Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-11-29
THE GOVERNMENT HORSES.
1T TAKaEs PRIDE IN ITS FoURI
FOOTED STOCK.
AL the Animals Have TO Conform
With Certain Regulations "A
Horse Gcue rally Insts Six yc,r,


public parade, tho cavalry stationed nj
the garrison at Fort ,Mycr forms rart Of
the procession, the magnificent appear.
nnco of the horses cNcites the universal
admiration of the spectators. Their size,
Tor they arc above the ordinary build,
suggests i'll itself the itlea of strength,
while the uniformly shaped head and
large, prominent eyes tell OF the intoli.
gcncc of the animal. Tho horse is az
much OF the eavalryman's outfit .v his
sabre or his carbine, aud he must rsccds
possess the strength TO endure long
forced marches, and the understanding
To be OF tho most possible benefit to his
rider IN fighting l'y requiring tho least
attention.
Congress annually appropriatcs about
S2uo, 600 10 he expended in tho purchnss
of horses. This amount il expended pro
rata among the divisions of the army,
those on the Atlantic coast not recurring
as large "A sun as the cavalry on the from
ticr, whcrc the lifc of the nnimnl III not
altogether one Of lazy contcnimcnl. In
Arizona, especially, the equine mortality
Is greater than in any other section, and
more horses become disabled and unfit
Tor further service. Tho burning snnds
and nlknli deserts lead 10 blindness md
diseases of the hoof, and the animal has
either to he shot or sold The lack of
proper pasturagc and feed also cuts nm
important figure in the life of n cavalry
horse III the remote garrisons Of tho
West, FOR while his Eastern brother In
feeding lnxurinntly ON II full allowance Of
outs nnd corn twice day and sleeping
IN comfortable stable, the Western
horse is making scanty meal on luisks
and sleeping in n rnmshacltlc building
Tint seems 10 have been especially con
structcd for II free circulation of mir.
There nrc ncnrly 10, 600 horses in ,lsc
by the United States Army. or this
number about ten por cent are sold
annually because of their uniiincss for
further cavalry or artillery duty, and
about five per cent. aro lost by death.
SO, in order TO maintain the standard, iC
is necessary 10 purchase about 1000
animals every year. Whom ~ stock OF a
garrison needs rcplenshing the Quarter
mnstcr-Gcnornl's Department is notified.
An advertisement inviting bidu is in
scricd in the prominent papers and con-
tract entered into with the lowest bidder Il.
deliver the horses ut tho desired point, il,
after n suitable inspection by tho bccre.
tnry OF War, they meet tho requirements
Of the standard fixed by the army rcgula-
lions. Tho regulations require that tho
horse shall be gelding of uniform and
hardy color; from fifteen to seventeen
hands high; from four To eight years old,
and weighing bctwcon 900 and 1900
pounds for II cavalry horse and between
1850 md 1900 for artillery horses. There
are other requirements necessary, such AZ
Tho general build of the animals and their,
health. Whenever il becomes necessary
To purchase tho half-brccd horses of
California or Southern Tcxas the standard
of the height il reduced TO fourteen and
, half hands. Long legged, loose -jointcd,
long-bodcd and narrow -chcsted horses,
as well as those which nrc rcgtivo or.
vicious, are rejected.
Most Of tho horses used in the army,
arc purchased in st. Louis and Louis.
villc, although the general rule OF Iato
hns been to obtnin the animals in tho
acighborhoood in which they are desired
ior use, tho idea being to obtain
thoroughly ncclimatcd animals. Tho
ivaragc cost OF horse is trino over
E131.
AS soon rs the purchase is completed
tho horse is branded with the letters gu
s." on the left fore shoulder, and com,
plcte descriptive list is made OF lin,
which always accompanies him where
.ycr he is transferred. Tho horses arc
distributed by tho rcgimcntal comman.
lcr, and the riders or drivers arc not al,
owed TO exchange them or permit anys
| ,nc else to use them.
With every troop Of cavalry II record
af tho animal is kept, containinga dcs-
:ription OF every enc received aud trans
erred, showing tho kind, name, age,
iizc, color, marks, brands, or otheE
pcculiaritics, how and when acquired and
disposed Of, the name OF its rider and
| driver, and the use to which it il M!
piled.
The forage ration for horse is four
.ccn pounds of hay and twelve pounds Of
oats, corn, or barley, and in special
cases OF hard service or exposure tho
grain ration is usually increased three
pounds. In localities where good graz
ing is practicable for considerable pori
lion of the day, or during seasons whom
little labor is required OF tho animals, tho
cation is usually reduced.
| The animals usually lust about SIX
gears, and ut tho end of that time are
sold at auction, Or before. If they arc dis
.blcd so as TO be unfit for service. When
iold the officer puts another brand on
The horse, making. it impossible for ths
horse to be sold to tho Government at
soInc other point. Condemned arimala
! do not bring very much. They ars
worthless for carriage purposes, and ard
| too much worn out TO be fit for tho mora
| nrduous work Of street-cnr hauling;
They are usually sold to contractors, who
employ them in hauling small loads.
But the army horse does not last long
after he drops out Of the service. Usually
he does not amount to much when tho
Government has no further use for his
services, and his career thereafter is as