The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-08-31
THE BUCK JUMPER.
THEIR PECULIAR TRAIT is NATURAL
AND NOT ACQUIRED.

of Different Countries.
How does it feel to ride buck
jumper?"
Many years ago we asked this ques-
ton Of u we'll known rough rider on
first meeting him.
You'll be surprised when you try"
was the reply. "1rhe smash Of his hoofs
OH the ground is what you'll notice
principally. 1t comes like a pistol shot,
and it's enough to make your jaws crack.
Another thing is that his head goes out
of sight altogether, between his fore
legs. But the real job is when he goes
in for side work and tries to catch his
tail like young dog Even IL you stick
to him then, you're lucky if he doesn't
work the saddle over his head
You don't mean without breaking
the girths?" we exclaimed.
Certainly" he replied. "Ask any
man who has broken wild horses whether
bad one can't jump out Of the saddle.
If you can sit him till the third buck
you are supposed to DO able to sit him,
but let mo say that you don't always
get to tho third"
AS we have sat (and also been thrown)
by buck jumpers since then we can In
dorse unreservedly every word of this
authority Oh tho subject. To say ono is
surprised is a mild term to employ. On
our first attempt our chief astonishnent
was at the intinitosimal time it took to
reach the ground after tho horse began
to go to work"
Many who know anything of riding
i'll this ESQ callcd) horse loving nation
of ours will think they have ridden a
"buck" often and require no informa-
ton OH the subject. Be assured how
ever, reader, that it is an exceedingly
rare thing. Wo havo known men who
have broken horses OIL colonial cattle
stations for 90 years and have never
seen real buck jumper.
a reason for this is tho fact, which
all do not know, that only horses of
certain strains can buck" A vicious
horse may rear and fall back on his
rider, or he may roll on the ground and
proceed to devour him-and these hab-
its arc no doubt unpleasant and not to
be recommended Tin child's pony, for
lnstance), but if no hasn's got the right
breed he will never "buck."
One of tho innumerable popular de-
lusions about horses is that buck Jump
ers which are exhibited in public, like
Buffalo Bills, for instance, have re-
ceived careful training in tho art ANY
one who has broken horses will know
that i'll their wild state they require no
instruction whatever In this direction.
The whole art Of breaking consists in
teaching them not to chuck" This is
why our colonies supply the buck Jump
crs Of tho world. Time there is money,
and hands cannot long be spared for
breaking. Tho 2yoar old is driven into
the yard (having possibly never seen a
man before), roped up, cast, and while
he IS on the ground n saddle and bride
arc worked OH to him. A rough rider
is put up. he drives tho spurs we'll
home, and there you havo an inveterato
buck jumper for life.
Put yourself in the horses place, and
you will hardly wonder at it, He is by
nature morbidly nervous, and man is q
thing almost unknown till now. The
horrid black object Oh his back is to
him the foul fiend incarnate, and the
first step III breaking he supposes to bo
the final dissolution Of tho universe.
In Australia it used to DO no uncom-
mon thing that man who had colt
to sell got him broken in two hours be-
fore the sale. The whole process cost
just o shillings
The rough rider was hoisted ND, and
the colt went through his repertoire of
contortlons. being occasionally dashed
from behind with a stock whip to in
sure all traces of vice being thoroughly
erad1catcd. BY tho time of the sale he
was naturally so exhausted that all at
tempts at playing up" were (for the
time being, of course) out of the Ques-
ton. Tho mark of the saddle was point
ed out as proof positive that he could
be ridden, and ho changed hands, guar
anteed thoroughly quiet and broken to
saddle.
Unless no was first class rider the
experience of the buyer on mounting
him next day would be both unexpect-
ed and exhilarating.
Who arc the best riders in tho world2
The Australians say they are, and they
are supported by most competent judges.
South Americans claim to be as good,
and they are certainly good riders, but
not SO scientific. They are satisfied if
they can stick OH and even resort to
putting tho spurs between the girths for
foothold. Australians would scorn
such means. If good riders, they will
SIT correctly even under tho most diff
cult circumstances.
Can buck jumping BIO cured? 1t can
not, or rather we should modify this
statement by saying that it cal. 1t can
otbecause buck jumping isan ingrained
wee, the result of fear, and. onco learned,
Is never forgotten. 1t can like all other
vices, DO subdued by steady work and