Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1905-04-28
TRAINING WAR HORSES.
Where and How Great Britain Puts
Them Through Course Of
Sprouts.

requirements and constant renewals of
the cavalry arm, says H. G. Rob-
erts, in Harper's Weekly. Accord
ingly the various war offices Of the
world have recourse to various known
markets in foreign countries, and the
result Of this Is very mixed mass of
animals which 1t is no small task to
train and educate so that they may
act together with some degree OF uni
formity.
Cavalry horses have first and fore
most to be accustomed to the sound
of rifle and artillery fire; and while
many pass the first of these examina-
tions more or less readily, the thun-
der Of parked artillery is supreme
and severe test for equine nerves.
Then, again, the recently acquired re-
mounts must overcome their aversion
to water; for it is obvious that an en-
emy will blow up and burn bridges
wherever possible, so that flooded riv-
ers have to be forded, frequently enough
as in the case of the Russians retreat
ing before the Japanese-in great dis
order and extreme haste.
For this reason the military powers
of the world establish regular swim
ming schools for cavalry horses; and as
the system is very much the same in all
nations, we will consider the equine
training school at Aldershot, in Eng
land, as typical of all. For Great Britain
is power that has to, go ahead for her
cavalry horses, and it is we'll known that
when the magnitude of the Boer war
was fully revealed, British officers of
the veterinary branch were dispatched
in urgent haste, and with practically un-
limited credit, to buy up tens Of thou
sands of suitable animals wherever they
could procure them, from Niji-Novgo-
red to the Argentine provinces.
Aldershot is, of course, the great mill
tary center of England just as Ply
mouth is the naval headquarters. This
great rolling expanse of the Hampshire
Downs, however, has of late years grown
somewhat too small for great operations,
mainly by reason of the great range of
modern small arm fire, as we'll as that of
artillery. The British war Office has now
acquired very extensive maneuver
grounds on Salisbury plain.
Many and varied and extraordinary
even, from civilian point of view are
the sights to be seen at Aldershot,
these ranging from moving targets, or
sheet iron soldiers, TO extensive bal
loon factories, where the well-known
military aeronaut, Col. Templer, turns
out dozens of aerial monsters where
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 cav
airy horses from all parts of the world
are trained to swim with thoroughness
that rivals even the Italian system of
horse training.
1t is we'll known, by the way, that
cavalry horses in the Italian army go
through almost as much training as
though they were intended for cir
Gus.
The newly received horses, coming, as
they do mostly from inland regions,
have a deep-seated objection to the
water and, as their riders are for the
most part, scantily clad, indeed the
struggles between tutor and pupils" are
ludicrous in the extreme. II it is found
absolutely impossible to coax the ami
mails into the water deeper than their
knees or girths collapsible boats are
used, and the refractory animal dragged
by main force beyond his depth when
he 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 somewhat slender diet and then
coaXed out by man in receding boat
holding out to him a tempting feed of
| corn.
But although iudicious force is used.
| it must not be supposed that the horses
are terrified or frightened, unless this is
absolutely necessary. On the contrary,
they are taught to overcome their
natural dread of deep water by slow de-
grees. Some of them are so terrified
at the prospect that they will not even
wet their fetlocks at first, but plant
their trembling legs resoluteIy a few
feet away from the water They are then
ridden gently up and down the edge, and
constantly kept within sight of the biz
sheet of water. Gradually they are rid.
den little way into it. and soon are
quite comfortable when wading along ul
as far as their knees, A few days later
the pupil finds that it issnot so terri
BILE, after all, to be walking on the bot.
tom 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 ant
swims little way automatically, is bu
short. The horse is never made TO swim
until he is tired however. but is takeI
away and rested, to be brought back mex
day. One raw pupil" is as much as ON,
man can look after at time, but wheI
the animals are little advanced in thei