Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1909-12-10
themes FROM Sagiish
Classes of Sranch 0lormaL
A LoCoED HosRE.

time, perbars, epent half day In |
exploring the hooks and craunies of a
picturesque and pine,grown canyon.
We had, this afternoon, gone farther
than usual; for We had descended the
Hat Greek Bluffs, aud we're we'll out
upon the canyon road when Mary's
attention was called to the peculiar
antics Of a range horse at the foot of
a hill little in front of US. The
animal reeled round In in a circle
at a swift gsllop and bit aud struck,
1t appeared, at an imaginary foe.
"Look at that pony What can
no the matter with it?" Mary called
out. Remembering what my brother
had said about the epidemic among
the horses as result of eating loco
weed, and that four horses the last
season had gone crazy by 1t, decided
IL was "locoed horse" Jack had
told ne that five ever saw a locoed
horse to stand or cit perfectly still and
1t would never notice us. So we drew
Ia our horses, hardly daring TO speak
as the mad beast. oircling round In
its mad pace. drew nearer and nearer
the road. Now and then the fighting
creature stopped, threw up it's head
aud stared; then with barred teeth, IL
plunged sidewise, swapping aud strik
ing vioiously into space. In three or
four minutes the animal came to the
Nood ouI ofooJ oeat,;nri,,
with the sense that there was big
trail, but undetermined which wsy TO
turn, Then IL wheeled In a cloud
of dust, and dashed straight down
the road just as four children In
bright pink dresses, now mere
blotches of color, came up over a
little ridge about mile Ia front OF
it.
We knew there was not an instant
to hesitate, so giving our ponies a
quick lash, we we're racing neck aud
neck upon the dusty trail CT the mad
horse. We had often practiced rope
throwing as pastime. but neither OF
MS had ever Ioped wild horse from
the saddle. We now fastened one end
of our lassos to the horns of our
saddles and got them ready to throw.
The horse was come distance ahead
and We could see that speed was
necessary to save the children, so we
oiled our qulrts mercilessly, bending
forward upon our ponies necks and
pushing the animals to a pace which
made the wind whistle shrilly In our
ears. We gained on the horse, for it
was wasting energy In vicious side
strokes, with now aud then wild shak-
ings of lite head. We we're almost up.
on it's heels as ii drew near the
children. Mary shouted to them to
lie down, but they we're so frightened
they turned and ran back down the
road. Instantly the fiutter of their
pink dresses caught the eye OF the
locoed horse, and with swapping
teeth he dashed straight at them.
This gave Mary the chance she was
waiting for and leaning we'll forward,
she swung her rope with care and
dropped IL fairly over the head of the
crazy horse. She refined her pony
In, and he dropped back instantly on
his launches, causing the frantic beast
to turn summersault as easily as II
a trained athlete had managed 1t.
But the fight had just begun. thre "
my rope for the creatures legs as
had seen my brothers do with wild
horses and cattle, but the rope missed
and before 1 could turn my horse 10
throw it again. the animal was on his
feet and charging headlong at Mary'e
pony. IL being we'll trained, lodged
and Mary managed her rope and stuck
to her saddle like an old rider.
circled round the horse trying ia
catch It's legs but each time was folled
by its erratio movements.
After our first fear was over and We
could see we had him cornered the
fight was delightful. Our hate were
off, our hair flying in the wind and
our faces red and prespiring. Three
times Mary lodged the beast and II
was thrown lead over heels. Esct
time it fell l threw my rope for III
heels. The third time / succeeded
in looping beth its hind legs, and thu
crazy beast WAS socn stretched full
length upon the grass.
The frightened children ran bacl
TO Hat Ranch and brought boy will
his ride who soon ended the poo
beasts life.
RUBY LEIGH