The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-01-30
SOME HORSE STORIES.
How RiI Hardy Escaped to Pros,
colt

COtE
Is 1t possible for . mar 10 conane
himself strictly To the truth when
speaking upon the feats Of his horse2
y Is said the Arabian horse seller neyer
pretends to show of the quality 81 his
animals, but brings them TO market
rough and shaggy; nor does he ever
condesccDd to dwell on their mcrits.AIt
Is enough, he thinks. for the purchaser
TO know bis animal Is Of pure stock,
9 Y would be decrying their good
qualities to vnunt their praises like a
common huclSster. Bnt that Is only
from q commercial standpoint No
doubt the Arab sheiks speak much
about their horses, and, perhaps. nm
willingly tell long stories which have
n tinEe Of the romance about their
grand achievements.
The Afghans are probably the most
inveterate horse liars In the world.
They have the most marvellous tales NJ
their tongue tips about the extraordi.
nary strength Of their stout-built cobs.
They boast little Of their speed, for
that would be useless, as their form
would stamp the speaker as q lu-
matte; but when 1t comes to strength
and endurance the willy Afghan
will swca by his beard, Allah and ALI
the prophets that no horse lives which
a equal his animals.
"Sahib," said ar elderly gentleman
70 me In praise Of his stud, they are
strong--so strong that If d Of nv
horses kicked an English horse when
they are drawn up In close order on
parade his leg would 20 clean through
the English horse and kill the next.s
Now. come; that's too much to be-
lieve.s
'soh, yes. you say so; but You have
never seen my animals kick
The argument was unanswernble.
Cowboys In this country are the most
awful fbbers about their horsea ana
their tales Of buck-jumping show them
TO be men Of a peculiar and inventive
genius. No animal, to them, has the
slightest value unless he Is possessed Of
every vice which horsefesh could DOS
sibly be heir to. He must be 4 man
eater, Q bolter, q bucker and SO fero-
cious rs to endanger the life or lives Of
entire communities. When gathered
around b campfire after o long days
ride with cattle q man could hardly be-
lieve those faithful beasts, hobbled and
calmly munching grass, were such in
carnations Of deviltry.. To an ordinary
Individual they showed more intelli.
gence than their riders, and certainly
knew their business better.
From the many horses Indians own
It would be thought they loved them,
but ! don't believe there exists a race
moro cruel to their stock than the
average Indian. They seem to have no
appreciative qualities Very careful
that they do not overwork themselves.
the human brutes heap on their AMI
mails every cruelty. They overload
them; starve them; ride them furious
~; spur them viciously. 1t matters
not whether their poor beasts are sore
backed or not, on goes a saddle, and
the wretched animal is dashed or
spurred into q long continuous gallon.
There is not o whit Of difference be-
tween the indians Of Oregon or those
on the Colorado desert They are equal
~ cruel.
As for placing a value upon their ami
mails, they do not for 1t is not uncom-
mon for them to ride one to death, and
not the slightest conjunction is felt at
the untimely decease. 1t Is only when
you want to purchase q pony that Il
has a fictitious value. What. part
with that horse? No, 1t would be i'm
possible It Is so valuable and such
accounts are given Of its speed that
one Is inclined to ask whether these
people know about stop watches. The
Modoc Indians placed ON extraordinary
price on their beasts, but the Cahuillas
could give their northern brethren sew
eral pointers II is ludicrous 10 ask
them what they would take for their
wretched stock, whose sole -sustenance
for nine months u of the year is dry
sagebrush, for II must be understood
that under no condition could an In
dian think 1t proper to feed his horses.
Some do raise alfalfa, it is true, but il
Is never eut and stored. They viii un-
b~lushingly ask seventy-five dollars and
eighty dollars for o nag that would be
dear it five dollars
Perhaps 1t Is the fault Of The whites
for their exalted ideas, for the few
Americans on the desert entertain
great opinions Of their horses. The
ancient one-eyed, spawned nag, whose
age would approach 10 almost on
hundred years, has been accredited
with such ~exuberance Of spirit in the
bucking, boiling, racing line that be
Is approached until the beauty OF his
architecture bursts into view with
greatest caution. One sight, however.
dispels any illusion that may have
been entertained, and Jet his proud
possessor speaks OF him and shows him