Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-04
OUR FIRST RENOUNT DEPOT
School for the Army Horses at Fort
Reno.
NOVEL DEPARTURE SUCCEEDING
Horses for All Branches Of Army
service Are Being Trained-Ex-
pect 10 save Money and
Get BETTER Results.


FORT RENO. okl.. April 2.-The expert
rnent Of establishing at Fort Reno a re-
mount depot for the purchase and training
OF horses for the different branches of
army service is now under way. This is
the only remount depot in the United States
and n II is successful others will be es-
tablished in different parts OF the country.
The experiment is due TO General j. u.
Aleshire, quartermaster general. who be-
lieved in 1t and talked for II during the
many years he was in regular service as
a cavalry officer. European countries
have long had such departments for their
armies, even to the extent of breeding
horses.
The purpose Of the remount depot is to
get the best and longest service from army
horses at the least cost. The average
length OF service Of a cavalry horse, for
instance, is from seven to eight years. and
most cavalry horses are about Z years old
when purchased, though 4 years Is the age
at which preferably they should begin serv-
ice. This difference is due TO the fact that
after a horse is broken at the age of about
4 years the farmer wants to keep him dur
ing the three or four years of his greatest
strength and usefulness, and not until the
horse Is : or s years old is he placed on
the market.
At the remount depot it is estimated
that so per cent is added to the length OF
n horses service 81 he is bought when 3
or 4 years old, and that an unbroken horse
az this age may be bought for much less
money than a broken horse : or S years old.
Capacity of the Depot.
The rcmount depot at Fort Reno has a
- -
may be increased indefinitely. 1t is stu
sted on a tract of beautiful land containing
nearly 10000 acres and adapted in every
way for the msueuvering of horses.
The old barracks buildings have been
changed into stables and in addition two
stables have been built. The depot was
opened in April, 1908. and the first horses
received in the following July.
Because OF his knowledge OF eauitation
Captain l. Hardeman Of the cavalry serv-
ice was sent from the quartermaster gem
erals department and put in charge OF
the depot, assisted by Lieutenant w. F.
Ennis OF the First Field artillery.
Tire spectacular. feat of the bronco
luStcr on western ranches and in Wild
West shows have no place in the work
that is being done at the remount depot.
lc possible, no horse is ever permitted to
know that there is such a thing as bucking
or pitching, the idea being to train him.
not break him.
Gentleness Is employed at all times. The
average cowboy begins usually by roping
his horse, fixing a cruel bit in his mouth.
cinching his heavy saddle securely, and
then springing astrlde the frightened
animal with a ki-yi, a dig of two sharp
spurs and a singing cut of a duirt. The
horse is ridden until exhausted or his spirit
broken, and this mothod is continued until
he becomes amenable to saddle, bride and
rider.
Western Horses Preferred.
The belief is common that the western
horse is naturally wild and vicious, but It
is not accepted by Captain Hardeman,
who points to Montana range horses at
the remount depot that have been made
as gentle as the driving horse Of an old
farmer. The violent throwing OF a saddle
on the back of a young horse ~frightens
him, and his instinct is to rid himself Of
the strange object, and his natural way OF
doing II is by bucklng.
At Fort Reno a young horse Is battered
and an effort made gently to lead him.
lie is petted and caressed to gain his con-
fidence. He soon grows accustomed to the
halter and finally the bride.
His legs are stroked and in time his
trainer is able to handle the horses feet.
Then a blanket is placed gently on his back,
and this gives way to the saddle, and the
horse is taken to his stall. where he stands
saddled for hours at a time.
Next comes the mounting of the rider.
Unaccustomed to weight in the stirrup or
a man on his back. the horse is inclined
90 shy. The trainer puts his foot into the
stirrup many times before mounting. Once
in the saddle the horse is no longer fearful
OF danger, the rider then teaches obedience
to the bride and the three gaits required