The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-18
The Arizona Wild Horse,
and His Fights With
Equine Rivals.
FIERCE BATTLE AT NIGHT.
Hunters Chance to See Magnificent Con
test for Supremacy Between Powerful
StsIiions--A Duel to the Death.


,,,sirs n. Wild horse Is still there"
said A. j. Daggs. OF Phoenix. Ariz'
a. n vrasbinxton Post reporter the otner
a., aOf course one does not see the
vast herds on the pampas OF south H ,-
Sca vet they roam over the range ~ iat -
numbers. and display all he qualites ,hae
bocoms the free-born equine. have seen
sra,,, tr droves Of seventy-nve to 40, led
by the stations that are the best nt'eo
'.The ARIZONA Wild horse Is practically
IN ,mnorta,ion from California. They
came here when the latter state passed
law providing that horses should pc CON
fined on the land OF the owner, ana my
allowed to wander AZ large on the range.
SONS men had a sort of quasi-ownership
~ the horses which grazed on the range
They were not bronchos, but many OF
them were thoroughbreds which mad De-
com. partially wild. Thee" herds were.
therefore. driven out OF the state ana
taken across the desert TO Arizona. Those
that have noticed most particularly were
located in the Mogollon mountains. In Co
ronino and Navajo counties They were
as wild as Rocky mountain sheep, Keep
ing out OF the sight Of men and carrying
on many bloody conflict with rivai
bands.
II have seen them out feeding on the
range, the mares browsing steadily on
tho fresh sweet grass, and the stallion.
ever watchful, raising his proud mead
every moment TO scent the approach OF
man or some equine antagonist. Ineir
habits are peculiar. especially when they
20 to water. They only drink once every
two or three DAYS II the water Ia not easy
OF access When they get ready to duench
their thirst the leader gives the signal -
his charges and or they gallon at furi-
GUS pace for twenty miles or more with
out stop until they reach the stream or
pool The dust rises in clouds from be-
meath their hoofs and the earth shakes
with the thunder N their headlong rush.
When they arrive Mt the watering place
they drink TIL their sides are distended
and they walk slowly away. feeding as
they 90.
"one sees some magnificent specimens
of horsehesh among these Wild droves.
There is one | must tell you about for
n there ever was a king among his kind
he was an emperor, He was a thor
oughbred iron gray. slightly nee-bitten
stallion n little over 200 In weight, clean
limbed and absolutely perfect I'm form,
lie had a mean head. showing that he
was a fighter. His eve was keen, and
when he arched his neck and gazed
around he looked as IL he could peer into
the future. He WAS jealous monarch.
and no stallion was ever allowed TO APP
proach his harem. I watched him great
deal. II was not often that | could get
closer TO him than = mile, but I would
get upon hill or nearby butte and look
at him for hours through a powerful spy
glass.
"Hc was particular In tho choice of his
mares. They were all Of fins strain and
able TO run away from tho ordinary
horse HIS progeny have since made rec
ords both In harness ana under saddle.
and the colts were much sought after.
lie used 60 kin every broncho stallion
An Ia Hsa
the ueighing of IN the distance and
would raise his head. shifting the air and
scanning the horizon Finally he would
locate the audacious male. and of no
would gallop. fairly splitting the wind.
No horse could run away from him. and
IL Was not ave minutes before the com.
bat would end In the death OF the bron-
cho, who could not withstand the furious
biting and kicking OF the big gray
lie became famous throughout the
whole country. | think he had a name at
enc time for he was once chattel be
fore he got out on the range and shifted
the air of freedom. He WAS admirably MT
Ted for leadership. A horse has 60 be- for
his life Is one continual combat, He has
10 be the most courageous and sagacious
and powerful Of the stations lie T.
forced 60 Kill his rivals and must know
how 10 control his herd The latter trust
was not lacking 10 this respect. have
seen him heading his charges IN some
particular direction. He would arrange
them IN sections. biting them and kicking
Thorn gently. After he had started then
in the course he desired. he would gallon
around The herd and take the lead az nj.
LONG. swinging sallop.
$50 far as have ever known ne had
tut one fight which gave him any trou.
that | had been out hunting In the Mo.
sollon mountains during the day with q
party OF friends. and we we're late get.
ting home. We were on foot, and Il was
lucky that We were. FOR a single neigh
from our steeds would have given the
slarm. Tho moon was shining brightly
end It's rays IN up the rugged Landscape
with we8rd CLEAN. II WAS a ghostiy
scene. ana We sat down on some oowider'
90 look on a,
IAN &c once an uncanny. shgickins
howl. as o. some soul In dire distress
fioatea through the air, sounding near a
hand and yet far on IN tho distance. W,
mounted a little iutting cSRg overlooking
thc broad plain. which stretched away 'oi
mites and there we saw wonderful sight
The broad sxpanss. lighted hy the ful
moon. was dotted with horses OF all sisei
and eol0rs For several minutes we we're
dpmfcunaed ~ the sight OF the animai'
ktfek2hEN out over tl8 plateau nWSlsA Atce
ing en- the succulent grass.
Suddenly upon the clear nlEht at
sounded "A blood ctrdling neigh as cica,
as a NuEle call Immediately the her
stopped feeding ana stood with head
erect an army awaiting the command O.
tia general Another prolonged neigh
ritcned IN q higher key and. like a whirl
wlna the whole hard bottled un The plain
IS orderly and regularly as the best dis
cipuned cavalry. the aausiug BuA rear de
sachmonts posted with staiious eNactnsss
AT their head MAS tAe mighty sr4y stat
Hon
'srhey did not so far hat circled aroun.
until they were only 80 yards away iron
us in plain view. A Wild neigh iron
Ear out on the plain was followed by IN
thunder OF a thousand boots, and NJ sal
ioped another herd. headed by a stganu
stallion OF dark hue. They stopped With
go wards OF the herd we nrst saw. tn
leader OF the last herd went IN and ou
among Ais subjects, and finally he sprSn
from tbs compact mass and gallope
oS,r,.,f ssrordns avery nttle while 10 pay