Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-01-04
TRAINING THE ARMY HORSES.
GentIeness the First Requisite oil
Handlers.

The old Fort Reno military reServa-
ton of 10000 acres has become an even
liYelier place than it was when sol
diers We're drilled there. The United
States army remount depot, estab-
lished shortly after the post was aban-
doned for garrison purposes. has
grown to be an establishment of great
size and of much Importance in all de-
partments of army service in which
horses are used.
The Fort Reno reservation is most
ly pasture land and well adapted for
the comfort and training of horses.
Capt. Letcher Hardeman, 18th United
States cavalry, in command of the de-
pot since its orga niZation, is constant
ly, and laboriously employed in all the
duties of managing a big horse ranch.
The depot now has quarters for 1900
horses. There are 16 pastures of loo
acres each. provided with windmills.
wells and shelters, each shelter large
enough for 100 horses. Scattered over
the reservation are hay sheds 80 feet
long and 40 feet wide with a total ca
pacity of 100000 tons of hay, about
years supply for the depot. The
government has built one of the larg-
est and most modern veterinary hos
pitfalls in the United States. in charge
of DR.. c. L. Brown of the quarter
masters department. There is hos
pital for the small army of civilian
employees and living quarters fer them.
The depot is an experiment of the
war department, largely at the Sug
master general and is intended to in
crease the usefulness and length of
service of the army horse. Since the
first horses Wera received in July. 1909,
more than 100 have been trained and
sent To- the different branches of SER
vice. One of the first requests from
Washington was for horse for the
personal use of President TAFT. one
that could be ridden or driven. \ big
Missouri horse was sent to the White
House stables and showed such de-
sirable traits that several months ago
a request was made for second horse
for the president Missouri again pro-
yided horse, q bav l6 hands high
and weighing 1920 pounds, The horse
is saddle and trotting bred and is a
good single footer.
For their personal use more than 100
army officers have had Capt. Harde-
man choose and train horses for them.
Several of the officers have taken val
liable prizes at horse shows with
horses trained at the remount depot.
Twelve horses We're shipped lately to
Porto Rico for use by departmental
messengers.
In establishing the remount depot.
the first in the history of the United
states war department., it was III
tended that there should be saving
in the expense of horses for the army.
In other days most army horses were
seven or eight years old when bought,
the owner. usually farmer, having
broken the horse at four years and
then got four " rs of good service
out of him. TIL average length OF
army service of such horses was
about eight years. Capt. Hardeman
estimates that the length of service
of an army horse is increased by 81
per cent if his service begins when
he is not more than four years old.
For that reason horses not more tnaf
three years old are bought for train
possible Preferably the horse should
Re unbroken, as the method of train
ing soon gentles an untamed morse
while it is difficult to remove the de-
fects in the training of horse broke
in cowboy fashion if the horse has de-
yeloped vicious and dangerous traits
Horses show the same pecullari'
ties of temperament and manner as
men and women" said Capt. Harde-
man, land in training horses the mis-
take of believing tina horse Is
horse should never be ade, Gentle
ness and kindness and flrmness drt
| the foundations for the successiu
| training of horse. Gentle horses
are made just as gentlewomeh ahe
| gentlemen are made. Brutality an'
the striking of fear into horse arr
often his ruin"
His freckled face vas red from SUI
and wind and he came into Capt
Hardeman's office wearing high-heelet
boots. big spurs and trousers ina
fitted him like sausage skins. HIS legs
were shaped like bow ana his toe'
turned in. He was looking for 1o'
as rider.
"Cap," began this caliperlike person
'do you want to hire a 'peeler' l XII
ride anything with hair on it and new
er pull leather
1--WE never have any use for peel
ars' here" replied Capt. Hardeman
| 1--WE hire horse trainers sometimes
but we now have all we need"
This conversation briefly tells VIVA
kind of trainers are employed at TIN
remount depot. young horse neVe
has a saddle on his back until he is 81
gentle that man could lie down OF
his back ana go to sleep. The traine
begins by fondling his horse, RUBBING
his nose and progressing by degree
until he can pick cocklebur out
his horses fetlock without CAUSING
the least fear or alarm to his horse
Then some fine day blanket
pirthed on the horses back and tn
halter passed to rider on a gent
horse. The trainer mounts to civ
his horse his first lesson in being rid
den. Frequently spirited hors
pitches and bucks at first and some
times the rider is thrown. but tn
horse soon learns that he is not bein
harmed and then he is well on nj