The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-05-23

v TWISTING A Ba6lcA0!
How Colts Are Put Through the Grand
Merry 90 round.

Merry 90 round.
He was a big black beauty Of a colt
and Just as mean as he was handsome.
Bronc had never been thoroughly bro
ken by his former owner, and when I
flrst saw him he was In the hands OF
the best horse breaker In camp, who
was putting the finishing touches to his
education,
"They called this pony a. outlaw
afore took a-holt Of him." remarked
the broncho twister. "Shucks! Now
adays ef boss bucks his caddle blan-
kets off'n him the boys say: Outlaw
Bad broncho! Guess I'll ride that old
boss over yonder.'
'T've sweated most Of the ugliness
outen him Already" continued the
trainer. HE amt got but one mean
habit left, an today I'm a-goin' to larn
him to fergit It."
The mean habit referred to was this:
When Bronc decided to go straight
ahead he'd go--over rocks and down
the steep banks OF wash, through
cactus and the well named cats claw,
and IL the chollas pricked him or the
curved claws of the brush snatched at
his fianks he would throw in some
fancy bucking for good measure as he
tore along. But turn? Never!
The trainer took his RATA from the
saddle horn and tied one end to the
rope bride or hackamore, fastening 1t
securely under the jaw. Then he pet
ted the colt, working toward Its tanks,
until the animal allowed him to reach
the tail and fasten loop Of rope in its
heavy strands.
The free end of the RATA was passed
through the loop In a way which would
bring the horses head and tail togeth-
er when tightened, and by passing the
RATA once more through both hacka-
more and loop 1t was prevented from
slipping when released.
"Now fer the grand merry-go-
roundr' announced the twister, and,
standing away from the colts heels, he
pulled the RATA taut until the animal
was bent nearly double Keep turnin'
till | say you kin STOP" he command
ed, and in fact the bewildered creature
was revolving like top and painfully
learning the old lesson of his race-that
mans will is law for the horse.
We sat In the shade of a mesquite
watching him for twenty minutes or
80. when the broncho twister decided
that the stiff neck was sufficiently linn
Der. When he mounted he discovered
his error. The frightened horse danced
and bucked with him and finally tried
to roll over the rider, who sprang from
the saddle just In the nick of time.
But his patience was by no means
exhausted.
"Here's shore way to make 'em
limber," he announced, and, picking up
large fiat stone, he tapped the horses
neck for few minutes steadily, but
not with sufficient force to hurt him.
Hell feel that perty soon an find it
easier to turn than brace his tender
neck agin the reins."
When the pony had been reversed
that is, tied head and tail on the oppo-
site side-and allowed to rotate anoth.
er half hour, he was dripping with
sweat and completely subdued. The
broncho twister mounted, and the colt
allowed himself to be ridden about the
fiat until he tangled In his trailing
RATA and fell, the rider still on top.
Nov Wen turn him loose an see
how he behaves hisself," remarked the
trainer, and, unslinging the ropes, he
again mounted and rode the now tract
able horse in circles and figure eights,
wheeling and turning at will.
As the trainer concluded, 'T'd a heap
sooner twist this critters neck with a
rope than have him break his back an
mine, too, over yonder cliff"
Which was the Justification Of
Bronc's hard lesson.--Out West.