The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-05-03
HORSES IN OUR ARMY
A CAVALRY SOLDIER WRITES WITH
FEELING CONCERNING THEM.

4 Recruit Horse Is Very Like q Recruit
Observation-Disclosures Displayed by the
Animals Their Love of Play-Poor
Dandy's Grief.
Perhaps few persons are on more init
mate terms with the horse family in gen
eral than some old cavalry soldiers. TIC
be the friend Of his horse the soldier must
be q good one. A horse was never known
10 favor a bad one with his confidence, fol-
horses are infallible judges Of soldiers.
In the old frontier days cavalry soldiers
thought far mora of their horses than they
do now, for their lives often depended on
them, and If q man neglected his horse he
was sure 10 have to march on foot before
long, which Is very distasteful to a cavalry
man. Indeed, it was necessary to guard
the forage wagon and the water holes to
prevent men stealing more than their al
hwanos for their horses. Even now, il
you watch some old gray haired fellows at
the "stables" of q cavalry troop, you will
see they have not forgotten to be greedy
ON behalf of their mounts.
. A recruit horse is like a recruit soldier,
apt to be clumsy, unevenly gated, saucy
and oonceited. The old horses in the stable
yard treat him exactly as old soldiers treat
D recruit. They attempt to frighten him
BY biting at him, kicking him, chasing
him from one corner Of the yard to a
other, pulling his name and ears-in fact,
they try to make his life miserable in
every way. This lasts for a few days only
then the new horse gets a chum, and they
make an agreement to stand by each other
This offensive and defensive alliance pre-.
vents the rest of the herd from taking any
more liberties with the recruit.
The "chum business is one Of the most
remarkable features Of horse life In the
army. The "chums" are inseparable. AS
soon az the herd is turned out into the
yard the chums seek out each other, as il
for a morning "oonfab," and remain to-
sether all day. Looking into the yard at
n time, one can see them rubbing noses,
blinking at one another or following each
other around the yard. Take a new horse
away from his chum and he will greatly
resent 1t. Tie him near the stables and he
\ will whinny plaintively to his chum, who
will answer from the corral.
All horses in our service are taught to
lie down. A new horse, when first thrown
In the riding hall, with straps the use of
which he little suspects, is greatly sur
prised. This painless throwing OF horses
Is very effective in disoiplining morally, for
the horse soon realizes that he Is complete
" mastered, and after he has been thrown
q number Of times a marked change takes
place In his temperament.
Soldiers who abuse their horses in any
way are severely punished. There Is, in
deed, no sight more obnoxious to a good
cavalryman than to see a horse abused.
The old cavalry horse seems to have q
great disdain for a new soldier. When
ridden by a recruit, be appears as If a lit.
tie insulted, and I am sure that some OF
these old horses can tell a recruit from a
veteran as quickly as can the adjutant at
"guard mounting"
It Is customary to turf all the horses
out to graze-or' ito herd" as 1t is called
under a guard whenever the grass is good
and the weather pleasant. The horses re.
gard "herd time'' as a proper occasion for
fun and frolic. They enjoy the herd as
much as a lot Of sohoolboys do their recess.
In every troop. are some old horses that
are full Of mischief on herd and are invet-
crate stampeders. If they can only get the
rest Of the herd to follow them and RIM
ahead of the herders, they are delighted.
The herd guards have to watch these old
rogues vigilantly, for once they obtain a
start, q stampede is sure to follow. Then,
II no obstacle prevents, the herd will run
for hours-herds have bean known to run
40 miles before they could be stopped. Most
bold and daring riding or the part of the
herd guards Is required to head off a cav.
airy stampede and turn the leaders.
Horses soon learn all the trumpet. calls.
''Stable CALI in the afternoon Is the favor
its one, I imagine, as it means dinner.
A trumpeter's horse in a certain troop at
q western post was condemned for disabil-
ity and sold to amilkman. One day, when
the milkmsn was driving near the drill
ground where the troop was drilling, bis
horse at the sounding Of the "~charge" by
the trumpet bolted for the troop. OF course
the funny sight Of q milk cart charging
with a troop Of cavalry caused great merri-
ment to all except the milkman.
During the Geronimo campaign some
years ago in Arizona, a remarkable Illus
tration Of how great an affection can exist
between q soldier and his horse occurred
In q troop in which I was serving. An old
Irish sergeant had q splendid brown horse
called Dandy, to which he was so singular
" attached that the care and caresses he
bestowed ON 1t would have satisfied the
most ~exaoting sweetheart. The beautiful
and Intelligent animal seemed to be al
most human, so much did he appreciate
the affection Of his master.
: Now 1t happened that during a long
march the sergeant became very tipsy by
drinking some fiery Mexican mesoal.
Keeling in the saddle to and fro he jerked
the horses sensitive mouth with the cruel
curb till 1t bled profusely, and every little
while his sharp spurs would tear Dandy's
TANKS. Suffering all this pain, the horse
calmly walked in ranks without showing
any resentment and apparently knowing
that his master was out of his senses.
Shortly after this happened we were
fired upon from an ambush. The sergeant,
who wal in the lead, was shot dead in the
saddle while riding along the brink Of one
of those steep canyons which abound in
that part Of Arizona. So he pitched head
foremost out Of his saddle down hundreds
of feet into the canyon bed.
During the next few days Dandy ate al
most nothing and appeared dull and list.
less. All the men being mounted, he was
led and q pack saddle put on him. About
o week later, as we were riding along the
brink Of another canyon, very similar to
that in which Dandy's master had found
. grave, the command was halted for a
" rest, and the men, dismounting, let their
horses Craze on the few punches of dry
grass in the vicinity.
Presently we saw Dandy walk to the