Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-05
THE AMERICAN HORSE LEADS
EUROPEAN MILITARY MEN FAST
REALIZING HIS MERITS.
Scarcity of Good Animals in This
Country ON Account of Large
south African Shipments


contest against the two republics. Ihlrty
thousand were purchased soon after the
outbreak of hostilities. and some fifteen
thousand have been bought more recently,
while three carloads per week of American
mules have been shipped from New Orleans
since the commencing of the war. The re-
suit Of this unusual drain upon the horse
markets of the country has been to put up
prices and to bring about a scarcity of
frst-class animals. At the same time the
popularity of the American horse has
brought millions of dollars into this coun-
try and has resulted in the British troops
being better mounted than they ever nave
been before.
The reason why the American horse has
heeu called on to help fight the battles of
the British in South Africa is the reason
that has led to the introduction OF the same
animal to greater or less extent IN almost
every army of Europe. The military lead
ers of the British and continental armies
have found by careful investigation ana
actual trial that in the points of endurance
and adaptdbility the American mount Is
superior to any other that they can obtain.
So far work in a rough and barren coun-
try like South Africa is concerned scarcely
a European officer can be found TO dispute
the supremacy of the range horse OIL the
United States.
The consequence has been that American
mounts have come into high favor abroad
and that there has been a steadily lucreaS-
ing demand for our western horses exported
for in foreign armies. While the Amer
lean horse is admittedly superior in point
of endurance. ii is also claimed that ne
possesses greater intelligence than the ami
mas of European breed that descend from
generations of carefully trained forbears-
AT first sight this statement seems para
dOx, but more careful examination IL
may be seen that no contradiction is IN
Volved- The range horses of the west nave
been accustomed through many generations
tO fight for themselves. 10 defend them
xt-lIN-
wrcSt their living from the untitled country
under all conditions Of climate and weather.
The result of this enforced training has
be.n to develop not only high degree or
har,iihnrd but also an instructive inteln-
ErncP which the European horse, carefully
looked after as he has been for centuries.
cannot ne expected to display.
The American range horse, IN his nat
ural state. is the widest Of the equine
tribe ~aid CoIonel VIM f Cody in dis
CUSSiuo this subject the other day The
so-CalIr1 wild horse Of the Cossack or the
Arab docs unt compare with him for fierce
ness ~ ingenuity In fact, l have yet to
find the horse that Is his equal in resisting
attempts At subjugItion. He will kick.
bic, strike with his fore feet. and he alone
knows the possibilities Of bucking. No
rider in the world except the American
cowboy. who has learned the art in the
school - ugh experience. is able to mas
ter In. s-I,..ued horse of the plains.
As -.I i stance Of the ferncity Of these
horses a.. jrr certain cirCums tances. the
case col Tie morse ttlSI ktlittl Inc lISI III
dian N the Pine Ridge campaign occurs TO
NE This horse was 4 range stallion called
Sullivan. AID he belonged to Big Baptist.
well known scout Bapt!ste was COM
pel.cd to ieave the place ar the outbreak Of
EoStitt.eS and Sullivan was left behind
along NH 4 number Of other horses. As
i lrraliy known. ii IS the custom of
the horses to form themselves into bands.
each one with stallion at its head These
released horses formed such a band. with
Sullivan in charge. The Indians decided
that they could make use Of some of the
mounts and one Of their number rOped one
of the mares under Su.livan's charge and
started t. remove her The Infatuated stall
Ion pursued him, seized the Indian with his
teeth. hauled him off the horse on which
he WAS riding and trampled him to death.
Thus the first fatality of the campaign was
due 10 Sullivan The horse was afterward
retaken by his former owner and ridden
by him.
1T is natural to expect continued Col
Cody. that animals of such spirit this
should display A high order of Intelligence
when finally broken Their strong instinct
remains 10 stand them in good stead. The
scouts and hunters of the west long ago
learned this, and the more successful of
them Were accustomed to rely upon their
horses 10 discover Indians game at dis
tance at which they themselves could de-
tect no trace of either.
The horse Buckskin Joe, which owned
years ago. was good example Of the eff
feet of training combined with instinct He
was the most skilled buffalo horse that ever
lived He knew just how to go after buff
talo and Just how to avoid vicious charge.
II was hardly necessary to guide him in a
hunt, and it was largely due to his ability
that | was able on one occasion to kill six
ty-nine animals in a single hunt Many of
the most clever trick and trained horses
have been crosses between the blood of the
eastern states and the cayuse or plains
pony The horses which formerly did the
Virginia reel in the Wild West were all of
this kind. .
hon S1ra.
ance. too much cannot be said in praise of
the American horses descended from the
plains animals. They are particularly yalu-
able for use in rough or wild country be-
cause they are so completely self-reliant
oats ana nay are not necesSaries for the
range horses. They have picked their living
Tor 50 many generations back that it has
become an instinct with them If tbere 10
grass under the snow they know how TO
IND it They appreciate the sustenance
mat IS 70 be found In twigs and buds and
even IN the bark Of young trees.
In the case Of our own horses that are
taken from the range We find it necessary
10 teach them TO eat oats. That NAV seem
surprising. but it is true. Usually 1t is
Necessary to put them on short rations for
time. un'h they learn to like the grain.
ana We nave had few horses that abso-
Iutely refused TO eat oats under any con-
siderstti0n- Such horses as these do not
require pampering or fine food and for
TINS reason they are especially valuable for
use IN campaigning. they are able TO
bear up under privations that would kill
me ordinary horse. Moreover, they will
thrive in any climate
Another quality" said Col. Cody .sthat
makes the western horse a good cam
pftlgfler IS his toughness. He will endure
an incredible amount OF work His cana
btlities in this direction were abundantIv
proved by the thousand mile ride al the
time of the worlds fair in Chicago when
every horse made the journey from Chad
ron. Neb-. TO Chicago without difficulty and
arrived in good condition. In contrast 10
this is the famous Vienna race, in which
the horses were killed.
IN the course of my lifetime l have had
occasion many times to put my horses to
more severe tests than this one and /
never have found them wanting. We all
Know the Intelligence. beauty and affection
or the htgh-bTed American horse Add TO
this the hardihOod, endurance and adapta-
bility of the plains animal. and we have
product that the rest of the world cannot
equal believe that the time is rapidly
approaching when all the cavalry of E,u-
rope will be mounted on American horses
or at least on horses containing an adnix-
tUre of American blood"
Man and Bird In Collision
From the Atlanta Journal