The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1898-11-12
OUR CAVALRYMEN.
They Are the Best Soldiers in tne
Whole World


=
ON Earth.
Up 10 comparatively recent date
individual hersemanshir and the train
ing of horses received little Systematic
attention in the caralry service Inc
nature of the duties required OF that
arm Of the service, which kept it in the
field from the early grass until the
SHOWS of winter-and frequently ali the
winter-made it impossible to engage
in instruction beyond the simplest
movements of the drill regulations.
No adequate facilities were afforded
at the recruiting depots for instruction
in equitation, and cavalry recruits rare
" knew anything beyond the manual
of the carbine and sa5er when they
Joined their troops. The men and
horses frequently arrived on the eve OF
a campaign, and even during o cam
paign.
Alter a time the men made good sol
diers, and in some respects good cav
airy soldiers. The handy men ard
those who had some previous knoWl-
edge Of horses and riding caught on,
but the inexperienced, the clerks,
shopkeepers, foundry men, ETC., who
had never been on horses back, kept
the surgeons busy patching up their
skins. and the veterinarians busy
patching up the horses skins. When
\ new man and a new horse came to-
gether it was tough on man and beast.
Nothing could be done in the way OF
horse training beyond riding them
with stiff curb biz in the column day
after day. Field work is good school
in many respects, but it is Impractical
BILE to instruct new men in the many de-
tails absolutely essential to make
horse1nan, and it is impossible to sub
sequently cure the bad habits con-
tracted by green hands when left to
themselves.
Notwithstanding these drawbacks,
the American cava .ryman he's always
been able to meet any emergency as II
arose, and, while he may not have been
a finished horseman or have ridden
a trained horse, he has had the faculty
of seetting there" in good and effective
shape. But he has been forced, in
great measure, to work out his own
salvation. It was, in most cases,
question of the survival of the fittest.
and some splendid specimens of rough
riders survived.
The passing away of constant field
service, the concentration of troops In
large garrison, The erection Of riding
halls, ETC., have made itnot only possible
for, but incumbent upon, every COM
inander of troops to educate his men
in every detail entering into the make
up of a trained soldier.
So well has the opportunity been
seize: by the cavalry branch OF the
service that I say without hesitation
the American cavalrymn is to-day the
best soldier on the face OF the earth.
barring none. I don't believe any
army in the world can parade ten regl.-
ments of observation-disclosures, hus-
sars, or what not-possessing the often
sive ard defensive qualities of our ten
regiments of cavalry.
Not only this, but they are the best
rough riders in the world. They can
fight on the ground or on horseback,
with saber or revolver, as occasion re-
uuires. Their ability to shoot with in
fantry has been attested year after
year at the target competition, and
their proficiency with the revolver
mounted is such that five years ago
it was believed to be Impossible OF at
tainment. at all the larger garristns
cavalry progress has been most salts
factory.
The post at Fort Riley has che of the
finest iding halls in the world, built OF
stone, lighted through the roof and in
closing an open clear space OF 100 by
800 feet. During the season, from jan
uary 10 to May /, each troop at the post
(eigh1 organizations) exercises in the
hall one hour every day, except Satur-
days and Sundays. At other times
during the year the hall is utilized for
the instruction of recruits, under tie
direction of an officer specially adapted
to tie work.
The instruction of the troops is under
the direction of the respective troop
commanders, supervised by the squad
ron commanders and the director OF
the cavalry school.
Biting, suppling, turning. backing,
passaging, accustoming to Sound o.
firearms. teaching to lie down. jump
ing, eating to the regulation PAGES; in
fact, everything a horse should know
goes ON at the same time as the instruc-
ton of the men, as provided in the drill
regulations.
AS means of relaxation and relief
from the tedium of formal drill, riding
school movements and acrobatic feats
are introduced by some officers. and
others even employ the tricks Of the
sawdust ring to the same end.-Maj
E. A. Darlington, in Rider and Driver.