The Monte Vista journal., 1908-01-11
PRECEDENT EMPHASIZES iMPoR.
rANcE OF HoRsEMANsAIP
FOR ARMY OFFICERS.
DEFENDS Riding TEST
PHOTOGRAPHS OF UNIQUE FEATs
OF WORKMANSHIP SENT
CONGRESS.

Observation-Disclosures photographs
from life. illustrative of hair-raising
exploits in horsemanship, form the
unique exhibit sent to Congress by d..
rection Of the President to accompany
recommendations from himself and
the chief Of stan for the betterment OF
army riding. These pictures are In.
tended to show how far ahead of
American military men are European
officers N the art Of equation. They
certainly constitute q. remarkable &C.
ries. One Of the most thrilling pic.
lures represents an italian cavalryman
lar cliff, the photograph being taken in
horse and the skill of the rider In
maintaining a poise within the center
of gravity in different stages OF the
descent There are pictures Of Ger
man student officers apparently leap
ing from hill to hill, of fat majors and
lieutenant colonies of the same ma
tionality wallowing through boys and
swamps, over hedges. French obstacle
riding. the famous drag hunt of the
German army and stirring pictures Of
The Official correspondence with
tn Sc pictures consists of a letter from
the President to the secretary Of war
on December Sd last, requesting him
to secure legislation to make infantry
captains mounted ofncers and estab-
lish remount depots, saying:
Both Of these measures are essen
tial to the Improvement OF horseman-
ship in the army"
Another letter from the President to
the chairman of the house committee
on military affairs transmits report
from Maj Gen. Bell. chief OF staff. ex-
planning the photographs, the Presi-
dent saying:
1.-THE field ofYicers Of our army can
not be held exclusively responsible for
the poor riding which has been fire.
Quenty observed among them. Tho
quality Of our horses does not equal
that of mounts used In foreign armies.
Furthermore. though all infantry cap
tains In European armies are mounted.
An infantry oficer In our service has
little opportunity to practice riding
until he becomes q field omcer."
General Bell prefaces his own re-
port Of quoting note from the Pres
ident referring to "a number Of press
comments, apparently inspired by the
Impression that such . test (riding
ability wns something extraordinary
and unhcard Of" and requesting him
to state the requirements In foreign
armies In this respect. Speaking gen
orally, the report shows that the rule
In Europe 10 that all mounted officers
Of every grade shall keep themselves
and their mounts in ut condition for
| instant war. and most Of them main.
tain schools where student oficers arc
constantly under instruction In horse.
manship.
Taking up the great military coun
tries separately. General Bell praises
the Freach cavalry. All officers OF
cavalry take . two months course In
eouitation and in endurance whenever
they become majors and lieutenant col
onels, at ages varying from thirty Ave
to hfty.aye years. and weights ranging
from l3S to $50 pounds. The course
includes obstacle jumping. hedge and
wlter jumping and cross-c0untry work
generally. The school horses are used
and changed every day, and the ON.
Ger spend about four and . half hours
daily in the saddle. Besides this he
exercises his own two or three private
mounts. steeplechssing 10 frequently
INDUCED In. and II IL not An uncom.
mon thing to see gray.haired majors
or Lieutenant colonies INDUCING In this
sport. Ono French test last year con.
sisted Of one day OF school work. one
day for march approximating forty.
ave miles at an average speed Of eight
miles ami hour. one two.mils stecple.
chase and one days obstacle jumping