The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-03-14
HORSES IN OUR ARMY
A CAVALRY SOLDIER WRITES WITH
FEsLNG CONCERNING THEM.

" IN
FEsLING CONCERNING THEM.
A Recruit Horse II 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. 10
be the friend Of his horse the soldier must
be a rood one. A horse was never known
10 favor a bad one with his confidence, for
horses are infallible judges Of soldiers.
In the old frontier; days cavalry soldiers
thought far more Of their horses than they
do now, for their lives often depended on
them, and II q man neglected his horse he
was sure to have to march on foot before
long, which Is very distasteful to acaValry-
man. Indeed, 1t was necessary to guard
the forage wagon and the water holes to
preyent men stealing more than their al
iowapue for their horses. Even now, II
you watch some old gray haired fellows at
TIE "sta bles'' of q cavalry troop, you will
nee they have BOT forgotten to be greedy
on behalf of their mounts.
A recruit horse is like q recruit soldier,
apt to be clumsy, unevenly gated, ssucy
and conceited. The old horses in the stable
yard treat him exactly as old soldiers treat
o recruit. They attempt to brighten him
by biting at him, kicking him, chasing
him from one corner Of the yard to an
other, pulling bis name and ears-in fact.
they try to make his life miserable IN
sverS>way. This lasts for a few days only;
then the new horse get, a cbum, and they
make anagreement 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 Ia the
army. The 'chums" are in%separabis, As
soon az the herd Is turned out into the
ward the ohums seek out each other, as II
Tor q morning ''oonfab," and remain to.
sether all day. Looking into the yard at
any time, one can see them rubbing noses,
blinking at one another or following each
other around the yard. Take q new horse
away from his chum and be will greatly
.esept it. Tie him near the stables and he
Will, whtppy plaintively to his chum, who
will answer from the corral.
All horses In our service are taught to
lie down. 4 new horse, when first thrown
in the .idipg ball, with straps the use NJ
which he little suspects, Is greatly SUE.
prised. This painless throwing OF horses
Is very effective In disciplining morally, for
the horse soon realizes that he Is complete.
" mastered, and after he has been thrown
q plumber Of times a marked change takes
place Ia bis temperament.
Soldiers who abuse their horses in any
way are severely punished. There is, In.
Aeed, no sight more obnoxious to a good
eeyalsyman than to see a horse abused.
Tbs old cavalry horse seems to have 2
great disdaip for q new soldier. Whep
ridden by q recruit, he appears as II a 1T.
tie insuited, and ! am sHRe that some ol
these old horses can tell q recruit from a
veteran as quickly as can the adjutant at
"guard mounting"
II Is customary to turn all the horses
out to g.aze-or"to herd, as 1t Is called
pnder o guard whenever the grass Is good
and the weather pleasant. The horses re.
card "herd time" as q proper occasion for
fun and isolic. They enjoy the herd az
nuoh az q lot of sebooiboysd do their recess.
In every troop aEs some old horses thai
are full of mischief on herd and are invet.
crate stampaders. II they can only got tbs
rest Of the herd to follow them and run
ahead of the herders, they are delighted.
The herd guards have to watch these oad
rogues ~yigilsntly, for once they obtain a
start, @ stampede Is sure to follow. Then,
II no obstacle prevents, the herd will u
for h~ours-herds hass be9n known to run
S0miles before they could be stepped. Most
bold and daring riding on the part Of tbs
herd sassds 10 required to head of a cay
airy stampede and turn the leaders
HorGes soon learn sil the trumpet calls.
'|stable call IN the afteraooR 10 the favor.
tie one, I imagine. as IT means dinner.
A trumpeter's horse in q certain troop Al
D western post was condemned for disahil.
tty and soidto q milkman. One day, when
the miikmsn was driving near the drill
ground where the troop was drilling, bis
horse at the sounding OF the Hchsfge" BY
the trumpet bolted for the troop. OF course
the funny sight Of q milk cart charging
with q troop Of cavalry caused great mefrt.
ment to all except the milkman.
During the Geronimo campaign some
years ago 10 Arizona, a remarkable Illus
tration OF how great an affection can exist
between q soldier and his horse occurred
In a troop IN which I was serving. An old
Irish sergeant had q splendid brown horss
called Dandy, to which he was 20 singular.
ly attached that the care and caresses he
bestowed on 1t would have satisfied the
most exacting sweetheart. The beautiful
and Intelligent animal seemed to be al.
most human, 20 much did be appreciate
tho affection Of bis master.
Now it happened that during q long
march the sergeant became very tipHy by
drinking some fiery Mexican meacal.
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
ared upop from an ambush. The sergeant,
who was in the lead, was shot dead In tbs
saddle while riding along the brink OF one
Of those steep canyons which abound i4
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 man hsipg mounted, he was
led and q pack saddle put CD him. About
O week later, as wa were riding along ths
brink of smother canyon, very similar to
that In which Dandy's master had found
q grave, the command was halted for q
rest, and the men, dismounting, let theis
horses Craze on tbs few bupohes Of dry
Oraoa IN the vicinity.