The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1908-07-25
Broncho Busting.

Broncho Busting.
Horse owners in the middle West
usually let their colts run, either on
the open range or in large pastures OF
many acres or even square miles In ex-
tent, until they are three or four years
old. During this time many Of the
horses, although acquiring a great
deal of horse wisdom, never see
man and consequently know nothing
OF his ways.
At the age of three years or there
abouts these broncos or unbroken
horses are rounded up and driven
into corral, which is simply fenced
Enclosure. Then men appear with
lassos and the work of roping begins.
Usually the rope is first thrown over
the horses lead and frightened quick
ly just behind his ears. The expert
roper can do this almost every time, no
matter how fast the horse is running.
At the first touch of the rope the
bronco will Immediately start to
plunge and fight and try his best to
break loose. This is where the sec
it will dart out and encircle the
morse's front feet, just above the hoof.
Now it is an easy matter to throw him.
and, once thrown, to keep him down.
The slack end of the rope is wound
around the animals hind feet and all
four feet are then drawn together
and securely tied. The horse is now
hog-tied-that is, entirely helpless.
Now some one comes UP with .
hackamore 'Or bride without a bit.
Occasionally the bit is used, but not
Often.) They draw this over the bron.
co.'s head and fasten 1t in place. Then
comes the saddle blanket and after Il
the 4O-pound stock saddle. The horse
is moved around enough to that the
saddle can, be put in place and cinchsd
up as tightly as two or three men can
pull it.
At last everything is ready for the
rider, or bronco buster, as the men
who do this work are usually called.
He appears clad in chaps" (leathsr
leg armor) and with a huge pair Of
spurs at his heels. Usually, too, he
carries a quirt or riding whip. A.
ter a careful inspection Of his saddle
and hackamore, he makes ready to
mount. All this time the horse is ~.
ing on his side.
The buster now places one foot in
the stirrup for his mount to be turned
loose. With one jump the horse leaps
to his feet and at the same time the
rider vaults firmly into the saddle.
Before the colt has time to discover
just what kind Of load presses Lis
back, the rider begins to apply the
spur. At the first touch of the steel
the horses back humps up like that
of a camel and his head goes down
between his forelegs. Then he begins
to buck, or pitch, as the cowboys say.
For about fifty feet he will jump
straight ahead, taking two yards at q
jump and going nearly four feet In the
air, coming down each time with back
bowed and legs stir. Suddenly he
begins to go sideways and then to
"sunfish," which Is combination OF
both crooked and straightaway pitch
ing. But the rider is still on his back,
yelling like mad and swinging his
quirt at every jump, in order to incite
the horse to still further efforts. The
man apparently enjoys it just as much
as the horse. In fact, he seems to be
part of the animal, so closely does he
sit in the saddle.
When the bronco finds that he can
not dislodge his rider by pitching, he
will rear so straight on his hind legs
as to fall over backwards. Just as the
horse hits the ground, the rider ap-
pears ON one side, waiting for the AMI
man to rise again. As soon as he does
the man leaps into the saddle and they
are at 1t again. Now superior Wis
dom and determination begins to tri.
umph. The horse is firing fast, while
his rider seems to grow stronger. The
bronco has found his master, and in
a few weeks. II ridden every day or
two, he will be plum gentle" as the
cowboy says.-From an article In
Sports Aheld.