Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1906-12-16
Copyright by james Elvcrson.

INX - may DC surprising W SOHlC w iSuih
I4H1 that fifteen years ago there were
kSAAA still large numbers of genuine wild
iddN90I horses on the plains of Western
SseSsJ Kansas and Eastern Colorado, and
that the professional wild horse
catcher still has an existence in those regions.
These mustangs, as they are universally
called, had, however, dwinded TO mere
handful, compared with their former mum.
bers, for, like the buffalo, they once roamed
countless ess Re a1is '"0 NO'A' mountain,
They are the genuine progenitors of the
wlry Western ponies of today, and resemble
them perfectly in form, action and variety OF
color.
| shall leave it to others to discuss their
origin, merely stating that what seems to me
the most probable theory is that they are de-
soendants of horses escaped from the carly
Spanish explorers, to which have been added,
from time to time, horses from overland emf
grant trains and runaways from settlers on
the extreme border.
The Spanish horses were large and strong,
but centuries of wandering life have reduced
them to their present diminutive size and re-
placed their unwieldy strength with the great
requisites of speed and bottom. 1t is only
another instance of nature adapting itself to
its environments.
l had seen many small groups of mustangs
in travelling through Western Kansas but my
first introduction to the men who follow catch
ing them as a business occurred near Garden
City.
take. the following account of it from my
eve started out in search of a group of
lakes which the map told us lay several miles
to the northwest
eve passed two or three prairie-dog towns
on the way, and once, as we rounded small
HILL an antelope started from the grass and
ran off
add of compass, as the sky was cloudy and
the prairie painless, and had almost despair
ed of finding the lakes, we discovered break
in the rise ahead of us, and concluded to
try that. On passing through it, beautiful
sight met our gaze.
HStretching away to the distance was an
undulating plain, terminating in another rise:
'Near the middle of this plain was a small
deadooking buffalo-grass around it, seemed
veritable oasis. | learned afterward that
it was due to the early burning of last years
growth of grass.
number of ponies were grazing, while Just
back of them was a small lake and an en-
campment. Several men were seated about
a fire, the smoke from which curled up to
meet the oyerhanging clouds. These proved
to be specimens of the redoubtable mustang
catchers. of whom we had heard so much and
seen SO little.
GAS we drew up, we entered into conversa-
ton. They were very courteous, and, in
reply to our inquiries, took great pains to ex-
plain how the mustangs were taken.
f'They said their plan was to follow them
at lesurely rate, day after day, often for
ten days or two weeks.
cat first the mustangs are very wild and
keep out of sight the greater part of the
time but as the days pass they gradually be-
come accustomed to the. appearance of the
mounted men following them.
"The object of the hunters is to keep them
travelling as much as possible, so they can
have but little time in which to Craze and
rest. As they become worn down, they al
low the men to approach nearer and nearer
until finally they can be turned and driven
in almost any direction.
"fhe men then prepare to trap them. The
trap consists Of a sixty-foot rope, with a
running moose like lasso This is placed
upon the ground, and secured to an iron pin
driven deep into the earth. Midway between
the pin and moose smaller rope, one hundred
feet long is tied, and this is held by one of the
men, who conceals himself in the grass for
that purpose.
"The others then drive the mustangs over
the moose, and when one of them steps into
it, the small rope is drawn quickly, and he is
fast. AS he feels the moose tighten about his
leg he makes an effort to run, and is thrown
sprawng by the heavy rope fastened to the
pin. The men then approach, blind him with
a cloth, and buckle a stout strap around one
of his forelegs, just above the hoof. To this
a short, heavy chain is attached.