Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1893-04-07
WILD HORSES.
MANY OF THEM ARE STILL
FOUND ON THE PLAINS.
Interesting Account OF the Manner
in Which They Are Captured
After Being Worn Out and
Pretty Nearly Starved.

ERDS OF wild horses are sun
M found roaming over the plains
of western Kansas and eastern
Colorado, where the irrigating
ditch has not vet meandered, aud conse-
quently the ranchman is still absent.
There is plenty of buffalo grass on these
arid pralries, but crops will not grow
without artificial application Of moisture,
hence the WILD horses and the almost
equally wild cattle have still undisputed
possession.
The wild horse isn't the least bit like
the Texas or Indian pony. He is heavier,
weighing from 800 to 1000 pounds,
while the pony weighs from 500 to $50
pounds; he is squarely built, broad
across the hips, strong limbed, high
headed and stylish, while the Indian
pony is slim, thin legged, slender IN
body, low headed and "slouch," but
the pony is shipped East and sold, while
the wild horse is kept at home. There
are two reasons for keeping the wild
horses at home. First, the plainsmeu
know when they have good thing, and,
second, a wild horse has to be broken
every time he is hitched up.
There is no use in trying to break
wild horse so that he will stay broken;
one might as we'll try TO teach an Indian
to wear curl papers; but these wild
norses are ure-footed, longwinded
strong. nerved saddle horses, and untiring
IN harness. A team of these fellows,
weighing not more than nine hundred
pounds to the horse, will travel, week in
aud week out, at the rate of 100 miles
day, drawing the driver and an ordinary
two seated light wagon.
The method of capturing these wild
horses is peculiar and worthy OF descrip-
ton. They are not run down, but are
walked down. Each band of wild horses
has its especial range, and woe to any
intruders from other bands. The range
seldom exceeds fifty miles in extent.
Those who make it their business to cap.
ture them go in parties of four, with a
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 discover with strong field glasses a
band Of wild horses ten or fifteen miles
distant. Then they make camp
leaving two men in charge
of the supply wagon and the extra saddle
horses. The other two then be gin their
fatiguing task of walking the wild horses
down. They start toward their game
bearing slightly to tine right, i'll order to
get them started in q circle. Their OBJ.
ject is to keep them crcling around the
camp within radius of twenty or thirty
miles. This is for the purpose of being
near enough to their base of supplies to
obtain fresh horses, and to allow the
tired ones to rest. When the skiing" of
the band first catches sight of the men,
he starts off at break speed, the
rest following him. For a few miles
they pound along in a straight line and
then begin to circle slightly. The pur-
suers 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 chances of a successful result.
Their sole object now is to keep the
game moving aud prevent them from
obtaining any water or food. Surprising
fob oh
weeks of this "Dr. Tanner" business to
to get the wild horses sufficiently starved
down to allow an approach within mile
of them. After tais point is
reached, the men eau 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 activeservice. They take rope, at
least five hundred feet long, and, making
a slip loose in one end of it eight or ten
feet in diameter, they spread this upon
the ground and drive the game over it.
Que of the men pulls the rope and gener-
ally succeeds in sharing the foot of one
of the wild horses. The rest ofthe band
are kept circling, while the man devotes
his entire attention to the shared
animal. A lasso is thrown over the cap.
tive's head aud he is clicked down and
chain twenty inches long is fastened by
a strap to one of his forelegs in such a
way that it hobbies him. He can't make
much speed, because the chain wraps
around his other foreleg aud impedes his
progress. After the chain is attached
the horse is released and allowed to join
the band. This process of capture and
release is repeated until all of the wild
horses have been chained.
The hunt is now over, the "game"
captured and raised to the dignity OF
horses in the minds of the men. The
wagon is packed, team attached and
and camp broken. The nearest water
hole is sought out and pause made
there until the saddle horses and the cap
tured animals have had time to recruit
their exhausted strength. The wild