The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1896-02-06
EXPERTS IN TIE 9 DIT.

.Hhi:,.tion of su.arb .Ecr ~, ~ s.,ip
Gwen by Two s-.-a'ry tro -.
4 hundred or more . @.s went over
10 Fort Myer to vino, l.a frs ex-
hi5irion drill of the as,saa - the two
crack troops of the Si.,n D&!.ad states
.ayalry. says the Nasl.r.sCn Post. The
exhibition was giyei, IN the l"rgo rid
ing hall. where all wrIa 0u. CT the
biting wind that swept G2~'n the
parade. There is probably 10 other
set Of officers and Man i'll the army
whO can give such i display OF horse
mamsh:p as troops u aad : Of the
Sixth. The drill given By them tends
more 10 show to what high degree OF
Efficiency men and horses can be trained
than 10 display lnow!a 'ge OF CO airy
movements. At the bottom Of the whole
drill IS the one aim Of every true cayai-
ry officer to make his men SO familiar
with the cavalry horses that they can
do almost anything with them. The oil
GERS argue that q cayalryman must be
able to ride a horse under any and all
conditions, know how 10 fall off with
out being injured. ride without stir
rups or saddle, and also standing in the
sti!rups and have full use Of the arms
for fighting.
While every troop in the army mas
to undergo what the soldiers call 'ouH
ring drill, there is none that has so
fully developed the idea rs these two
troops at Fort Myer This is in great
measure due to the untiring efforts OF
the ofIicers-among them Lieutenant
Short. who is an acknowledged premier
in the saddle-and the esprit du corps
of the men, which in G and y exists 10
a remarkable degree. The men in these
troops always try to OutdO each other.
Yesterday troop G. was the first 10 come
out. under command of Captain West,
assisted by First Lieutenant Gallagher
and Second Lieutenant Stout. The men
gave on excellent exhibition Of fancy
riding. Cossack riding was the hrst
given, and in this the men, with STIR
rups crossed. stood up and rode ABOUT
the hall in a fearless manner. lhey
rode even better than the COssacks who
were with Buffalo Bills show. To show
the training of the horses. they made
passages. side movements with ease
| and other difficult feats to teach
| horse. Other movements given by the
| troop were loudly appIaudea.
Troop A. Captain Kendall, Lieuten-
ants Short and White, closed the drlil.
/ After going through similar movements
/ the men gave a very interesting eXhlol-
/ =; and nGlnO horses
| for hurdles. In the latter some OF the
/ horses were a little ill-tempered, but
! were quickly subdued. The most ser
| viceable thing of the whole exhibition
| was the use of horses for breastWofkS
/ The horses are taught to lie down, by
| the use of straps, coming from the rlgh'
! ankle of the foreleg over the shoulder
while the left leg is off the grouno
and hobbled. The soldier pulls on the
shoulder straps shOyes against the lei
| shoulder. and down goes the horse
After a time the only thing necessary
/ is to pick up the left front leg anc
| ehnye at the shoulder while some o.
the more intelligent animals need only
/ 4 shove. The use of horses for breast
| works has long been in vogue on the
plains during Indian fights, but INT
/ horses. had first TO be shot. The train
ing of recent years has done away VIII
this necessity. Since last season th'
men and horses OF Fort Myer have
greatly improved and give much flne
exhibition. They do more feats in fame!
riding. and & great many more mel
have developed sufficient skill TO &C
complish those which only a few di'
last year