The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-02-01
TRAINING HORSES FoR WAR.

Germany needs 900, 900 horses for
calvary and artillery tc put her colos-
sal forces in the field France re-
quires probably 10000, and even
Great Britain needed as many as a.
900 in South Africa while she was
fighting the Beers.
Although England in peace time
mounts only two-thirds of her cavalry
her horse bill amounts to about $780,
900 year-a figure which may be
multiplied by four or FIVE for the Ger
man army.
In most countries omnibus, farm
and domestic horses are registered as
being available in time of war for
miscellaneous service, and for this
anything from $3o, 900 to $I5o, 600 a
year may bel paid by military nation.
France spends upward of 5000, 900
year on horses for her great armies.
As a general rule, says a writer in
the Circle, the recuits are FIVE years
old and cost 5000 each.
Cavalry chargers vary from fifteen
to sixteen hands in height, and sharp
rules have been laid down about their
shape, action and treatment. There
are regular schools where the raw four
legged recruit is trained. His educa-
ton embraces the fearless swimming
of deep and wide rivers.
1t is extremely interesting to see
thousand four legged recruits drawn
up in ring around the instructor,
who opens the proceedings with a
sharp shot from an army revolver.
The animals are taught to gallop
fearlessly up to line or square Of In
fantry who are blazing away with
their rifles, of course loaded with
blank cartridges.
Lastly comes charge upon bat
teries of quick firing cannon. It is
worth noting that when smokeless
powder came into general use it was
found that thousands of horses which
would face without hinching the
smoke of guns using black powder
baked and shied at the sinister fash
and roar of cordite and melinite.
There appears to be as much indi-
viduality among horses as among
men. Some take the flash aud re-
port very qnietly and are passed on to
more severe trials, while others rear
and try to bolt in abject. terror.
The riding masters intrusted with
the education of these horses are spe-
cially selected for their quietness,
kindness, courage, 6-mness and the
absolute confidence born of tried and
consummate horsemanship. Horses
and man are trained together in the
various armies.
The French cavalry recruit goes
through no fewer than III separate
lessons in revisions before he is con-
sidered fit to get upon his horse,
which is trained simultaneously. Both
are taught to swim burdened with full
equipment; both are thoroughly ac-
custOmed TO all sorts Of startling nois-
es, from the crack of revolver to the
ear splitting roar Of parked artillery.
Besides the riding school training,
there is also field work across country
with steeplechasing. jumping dinner
table, where silver set feast has been
spread. Not so much as folded nap
kin must be displaced by the flying
leap of the cavalryman right over the
table. One part of the chargers edu-
cation shows him how to lie PROSTATE
on the field of battle and shield his
rider from hostile bullets, as the lat
ter crouches behind the faithful crea-
ture.
So perfectly are cavalry horses
trained that every great war beholds
the curious spectacle of riderless
horses gaIloping to the charge in per-
feet line. Thus at Palaklava the
front rank of one regiment was COM
posed almost entirely of riderless
horses, their masters having been
dropped by the Russian sharpshooters.