Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-11-13
War Horses Become
Furious When in
Heat Of Battle


~ VIII probably surprise the pub
nc said q retired colonel OF hussars,
70 learn that a cavalry horse usually
enjoys a battle at least as much as
ms rider, and displays as much cour-
age IN II. lie will chafe and STAMP
Win lmpotience while waiting for the
9ruer to charge. and at the signal viii
uasn forward like a greyhound re-
slased from the leash. fun Of fire and
.uIS, ana often neighing wildly At
we moment OF contact with the en-
chy ne VIII rear. striking and biting
saVaseiy at the opposing horses and
'raInpiing down the infantry.
When his rider falls he Will dash
along with his fellows and crash as
Rallantly into the foe. In the famous
charge Of the Light Brigade scores of
rioerless horses swept down the wal
icy or DEATH" laundering through
the smoke onto the Russian guns.
and ganoped back 70 safety with the
shattered remnant OF the brigade.
rive horses raced neck and neck with
Lord Alfred Paget, who rode in adj
vance OF the line, so eager were they
to get at the enemy.
And not only is the well-trained |
charger as brave as his rider he is I
often as Intelligent. He knows the
bugie calls Just as well. and answers
them as promptly. In fact. cases are
proven In which a horse has put his
rider right when he has mistaken an
order, and has gone faultlessly
through maneuver in spite OF the
snorts OF his mistaken master to
make him do the wrong thing.
No, the process Of training Is
neither long nor difficult The first
tep is TO accustom the horse TO the
ound OF firing at close quarters. With
his object he Is put on the ground /
WITH legs tied, and while In this posi-
ion, pistol is fired close 10 his ear,
yer his back, between his legs, and
o on, until his fear is overcome. Az Z
err few such lessons 1t Is safe 10
Mount him with a bride furnished !
nth a curb bit and under this corr
rol he Is taught to stand still while
pistol or cnrbine is fired from his
ack--the latter naturally coming !
sst. as both hands are required in
sing this weapon.
Then follows sabre practice on
milar lines. until the horse is as in
lnerent to the whirl and slash of
word about his head as TO the ex-
'pAttH VI a cdlbi dDpNt IL. W ltnln
few weeks the horse not only loses
j trace OF nervousness: he really
ijoys the experience and enters en- Il
into In. In battle the n
,yalry horse faces even a greater !.
SIX of death or disahlement than his :.
der. although the gallant animal !,
rely gets any of the laurels OF war :,
Is danger, however, Is by no means =
great as IL was. =
In the eighteenth century l50
,rses fell in battle for every 100
en-; from 1890 20 1866 the proper
IN had fallen to 800 and in more II
cent wars the ratio has been ap- h,
oximately liz horses TO 100 men Il,
some charges, however, the pro- a.,
rtion has been greater. as in that -
the Light Brigade, in which so II
ore horses than men sacrificed n,
cir lives.
But while the war horse seldom
Is credit for his prowess and devo-
m. there have been. happily. few IN
SEES in which he has shared his mas W
- glories-among them Lord Rob- N
Is pretty little Arab. Nolonel. who ~
rried him In the famous march from M
Ibul to Kandahar, and round "a
lose neck, at Queen Vietoria's ex- ha
PISS wish, he hung the kabul medal.
TN four clasps.