Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-15
NO WILD HORSES.
NaturaliSts Contend That There Is No
Such Thing

\ member of the Bombay Historical
society recently read a paper before
that body on the aboriginal horse, in
which he asked the question: Is there
such thing Us the wild horse, an abb
original or truly wild horse, in the
world now? In his answer he re-
garded it as more than doubtful. The
mustang of Mexico, he said, the wild
horse of the South American pampas,
the brumbi of Australia, are all de-
ScendantS of the domeSticated animals
introduced from Europe The first
horse was landed in America at
8uenoS Ayres in 1887. In 15SO-that
Is, in less than fifty yearS-horSes had
spread to regions as remote as Pata-
gonia. In Australia the diffusion of
horses that have escaped from ciyili-
cation has been quite as rapid, and in
1870 it was found necessary to shoot
as many as 1000 wild horses in the
colony of New South Wales alone.
In some parts of Australia the horse
pest has received legislative notice
The wild horses tempt domestic horses
to join them, and wild stations also
invade the Australian horse runs and
yitiate choice herds in most annoy
ing manner. They recur to the ances-
trail manners in a way that is always
the same. Each stallion has his fol-
lowing of mares, ranging from a few
up to forty and even fifty, and these
parties may be separated or banded
together in herds of considerable size.
even it is said, 400 strong. The young
and the weak mares remain with I
scanty or even no following. The
stallion has to maintain his supremacy
by frequent combats, which especially
occur at certain seasons of the year.
The animals are suspicious in the eX-
IRENE, swift in flight, but bold in de-
Tense with tooth and heel in emery
ency. They range extensively in
search Of pasture and water, and when
hard pressed by danger and famine
the herds break up. 1t is said that
each troop has a leader and implicitly
ObeyS him. He is the first to face dan
ger and give the hint to fly. When
pressed the horses form a ring, with
the mares and foals in the center, anG
defend themselves vigorously with
their heels, or they close in on their
opponent in dense masses and trample
him to death.
1t is distinctly proven, then, that
there can be no aboriginal or wild
horse in either America or Australia,
n tIr1C Of 4l,D,1
of unknown horses. Tradition points
to central Asia as the original abode
of the horse, and there original
stock of wild horses may still possibly
exist DarWin's statement that no alb
original or truly wild horse is known
to exist must still be held as explain
ing the exact position of this question.
But we must supplement it by stating
that it is not certain that truly wild
| horses do not exist; and, on the whole
conclude that the evidence is in favor
of the existence of the wild horse IN
central Asia, but that We have no evil
dence as to his pedigree in relation to
demonstration. The wild horse of the
British islands is now practically the
Shetland pony, but he is not the power
full animal described by Caesar The
domesticated animal everywhere, how
ever, reverts very easily to the savage
state. The PAGES of the wild horse are
a walk and gallop. The double and
the canter are artificial, and it is still
a mooted question as to whether the
wild horse ever trOtS.