Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1893-06-02
Wild Horses.

OF buffalo grass on these arid prairies'
but crops will not grow without ar
tifical application Of moisture hence
the wild horses aud the almost equal
" wild cattle have still undiSputed
possession.
The wild horse isn't the least bit
like the Texas or Indian pony. He :
heavier. weighing from so to 1000
pounds, while the pony weighs from
500 to 80 pounds: he Is squarely built
broad across the hips, strong limbed
high-headed and stylish, while the
Indian pony is slim, thin-legGed, slen-
der in body, low-headed and
"slouch, but the pony is shipped
East and sold, while the wild horse
kept at home. There are two rea-
sons for keeping the wild horses at
home. First, the plainsmen know
when they have u good thing, and,
second. a wild horse has to be broken
every time he is hitched up.
There is no use in trying 10 break
wild horse so that he will stay bro
ken: one might "a well try To teach
an Indian to wear curl papers; but
these wild horses are sure-footed,
long winded, strong-nerved saddle
horses, and untiring in harness. \
team OF these fellows, weighing rot
more than nine hundred pounds TO
the horse. will travel week in aud
week out, at the rate OF 100 miles n
day, drawing the driver and an ordi-
nary two seated light wagon.
The method Of capturing these wild
horses is peculiar and worthy Of de
scription. They are not run down,
but are walked down. Each band OF
wild horses has its especial range, and
woe to any intruder from other bands.
The range seldom exceeds fifty miles
in extent. Those who make IL their
business TO capture them go in parties
of four. with wagon in which they
carry provisions for themselves, grain
for their horses, barrels OF water,
lariats, etc. As rule they take with
them fifteen or twenty saddle horses
in order that they may change mounts
three or four times each twenty-four
hours. They travel until they dis
cover with strong field glasses a band
of wild horses ten or fifteen miles dis
tant Then they make camp, leaving
two men in charge OF the supply wag-
on and the extra saddle horses. The
other two then begin their fatiguinS
task OF walking the wild horses down.
They start toward their game, bearing
slightly 10 the right, in order TO get
them started in circle. Their OBJ
ject is TO keep them circlinS around
the camp within IA radius OF twenty
or thirty miles. This il for the pur-
pose OF being near enough TO their
base OF supplies TO obtain fresh horses,
and 10 allow the tired ones to rest.
When the king oi the band first
catches sight of the men, he starts on
at break neck speed, the rest follow
ing him For few miles they pound
along in straight line aud then be
gin to circle slightly. The pursuers
manage to keep sight OF the game
and to keep them going until they
begin to get tired and thirsty. The
riders never rush in on them; that
would spoil all their chance OF sue
cessful result. Their sole object now
is to keep the game moving aud pre-
vent them from obtaining any water
or food. Surprising "a it may seem,
il takes about three weeks OF this
"Dr. Tanner" business TO get the wild
horses sufficiently starved down to
allow an approach within mile OF
them. After this point is reached
the men can easily keep the horses
going in an ever decreasing circle,
until at last they are milling around
within a radius OF not more than fifty
yards. Now all four Of the men come
into active service. They take a rope,
at least five hundred feet long, and,
making IA slip loose in one end o! It,
eight or ten feet in diameter, they
spread this upon the ground and
drive the game over it. One OF the
men pulls the rope and generally sue
ceeds in snaring the foot OF one OF
the wild horses. The rest OF the band
are kept circling, while the man de-
votes his entire attention TO the snaI ed
animal. a lasso is thrown over the
captiye's head and he is checked
down and a chain twenty inches
long is fastened by a strap TO one OF
his forelegs in such a way that il
hobbies him. He can't make much
speed. because the chain wraps
around his other foreleg aud impedes
his progress After the chain II at
tached the horse j. released aud al
lowed 70 join the band. This process
Of capture aud release l. repeated
until all Of the wild horse. have been
chained.
The hunt j. now over, the game"
captured and raised to the dignity Of
horses in the minds Of the men. The
wagon is packed. a team attached and
camp broken. The nearest water
hole is sought out and pause made
there until the saddle horses and the
captured animals have had time TO
recruit their exhausted strength. The
Wild horses are not allowed TO drink
all they want at first for fear OF foun-
dering them. Tney are herded care
frlly day and night until they have
become rested and generally recuper-
ated.
After this period Of rest the outfit"