The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-27
TRAINING MOUNTED POLICEMEN.
Drilling Them In the Art of stopping
Runnyyays and In Iforsemnnship.
From the New York Tribune.

From the New York Tribune
Early wanderers in Central Park are
sometimes startled by seeing a mounted
policeman galloping a, full speed along
the driveway on what is apparently an
unmanageable horse. Before he has gone
far another mounted officer dashes out
from a clump of bushes, and, gallopng
alongside the seeming runaway, selzes the
bride close to the bit, and with more or
less deXterity brings him to a stop This
little performance forms an important
part in the training of mounted police
men,. Few riders, however skillful, are
capable of neatly and quickly stopping
a runaway horse without some prelimi-
nary training.
Every mounted policeman has been put
upon months probation before being
appointed. During this period he is thor
Oughly tested by the sergeant as to ais
riding ability and courage. Some men,
though good riders, show the white fe1-
Their when ii comes to stopping runaways.
When the applicant for a position on
the mounted police force has gone through
course of instruction the sergeant or
rOundsman takes him out on the bride
path and proceeds to test his mettle. lie
takes up his stand al a given place,
while the sergeant rides back a few hum
dred yards, and then comes laundering
toward him al full speed. The new Police
man must not allow him TO get by but
by galloping up alongside and seizing the
bit Of the instructor horse must bring
him to a stop. This maneuver is repeat
ed again and again until the novice has
shown at he has the nerve and ability
to stop a runaway going at full speed.
| The sergeant says that he would just
as soon train a green hand who could
not ride al all as pracUced hOrseman.
Any man with good nerve, good seat
in his saddle and quick eye can stop
a runaway horse with little practice
The crack riders in the mounted squad
Will defy any horse to pass them if they
are unobStructed by other horses an. car
riages. 1t is more difficult to stop a horse
a "a hnraas nv THa.
reason is that there is more danger Of
the wheels of the vehicle striking the
legs Of the policeman's horse in which
case his rider might be thrown Off
A mounted policeman never attempts to
stop a runaway which is going away from
him. The runaway is always stopped by
a policeman in front, who, when ne sees
II coming, rides along until ii is abreast
and then, seizing the bit Of the animal
gradually pulls 1t up. They. never take
hold of the bride rein, but always of the
bit itself. A horse has less power and is
easier to control when q hold is secured
on his bit than when held by the bride
rein. The horses of the mounted squad
are very fast for short burst and seem
to understand fully the Importance of ex-
erting their speed when a runaway is to
be stopped. Their training is as important
as that of their riders, and most of the
animals understand exactly what is re-
quired of them. Most of the horses driven
in the park are thoroughbreds, and a
stern chase would be merely a farce Oh
the part of a mounted policeman For
the short burst of speed, however, neces-
sary to get alongside, and seize the bride
of a runaway, the policeman can depend
upon their animals. To get the best work
out of the horses it is found that they
must know and have confidence in their
riders. This idea is rigidly acted upon
by the sergeant of the squad, who is very
strict in seeing that the men use their
beasts kindly. AS a rule, the men are far
too fond Of their mounts to do otherwise,
and every horse greets his rider in the
morning with whinny of pleasure before
I 1a,~ al ~ nd INrf1 Lou l.
given. The pride of the men in their
horses is shown by the tip-top condition
and well-groomed appearance which the
animals present. During the winter the
horses suffer greatly from rheumatism
and stiffness of joints, owing to their
cramped and unhealthy quarters. The
place is really part of the sheepfold, and is
totally unfit for a stable. 1t is so damp
in winter that the walls are always
streaming with water, while there is hard
" any ventilation. Notwithstanding these
drawbacks, the mounted squad manages
to keep up a good appearance both as to
men and horses.