Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-07-13
SUPPLYING ARMY HORSES. !.


One Of the great problems Of an
army organization is that Of supply
ing the cavalry with new horses to
take the places of those grown old
or disabled in service. The problem,
says the author Of 'sThe Cavalry
Horse" Is better solved in Germany
than in any other country.
The foundation Of the solution in
every land is a thorough knowledge of
the "horse population" Our own cen
sus report shows more than 21,O00O00
horses Of all sorts and ages. Our army
needs about 5000 annually for all pur-
poses, and buys them on contract, pay
Ing an average price Of about SIS. The
cavalry horses are the best Of these.
They are bought when five years old,
and the price for item is above the
average In the American army each
cavalryman has his own animal, and
trains it himself.
Russia. the only nation which has
| more horses than America, counts
about 25,OO0,O0O in Europe and Asia.
The Russian government buys very
young horses and trains them hard,
| with the exception Of those for Cos
sack regiments. The COssacks are mas
| ter trainers, and educate their own
| horses. Great Britain and France each
have 100000 horses. France, with an
annual "remount'' in time Of peace Of
1 4 hoI f, ~, A
| In the war Of 1871. Great Britain uses
only about 1900 remounts year, and
! does not supply every cavalryAM with
horse. Indeed, for 24OCO cavalryman
In the British army there are but 49,
900 horses. This proportion is main
tanned on the theory that a certain
percentage Of the men are always sick
or otherwise unfit for duty, and do not
need the mounts.
Austria has a horse population Of
nearly 100000, but the government
maintains its own breeding farms for
cavalry horses
In Germany the matter Of obtaining
remounts has been reduced to an al.
most perfect system under government
paternalism. The government pro-
vides fine-bred stations at convenient
posts throughout the country, and in
return for this service every horse
owner is required to bring his anil
mails to the local 'horse muster" once
| in ten years. From the muster are ex-
empt stations, horses under four years
| old, or those which are blind in both
eyes, mares with foal and horses work
| ing in mines. The muster serves to
| show exactly the available "horse
strength" of the nation.
Horses are bought every summer by
commissions OF veterinary surgeons
and army officers. They pay about
$3.50 each for horses between three and
i four years Of age, and send them on
trial to four depots, where they are
kept one year under scientific train
ing to develop the characteristics nee
essary in cavalry horses. Nine thou
sand are needed each year, but 5 per
cent more are bought.
They run free in paddocks and sheds
| on the depot farms, are groorned ten
minutes day, and fed the regular ra-
ton Of twelve pounds of hay, seven
and a half of oats, and fifteen Of straw
each day, with green food part Of The
year. Each regiment has certain
number Of horses condemned each
year, and sends squad to. the depot
for an equal number Of new horses.
There is always reserve of several
thousand in the government depots,
and in an emergency considerable
reserve force can be mounted without
delay and without the uncertainty due
! to buying on contract.