Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-08-26
INDIAN RIDERS.
Their Wonderful Skill In the Management
of Horses.

Their Wonderful Skill In the Management
of Horses.
We have from all sources accurate
and consistent accounts of the extraor-
binary riding of the old savage. Catlin
and Parkman and Dodge describe him
fully. A piece of buffalo-robe girthed
over the pony's back stood in lieu Of
saddle, If even so much was used; a cord
of twisted hair dashed around its lower
jaw served for bit and bride. When
hunting, In fact as a rule, the Indian
wore naught but breech-cloth and
moccasins-not to lay stress on paint
and feathers-and carried a buffalo
skin, which he threw about his shout
ders or let fall from about his waist.
He was often a splendid specimen of
manly strength and activity. "By heav-
en-, a Mohawk" exclaimed Benjamin
West, when he first beheld 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 it's intelligence and the training
he had given it to do the right thing at
the right time. Thus slenderly equipped,
this superb rider dashed into the
midst of herd of buffalo, and so quick
was the pony and SO strong the seat of
his master that, despite the stampede
of the terror-stricken herd and the
charge of the enraged and wounded
bulls, few accidents ever occurred The
Indian on horse back has ninety lives,
net nine His riding Is not an art, it is
nature.
The Indian has never developed sys-
tenn of training his ponies. Each man
teaches his own to suit himself, and ex-
cept imitation, or certain trick shown
by father to son, and thus perpetuated,
there was none but individual knack in
his Craftsmanship. The plains pony
was quickly taught after a rough and
ready fashion, more by cruelty than
kindness; in a manner, in fact, as differ
ent from the system of the Arabs as the
fine shape of the barb differs from the
rugged outline of the broneho. All
horses are more intelligent than man
supposes; those most with men, or on
respond to training, and the Indian and
his pony were every day and all day
comrades. Before the Indian could
trade for or steal bit, he 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 he
gave pull to turn to the other; or else
he shifted his pony's Group by more
or less vigorous kick with either heel
When both his hands were busy he re-
lied entirely upon his legs and the
pony's knowledge Of the business in
hand; but as every Indian digs his heels
into his horses TANKS and lashes him
with the quirt at every stride, it is hard
to see how the pony caught on to his
meaning. The more credit to the quad
ruped.
The feats of the Indian to-day, such
as picking objects off the ground at a
gallop, or hanging to one side OF his
horse, concealed, all but an arm and
leg, while he shoots at his enemy from
behind the running rampant were
equally performed by his bareback an
cestor. The latter was wont to braid
his horses name into 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
has now disappeared; it needed but a
short contact with civilization to show
him the manifest advantages Of bit and
saddle.
It is no wonder that the Indian rode
well. Before he could walk or talk or
remember, the lad had been tied to a
horse, and no Indian can recollect the
time when he could not ride anything
and everything which came along
The boys from twelve years up do most
of the herding, and in this occupation
they become familiar with every pony
in the tribe. It is probable that the
lads have roped and mounted in sue
cession every one intrusted to their
care, and have learned its individual
qualities. while gaining in general
Craftsmanship -CoL T, A. Dodge, In
Harper's Magazine.