Gilpin observer., 1908-01-09
PRESIDENT EMPHASIZES lMPOR.
TANcE OF HoRsEMANsHIP
aFoR ARMY OFFICERS.
DEFENDS RIpINC TEST
PHOTOGRAPHS OF UNIQUE FEATo
OF HoRsEMANsHIP SENT
CONGRESS.

Washington.-Thirteen photographs
from life, Illustrative of hair-raising
exploits in horsemanship, form the
unique exhibit sent to Congress by di
rection of the President to accompany
recommendations from himself and
the chief of staff 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 remarkable Sc
ries. One of the most thrilling pic
lures represents an Italian cavalryman
riding over a twenty-foot perpendicu-
lar cliff, the photograph being taken in
series to illustrate the sagacity of the
horse and the skill of the rider in
maintaining 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 colonels OF the same ma
tionality wallowing through bogs and
swamps, over hedges, French obstacle
riding, The famous drag hunt of the
German army and stirring pictures OF
the hounds in full cry on boar hunts.
The official correspondence with
tn Sc pictures consists of letter from
the President to the secretary of war
on December Sd last, requesting him
to secure legislation to make infantry
captains mounted officers 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 a report
from Maj. Gen. Bell, chief of staff, ex-
planning the photographs, the Presi.
dent saying:
THE field officers of our army can
not be held exclusively responsible for
the poor riding which has been fire.
quently observed among them. The
quality Of our horses does not equal
that of mounts used in foreign armies.
Furthermore, though all infantry cap
tnins in European armies are mounted.
An infantry officer in our service has
little opportunity to practice riding
until he becomes a field officer"
General Bell prefaces his own re-
port of quoting a note from the Pres
ident referring to "a number Of press
comments, apparently inspired by the
impression that such a test (riding
ability was something extraordinary
and unheard Of" and requesting him
to state the requirements in foreign
armies in this respect. Speaking gen.
-I hot hD
in Europe is that all mounted officers
OF every grade shall keep themselves
and their mounts in fit condition for
instant war, and most of them main
tain schools where student officers are
constantly under instruction in horse
manship.
Taking up the great military coun-
tries separately, General Bell praises
the French cavalry. All officers OF
cavalry take a two months course in
equitation and in endurance whenever
they become majors and lieutenant col
onels, at ages varying from thirty-five
to fifty-fye years, and weights ranging
from 1873 to $50 pounds. The course
includes obstacle jumping, hedge and
water jumping and cross-country 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. Steeplechasing Is frequently
INDUCED in, and it is not an uncom-
mon thing to see gray-haired majors
or lieutenant colonels indulging in this
sport One French test last year con.
sisted of one day of school work. one
day for a march approximating forty.
five miles at an average speed Of eight
miles ana hour, one two-mile steeple
chase and one days obstacle jumping