Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-09-24
THE BUCK JUMPER.
THEIR PECULIAR TRAIT is NATURAL
AND NOT ACQUIRED.

"How does it feel to ride a buck
jumper"
Many years ago we asked this uues-
ton of well known rough rider Cd
first meeting him.
You'll be surprised when you try"
was the reply. 1.-THE smash of his hoofs
on the ground is what you'll notice
principally. 1t comes like 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 if 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
a bad one can't Jump out of the saddle.
If you can sit him till the third buck,
you are supposed to be able to sit him,
but let me say that you don't always
get to the third. "
AS we have sat (and also been thrown)
by buck jumpers since then we can in
dorse unreservedly every word of this
authority on the subject To say one is
surprised is a mild term to employ. On
our first attempt our chief establishment
was at the infnitesimal time it took to
reach the ground after the horse began
to Ego to work. "
Many who know anything Of riding
in this $50 called horse loving nation
Of ours will think they have ridden a
"buck" often and require no informa-
tion on the subject. Be assured, how
ever, reader, that it is an exceedingly
rare thing. We have known men who
have broken horses OH colonial cattle
stations fOr 20 years and have never
seen a real buck jumper.
A reason for this is the 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 are no doubt unpleasant and not to
be recommended (in child's pony, for
instance), but if he hasn's got the right
breed he will never buck.
One of the innumerable popular de-
lusions about horses is that buck jump
ers which are exhibited in public, like
Buffalo Billie, for instance, have re-
ceived careful training in the 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 "buck. " This is
why our colonies supply the buck jump
ers of the world. Time there is money,
and hands cannot long be spared for
breaking. The 2-year- old is driven into
the yard (having possibly never seen a
man before) roped up cast, and while
he is on the ground saddle and bride
are worked on to him. A rough rider
is put up, he drives the spurs we'll
home, and there you have an inveterate
buck jumper for life.
Put yourself in the horse's place, and
you will hardly wonder at it, He is by
nature morbidly nervous, and man is a
thing almost unknown till now. The
horrid black object on his back is to
him the foul fiend incarnate, and the
first step in breaking he supposes to be
the final dissolution Of the universe.
In Australia it used to be 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 10 shillings.
The rough rider was hoisted up, and
the colt went through his repertoire Of
contortions, being occasionally dashed
from behind with stock whip to in
sure all traces Of vice being thoroughly
eradicated. By the 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. The mark of the saddle was point
ed out as proof positive that he could
be ridden, and he changed hands, guar
anteed thoroughly quiet and broken to
saddle.
Unless he was first class rider the
experience of the buyer on mounting
him next day would be both unexpect-
ed and exhilarating.
Who are the best riders in the 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 ON and even resort to
putting the spurs between IL 2 girths for
foothOId. Australians would scorn
such means. If good riders, they will
sit correctly even under the most diff
cult circumstances.
Can buck jumping be cured? 1t can
not, or rather we should modify this
statement by saying that it can. 1t can
notbecause buck jumping isan ingrained
vice, the result of fear and. once learned,
is never forgotten. 1t can, like all other
vices, be subdued by steady work and
careful handling, but recollect that,
once these are left off, it may return.
At all events such reformed" ami
NAL can never be ridden by lady
Chambers Journal.
He Knew Her Name.
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