The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1900-10-10
TRAINING A HORSE
FOR REAL WAR.
Tho Main Difficulty is in Getting His
Equine Majesty Used TO tho Noise
of Firearms.

The main difficulty in training IA war
horse Is to accustom the animal 10 the
thunder of firearms A horse that can
~ quickly trained to the roar of can
non and musketry IS AN acquisition
which Instructors know how to appre-
eiate. You hear people talk glibly
enough, nowadays, of supplying our
troops In the East With plenty of re-
mounts. and it's quite evident. from
the remarks they make that they Inn
agine they need only to lasso few
thousand wild horses In Texas. ship
them off to Manila and-voila! our SOL
diers are remountedH
Although most horses cum be quick
ly trained to face the most whitening
fire. many are very difficult to convince
that u tremendous noise Is not neces-
sarily a signal OF danger, while some
never can be taught to ignore the rat
tie of musketry.
Your correspondent has had the
pleasure of visiting the farm OF
trainer Of war horses. situated In the
wids OF Texas
In a field adjoining the stables i
found. ranged in "A circle ready for In
struction. some three dozen fine horses,
including a few splendid chestnuts. The
Instructor stood In the centre OF the
circle with the horses facing him).
gave the signal to the attendants TO be
in readiness and fired three chambers
Of revolver In rapid succession.
Instantly there was great comm0-
ton Most of the horses reared and
plunged, and 1t was only with the
greatest difficulty that some OF them
were prevented from breaking away
and racing madly about the field.
few, OH the other hand, did nothing
more than prick up their ears and toss
their heads, and these were promptly
taken away for test. The more FESTIVE
ones of course. We're subjected to the
revolver shots until they could face
them unfiinchingly
The second test is much more Sc
we're. The horses are galloped up to
supposed company of infantry. who
fire simultaneously as soon as the ami
mails have got properly into swing,
The first volley usually plays havoc
cavalry. and some of the horses rear
so wildly that their riders have CON
siderable difficulty in keeping their
saddles. In "A few moments, however,
the charge IL continued, another vol
ley fred-this time. Of course, at closer
range-and the formation Is once more
deranged.
This manoeuYre 10 continued until,
familiarity having bred contempt. the
horses advance as readily in the face
VI musketry (both volleys and "strag-
Cling" fire. as when faced by nothing
at all They are then taught In pre-
pisely the same way, to disregard the
boom OF cannon.
Once properly trained, "a horse faces
the deadly fire of an enemy on the
beid OF battle with an absolute fear
lessness of which man. be he brave as
a lion. Is Incapable.
This, however. is only natural The
horse has been taught to believe the
din OF battle to be quite meaningless
and without result When in actual
warfare, he sees horses and men
around him shattered and lifeless,
there Is nothing to suggest to him that
that same din OF battle and death are
In any way connected, and the reports
of firearms, consequently. for him
have no terrors whatever
The whistling of bullets and the
screaming OF shells-unknown. of
course. at the manoeuvres at home
while insignificant details to the horse,
are sadly full of meaning to the man
and often enough do our soldiers envy
the ignorance Of the horse--the "ignor-
ance which Ia bliss"