Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-04-19
A HORSE FIGHT.
The Terrible vlcIousness Of Stations In the
Wild State.


The Terrible vlciousness Of stations In the
Wild State.
No one who has not had the expert
ence of observation Of the wild horse
IN his native state can form any ade-
quate conception of the viciouspessdis-
played by the stations toward each
other when contending for the posses
sion of a band of mares. Their nature
and habits make them muscular, feet
and strong in degree not to be found
in the domestic horse. An old French
man, for years stockman in these
mountains. gave me this story of
fight between two powerful wild
stations:
81 had been riding all one June day
south and west of Mount Whitney and
was making my way along a mountain
depression leading up from a little
valley where I intended to camp
AS l neared the opening of the
valley I heard a number of piercing
shrieks which l could 1iken to
nothing I had ever heard. was not
long left In doubt as to the source, for
on rounding point of rocks saw in
the nearer portion of the valley two
large wild stations fighting like mad.
Beyond them was small band of wild
horses quietly grazing as if Indifferent
to the struggle.
''The wild horses did not observe me,
and as I was to the leeward OF them
they caught no scent of my presence.
The horses were rearing, plunging,
striking, kicking and biting, whirling
about and coming together with terri
BILE force. Then they would rear and
bring down their fore feet upon each
Others heads, necks and bodies with
such force that the blows and snorts
accompanying them could be heard for
hundreds of yards. Fighting at close
quarters, they would seize each other
with their powerful jaws and hang
on like bulldogs, frequently break
ing their holds only when the
flesh gave way. Then, whirling
quickly. they would deliver a number
of kicks in such quick succession that
neither of them could avoid the terri
BILE punishment thus inflicted. The
favorite point of attack in biting
seemed to be the withers, and once a
good hold was secured I noticed that
the bitten horse would vince and al
AhOSo SAAA w VIC SAouAOs NoAAOcAAASo
they would lower their heads and bite
viciously at each others forelegs, APP
parently trying to get a hold on the
leg just at the joint above the hoof
One of them gained such a hold and
threw his opponent to the ground, but
as the hold was broken in the throw
the unfortunate was soon on his feet.
After fighting for some time each OF
the contestants was covered with
blood, which poured from wounds on
neck and body, as well as from mouth
and nostrils-
"a terrific kick on the body finally
sent one of the horses tottering away.
when the other, seeing the advantage,
renewed the fighting with increased
vigor and soon kicked his opponent into
helplessness. The band of mares had
disappeared. The victory had cost the
conqueror all too dearly, as he was
bleeding quite percepeibly at the nos.
trils as he walked away. shot the
defeated to put him out of his misery
as found upon examination that two
or more of his ribs had b cen broken
the pieces of which were protruding.
could have lassoed the victor, but did
not care for SO vicious an animal, be-
sizes his being SO injured in the fight
as to render him valueless. San Fran
cisco Chronicle.