Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-11-28

late years grown somewhat too small
lot great operations, mainly by reason
OF the great range of modern small
arm fire, as well as that of artillery
The British war Office has now ac-
quired very extensive manoeuvre
grounds on Salisbury Plain.
Many and varied, and extraordinary
even, from A civilian point of view, are
| the sights to be seen at Aldershot,
these ranging from moving targets, or
shcet-iron soldiers, to extensive bal
loon factories, where the well-known
military aeronaut, Colonel Templer,
turns out dozens of aerial monsters
Wher"from an enemy's country may be
mapped and photographed and his
movements observed. But the most
interesting and amusing of all the
sights of Aldershot is the big reservoir
or lake, where cavalry horses from all
! parts OF the world are trained to swim
with thnrOughness that rivals even
the Italian system of horse training.
1t is well known, by the way, that
! caTalTy horses i'll the Italian army go
| through almost as much training as
thOueh they We're intended for a circus
| The newly received horses, coming
as they do mostly from inland regions,
| have q deep-se2ted objection to the
| water, and as their riders are for the
most part very scantily clad indeed,
the struggles between tutor and
pupils" rre ludcrous in the extreme
! II it is found absolutely impossible to
coax the animals into water deeper
than their knees or girths, collapsible
ba raf
NAL dragged by main force beyond his
depth, when hc has to swim for dear
life AS might be supposed, after
this experience, his objection to the
| water is stronger than ever, but he is
conquered by being kept on a some
what slender diet, and then coaxed out
by "A man in a receding boat holding
out TO him a tempting feed of corn.
But although judicious force is used.
it must not be supposed that the horses
are terrified or frightened, unless this
is absolutely necessary. On the con-
trary, they are taught to overcome
their natural dread of deep water by
quite slow degrees. Some of them are
SO terrified at the prospect that they
will not even wet their fetlocks at first,
but plant their trembling legs resolute-
~ few feet away from the water.
They are then ridden gently up and
down the edge, and constantly kept
within sight of the big sheet of water.
Gradually they are ridden a little way
into il, and soon are quite comfortable
when wading along up as far as their
knees. a few days later the pupil
finds that it is not so terrible. after all
to be walking on the bottom with just
his head above the water, and his
naked teacher swimming at his side
with one arm about his neck.
From this stage to that in which the
animal is taken beyond his depth and
swims a little way automatically is but
short. The horse is never made to
swim until he is tried. however, but is
taken away and rested to be brought
back next day. One raw pupil is as
much as one man can look after at a
time. but when the animals are little
advanced in their training. several of
them are put under the instruction of
ore man. AS they find themselves
able to swim longer and longer dis
tances, the collapsible canvas-boats
are again brought into requisition.
And this time the teachers them
selves get into the boats and tether
there to the swimming horses, of which |
there may be quite a string, swimming
strongly for quite long distance. The
result of this training is that during
military manOeuvres on large scale, |
the cavalry, on arriving at broad and
deep river, plunge in with confidence. |
caring little about the depth of the
stream. and wading or swimming to
the opposite bank without the least
suspicion of panic or disorder.
If the stream be very broad the rider |
usually dismounts and swiIns at the
side of his horse. with one arm resting
on his neck. Arriving at the opposite
bank, the animal usually displays great
intelligence in selecting a landing |
place. where he Chambers up and out. |
there TO shake himself and wait until
his dripping rider is ready to mount.
Quite as important as the swim
ming training-school Of the cavalry |
horse pupil is that of the COM |
missariat animals and those Of the
hospital department. For it would be
serious thing if these animals during |
the passage Of a flooded stream lost
their heads and drowned. or were
thrown into such a panic as seriously |
to interfere with the movements Of the
other animals and men.-Harper's
Weekly.