Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-05-02
The Tough HORSES OF TEXAS.

snt OF Their Habits Makes OBJ
servstions About Them.
nave been making study of the
exas pony amid his native surround
inRs, said traveller from the south
west. lind that tenacity of purpose
ana a certain indescribable capacity
1or getting rid of burdens he doesn'1
IKE are his conspicuous points. 1t i.
mcuit Tor the rider of newly-broker
Texas pony to regulate his NOV ement.
Dy any preconceived rules for horse.
oack exercise. learned in riding schools
or elsewhere. owing to the creatures
ABILITY to buck. The men who are
hired to break the colts on the horse
ranches are paid five dollars head.
these two-year-olds are very wild
ana do not appear to be comfortable
mounts when the breaker first ESSAYS
70 bride them. They are deeme d
broken when it can be said that they
nave been ridden once or twice; but
the number of yards or miles covered
IN that ride, the number of times the
rider has been thrown. and the num-
Der OF unsuccessful efforts to put a
bride on the creature and place a sad
die on him, are not dwelt upon.
THE horse breaker can bear testi-
mony to the fact that the Texas pony
occasionally knows how to use his
teeth and has a tenacious grip. The
horse breaker is always welcome at
the sheep camps and cattle ranches be-
cause he knows all about horses. There
are hundreds of horses roaming in herds
over the hills and plains of the Lone
Star state. They bring good prices to
the horse dealers, though the little
Texas pony can be bought, even when
well broken to the buggy or wagon,
for thirty dollars, and he will keep up
with the biggest of his relatives and
pluckily do his snare of work without
-sagging or looking droopy.
THE horse ranches are conducted
much after the fashion of the cattle
ranches, though the horses are herded
more carefully, the cattle not being
herded at all. The colts are branded
when at tender age. as are young
calves, and the same care is exercised
that the brands may not be interfered
with.
"a large bunch of horses grazing
over the green expanse of a wide
plateau is a goodly sight. Their coats
are 1ustrous in the bright sunlight,
their limbs free of movement, with the
grace of untrammeled nature. Their
limbs have never yet been taught to
obey mans dictation, have never been
strained beneath an over-heavy bur-
den or melted to unwholesome speed
by the sting of the spur. Their heads
have never felt the yoke of the head
stall or their mouths the wrench of the
bit.
at is a sight worth seeing to watch
a herd come down rocky hillside &c
water on a hot midsummer day. There
is clatter of hoofs and jingle of bells
as they rush down the decline, the
leaders not stopping until they cool
their hot tanks half way across the
stream, the young colts prancing and
kicking up their heels, the mothers
following sedately. Then the jingle
jaagie of the bells cease, and the thun-
.dering hoofs are noiseless for a space
as the herd stand quiet drinking their
ELL
'"The western ranchman puts bell
around his horses neck, as the people
of the east place bells about the necks
of their cattle, to aid in their detec-
ton when at large. The intelligent
animal sometimes plays trick on his
master. He gets behind some thick
growing clump of cedar or mesquite
and stands absolutely motionless, so
that the bell will not make the slight
est sound. The man in search of him
listens intently for the bell. He is
sure that he knows the sound of that
horses bell from a dozen others. He
hears nothing, and he goes much fur
ther than he anticipated, wondering
how that precious horse could have
-strayed so far, hobbled as he is. All
the time that precious horse is in COM
Portable hiding in cool, shady place.
no doubt enjoying the joke. or the
thought of a long journey or task he
has escaped.
MANY horses, becoming accustomed
to the hobbies, can get over the ground
rapidly and without Inconvenience.
They raise the hobbled legs high in the
air and jump about like kangaroo.
When entirely grass-fed, horses are fire.
quently staked out to Craze. especially
if their riders desire to get possession
the animals get wound up in the long
rope and are choked to death.
"When cowboys go on a roundup or
long journey, number OF horses are
made to carry packs or are driven
along with the outfit, that they may be
at hand when wanted. The discarded
mounts are turned loose wherever they
may happen ito be, and are looked up
afterward at the owners leisure. a
task not difficult, rs, owing to the
practice of branding, information
regarding the whereabouts of any ami
mai can readily be gained. The prac-
ticed eye of the ranchman or cowboy
can note like q flash the brand of any
horse or cow he happens to pass.
"The Texas pony is a stranger to the
curry-comb and Knows not the luxury
of a good dressing or rubbing down,
vet his coat is glossy and his appear
ance not unkempt. This is probably
because he changes his quarters SO of
ten. He would be astonished at the
idea of any one being SOLICITORS as to
whether he was too warm to drink or
too tired to eat. When he comes to
water he enjoys draught, and when
he has none he goes without with
cheerful philosophy. If he chances to
take in q few thorns with his mess of
mesquite beans. or prickly pears, it
does not affect either his mind or his
digestion; In fact. have never heard
the digestion of Texas pony ques-
toned.
..He never knows what it is to have
hypodermic doses Of foreign matter in
sS.x-a to- hsa voine NJ critical mr.