Of our
number and We found that common sense was
on the Indian side Of the question and that,
barring q certain Jar, il was as easy to ride at
the gallop down hill when occasion required
it. as on the level The rule to the contrary is
very probably a mere precaution against the
severity Of the accident should a stumble occur
FArLrY sADpLIxe.
But there is one formidable reason why our
cava'rymen cannot and should not ride at speed
down hill 1t is not the horse It is not the
rider. II is the fact that for the last thirty
years, II no. longer. the trooper of the United
States has been taught an utterly faulty system
Of saddling. The Indian saddle is the simplest
kind OF q light wooden tree with very high
pomrnel and camille The Indian bride is the
simplest Kind Of a single-rein snaffie-bit affair
that allows the horse full control of his own
head at all gaits. Our bride is good enough,
but the bits are atrocities. Our saddle as now
made is probably as simple, serviceable aud
excellent an affair for military purposes as will
be found in any army in the world But-here
u the daw. In the instruction for saddling in
the Cavalry Tactics of the United States we
md these words: Place the saddle on the
horses back, well forward on the withers" Now
the fore legs Of the horse have to sustain much
more Of his weight than the hind legs at any
time; but, saddle him as prescribed, well for
ward on the withers," and load that saddle
with two hundred pounds Of rider arms and
equipments. and you have at once the explana-
ton shy ninety out of hundred Of our cav
airy horses break down in front. The English
saddle. with its long fat seat. brings the weight
Of the rider well back on what may be called
the center OF motion Of the horse.
TIE cAvALRy SADDLE
with the forked seat, brings the weight of the
heavily equipped trooper in front Of that point
and bearing down almost entirely upon these
overloaded fore legs. Now to keep the saddle
there il must be tightly girthed or q breast
strap be worn The regulations provide no
breast strap; hence rigid band is braced
tightly around the chest and lungs of the horse
and he cannot expand them il he would. Start
any athlete on o race with his chest firmly
girfhed BY leathern strap and what sort OF
work will he make VI III Have You never
noticed in ssddling your horse-even with the
Engiish saddle--how the moment You begin to
pull on the strap he begins to 'uweu visibly {"
hike Mr.. Wellers lady friend at the tea drink
ing Of the Union Grand Junction Ebeuezer
Temperance associAtion2 Il 10 his protest
against the sbsurdity Of the whole thing He
II simply trying 10 retain for himseh the power
OF lung expansion Of which you would deprive
him and without which he 10 incapable Of doing
his best work
CHANCE NEKDRD.
But Il this position Of the army saddle and
this cruel "cinching" Of the girth be faulty
for riding on the level. how manifestly do thew
double the danger Of rapid riding down hill.
With all the weight in front and nothing be-
hind u rs simply . wonder the horse doesn't
turn sonerssults. The Indian puts his saddle
% does the ranchman and the coxboy-where
the weight viii come on the middle Of the
horses back, and beyond doubt the next
tactics Of our cavalry will modify Q rule that
among all thinking troop commanders has long
SINCE become dead letter. Major Sanger Of
the artillery, one of our most distinguished
light battery com handlers, and Captain Hail.
of the 5th cavalry, have strenuouaiy urged the