The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-11-13
TRAINING TIE ARMY'S HORSES
QUARTERS FOR f..30O tT OH
FIRST REhOfNT DEPOT.
Fort Rene. Oklahoma. New Devoted To
Training H0rses New system Likely
TO IBc n Great Money saver Gentle
ness the First fseslI,isite of Handlers.

I ness the first Requisite or Handlers.
| FORT RENO. Okla. Nov. iO.--The old
| Fort Reno military reservation Of 10000
acres has become an even hveher place
than il was when soldiers were drilled
there The United States army remoun'
depot. established shortly after the post
was abandoned for garrison purposes,
has grown to be an establishment OF great
size and of much Importance 20 all de-
! ps.rtments OF army service In which horses
are used.
| The Fort Reno reservation is mostly
pasture land and well adapted for the
comfort and training Of horses. Capt.
| I.stcher Hardeman. Eleventh United
States Cavalry. In command of the depot
since its organ ization, Is constantly and
laboriously employed in all the duties
OF managing big horse ranch. The
depot now has quarters for 800 horses
| There are sixteen pastures OF 100 acres
each. provided with windmilfs. wells and
shelters. each shelter large enough for
hundred horses. Scattered over the res
ervation ara hay sheds $50 feet long and 90
fee, wide with total capacity Of s,eoQ,0oo
tons OF hay. about a years supply for the
depot. The Government has built one OF
hospitals In the United States. in charge
Of DR. G. T.. Brown OF the quartermaster
department. There is a hospital for the
small army OF civilian employees and
living quarters for them.
The depot is an experiment Of the War
Department. largely al the suggestion of
Gen ]. p. Aleshire. Quartermaster-
General. and is intended to increase the
, usefulness and len 9Th OF service OF the
! army horse Since the first horses were
received in July. 1909 more than LOO
, have been trained and sent tn the differ
: ent branches of servicr. one of the first
] Requests from Washin gton was for horse
I for the rsonal lpse OF President Taft.
one that could b.. ridden or driven.
big Missouri horse was sent 10 the White
! House stables and showed such desir-
able traits that several months ago ~
request was made for a second horse for
the President. Missouri again provided
a horse. a bay rs hands high and weigh
ing .2eD pounds. The horse is saddle and
trottng bred and is "A good single footsr.
For their personal use more than n
hundred army officers have had Capt.
Har,ieman choose and train horses for
them Several of tn. officers have taken
valuable prizes al horse shows with horses
trained at the remount depot Twelve
horses were shipped lately to Porto hico
for use by departmental messengers.
In establishing the remount depot,
the first in the history OF tn. United States
War Department. IL was intended that
there should be a saving in the expense
of horses for the army. In other days
most army horses were seven OF eight
wears old when purchased. the owner.
usually farmer. having brok en- the horse
at four wears and .ken got four years
OF good service out of him. The average
length of army service of such horses
was about eight years. Capt. Harde-
. man estimates thai the length of service
Of an army horse is increased by 50 per
cent IL his serN ice begins when 10 Is
not more than four years old.
For that reason horses not more shan
three wears old are bought for training
AT the retnount depot whenever poeslble.
Preferably the horse should be anbisken.
~ tn. method OF training soon Eepsles
an untamed horse. while ID Is dimcult
! To remove the defects in the training OF
horse broke in cowboy fashion u the
: horse has developed vicious and danger
traits.
Horses show the same peculiarities
/ of temperament and manner as men and
" omen said Capt. Hardeman. ana IN
training horses the mistake OF believing
that a horse in a horse should never he
mad. Cientleness and Kindness and
firmn.Ss are the foundation for the sue
r c,sssful training Of horse. Gentle no9ses
ar. made Just gentlewomsn and Ern-
-.m.n are made. Brutality and the
: striking Of fear into horse are often
his ruin.
His freckled face was red from sun
and wind and he came into Capt. Harde-
mans Office wearing high heeied boots.
big spurs and Trousers that fitted him like
sausage skins. His legs were shaped
like a bow and his toes turned M. He
was looking for "A job IA rider.
Cap" began this caiiperl Ike person,
do YOU want to hire a peeler's | kin
ride anything with hair on II ana never
, pull leather
. W., never have any uae for 'peclers'
here replied Capt Hari"man. We
hire horse trainers sonnet lines. but we
now have " "" need
This conVarSat ION briefly tells what
kind Of trainers are employed AT the re
, mount depot. 4 young horse never has
a saddle on his back until he IL so gentle
that man could lie down on his hack and
| go to sleep. The trainer begins 10y ION;
. ding his horse. rubbing his nose and
progressing by degrees until h" can PICK
E a cock lab,Ir OFT 81 his horses fetlock
without causing th" least fear or alarm
To- his horse. Then some fin" day
blanket IL RIrthed on tho horses hack
and tbs, halter passed q n rider on gentle
, horse The trainer mounts to give his
horse his first lesson in being ridden.
Frequently spirited morse pItcnes ana
bucks at first and sometimes the rider h
thrown. hut the horse soon learns that he
il not being harmed and then he IL well
On his way to the making Of a safe horse.
The same method IL employed in training
horses for the artillery service.
The trainers come from every State
and are a fine looking lot Of young men.
Among them are former cowboys. ca--
alrymen and young farmers. The frst
six months they get S35 q month with
rations. lodging and medical treatment.
and then their pay is raised to $50 q
month One man usually il assigned 20
ten horses. He works about eight hours
a day and has most Of each Sat urhay and
every Sunday for leisure. All day long
the parade and training ground u filed
with men and horses IN motion
, These husky young men develop big.
keen appstites in the clear Oklahoma
atmosphare and when the gong sounds
for meals there il "a rush for the tables.
Soup. meats. vegetables. stewed fruit.