The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-29
INDIAN ROUGH RIDERS,
The Very Extraordinary Fsats Of
Red Horsemen Of the Old
School.
Few Trappings on Either Man or
Horse In tho Early
Days.
Modern Feats Accomplished Formerly
With Fewer Aids-0ualitiss Of the
Bronco-Great Endurance.

We have from all sources accurate and
consistent accounts of the extraordinary
riding Of the old savage. Catlin and Park
man and Dodge describe him fully. A
piece of buffalo robe eirthed over the pony's
back stood in lieu OF saddle, If even SO
much was used; 4 cord of twisted hair
dashed round its lower jaw served for bit
and bride. When hunting, in fact as a
rule, the Indian wore naught but a breech-
cloth and moccasins-not to lay stress on
paint and feathers-and carried q buffalo
skin, which he threw about his shoulders,
or let fall from about his waist. He was
often a splendid specimen of manly strength
and activity. by -, a Mohawk!' ex-
claimed Benjamin West, when he first be-
held the Apollo Belvedere. A heavy whip,
with elk horn handle and knotted bulls
hide lash, hung by a loop to the Indians
wrist. His bow and arrows gave full
occupation to his hands; he must guide
his pony with legs and word alone, and
rely on its intelligence and the training he
had given it to do the right thing at the
right time. Thus slenderly equipped, this
n0RoA AAo ~ .Abo lA0 I1ilhU Vi Il
herd Of buffalo, and 30 quick was the PONY
and 80 strong the seat of his master, that,
despite the stampede of the terror-strickeyi
herd and the charges of the enraged and
wounded bulls, few accidents ever occurred.
The Indian on horseback has ninety lives,
not nine. His riding is not an art, it is ma
ture.
The Indian has never developed a system
OF training his ponies. Each man teaches
his " to Guit himself, and except imita-
ton, or a certain trick shown by father to
to son, and thus perpetuated, there was
none but individual knack in his ho.semap-
ship. The plains pony was quickly taught
after a rough and ready fashion, more by
cruelty than kindness; in a manner in fact,
as different from the system of the Arabs
as the fine share of the Barb differs from
the rugged outline of the bronco. All
horses are more intelligent than nan sup
poses; those most with men, or on which
man most depends, most readily respond
to training, and the Indian and his pony
were every day and all day comrades. Be
fore the Indian could tradefor or steal a bit,
ne always used the jaw rope--or nothing.
with the rope in the left hand, he bore
against the neck to turn to one side, and
gave a pull to turn to the other; or else ie
shifted bis pony's Group by a more or less
vigorous kick with either heel. When both
ais hands were busy he relied entirely upon
Ifs legs and the ponv's knowledge of the
business In hand; but as every Indian digs
his heels into his horses TANKS and lashes
MN with the quirt at every stride, it ia
hard to see how the pony caught on to his
meaning. The more credit to tho mad
ruped.
The feats of the Indian Of to-day, such
as picking objects off the ground at a
Ealiop, or hanging to one side of his
horse, concealed, all but an arm
an6 leg while he shoots at his
enemy from behind the running rampant,
ancestor. TIL latter was won't to braid his
horses name into a long loop through
which he could thrust his arm to preserve
his balance, but he had not the advantage
OF the cantle to hold to by his leg. The
old BAREBACK rider had now Disappeared; it
to show him the manifest advantages of bit
and saddle.
It is no wonder that the Indian rode
we'll. Before he could walk or talk or
remember the lad had been tied to horse,
and no indian can reoollect the time when
which came along. The boys from twelve
years up do most OF the herding, and
In this occupation they become familiar
every pony in the tribe. 1t is proba-
bic that the lads have roped and mounted
IN succession every one intrusted to their
care, and have learned it's individual quail
tles, while gaining in general horseman-
ship.
There is no horse superior to the bronco
Tor endurance; few are his equals. He
came by it naturally from the Spanish
stock of Moorish descent, the individuals
pr which race, abandoned in the sixteenth
century, were his immediate ancestors, and
hs hardy life has, by survival of the fttest,
this endurance tenfold. He is
bot handsome. His middle piece is dis
tended by grass food; it is Loosely Joined to
P1s quarters, and his hip is very short. He
las a hammer head and the pronounced
|we-neck which all plains or steppes horses
|eem to acquire. His legs are naturally
.Perfect, but they finally give way at the J
knees from sharp stopping with q gag bit.
or an Indian will turn on a ten-cent piece,
pne form OF racing is to place two long
Para'lel strips of buffalo hide on the ground
+ an interval of but a few feet, and, ,
% these strips, crosss the first turn
(etween the two, and gallon back to
he starting poiut. Another is to rid up to
log hung, horizontally and just high
nough to allow the pony to get under, but 1
OF the rider. touch it and return. Ii the
|ony is stopped too soon, the Indian loses
tme IN touching the log; # too late. he gets
fraped Oft. The sudden Jerking OF the
|ony on its launches ia apt both to start
hl BIS and break his knees. =
Inc toughness and strength of the pony t
Pm scarcely be exaggerated. He will live
lrouN.Es y winter TINT will kill the hardest !
ettle. He worries through the long mouths !
men tbs SHOW has covered up the bunch I
Eass on a diet of cottonwood boughs. I
hich the Indian cuts down for him; and in =
pc srring it takes but a few weeks for him I
} scour out into splendid condition. He :
Rn go nnheard- of distances. Col. X. |. :
lodge records an instance coming under his q
pservation where q pony carried the mail S
% miles in three consecutive nights, and {
fck over the same road the next week, !.
ID kept this up for six months :
fthout loss of condition. He can carry n =
blight. MIR. Parkman speaks of a chief, a
hown as LIE Cochon, on account of his
rec bundled pounds avoirdupois, who !,
fvettheless rode his ponies as bravely as a :
an of half the bulk. He as often carries =
20 people as one. There is simply no end
this wonderful product OF the prairies. q
E works many years. So long as he will =
y up in the spring, his age Is immaterial. r
THE absence of Great in the pony suggests III