The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1914-05-30
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Va cACOuI dScuSuC given "
q the raw recruit who. per-
HlkA chance for the first time In
" his life and with a sinking
heart, mounts the we'll
broken. wary steed that is to be his
master" In more ways than one. The
accomplished rider facing the OBJ
stacles of the race course, the squad
ron sweeping over the exercise ground,
an unbroken line of glittering lance
and helmet. the hunters galloping Joy
ously across autumnal stubble fields
In the track of the hounds, one and all
nave the same motto. Not long ago,
indeed in our fathers time, military
riding was a fairly tame affair. The
riding school played the chief part and
the objects aimed at were thoroughly
correct seat and perfectly made"
horse. No one would have dared to
put horse and rider to the hard tests
up-to-date riding science demands of
them. 1t would have been looked upon
as madness to take the obstacles we
face coolly today. The much talked-of,
much-abused distance ride-Vienna-
Berlin-was the turning point. What
ever may be said against 1t, 1t effec.
tually showed what horse and rider
were capable of, and from that time
enthusiasm and strenuous labor went
hand in hand and accomplished great
things, as our illustrations show.
Renewed care was devoted to the
breeding Of horses In Germany. The
East Prussian. well adapted for cav
airy uses. provides the greater part
of the remounts; very hardy, strong
and enduring, this breed has much of
the thoroughbred In 1t, and makes an
ideal saddle horse. When. in the re-
cent wars in Southwest Africa. the
Germans imported various breeds Of
horses for field service, among them
q good many Argentines, the East
Prussian had most endurance and was
the most servlceable. Mecklenburg,
Hanover and Holstein produce strong,
useful animals of the hunter type, that
are often sold under the name of Eng
lander" although they have never
been across the water.
After purchase by military COM
mission the remounts are sent to de-
pots. in which the young horses re-
main for one year An annual contin-
gent Of about seventeen remounts
from four to FIVE years old is allotted
to each squadron. After eighteen
months schooling these are ranged
In the ranks. but as German horses
are. as q rule, late in developing, they
are not put to any exceptionally hard
work before their seventh year. At
the end of three years these horses,
under the best riders. form the "B"
division, that is looked upon AZ the
show squadron of the regiment.
The recruits enter the regiment in
late autumn. Their teaching is 80 far
advanced in spring that they are able
to be incorporated In the squadron.
O6acers and non-commissioned officers
share the arduous task Of riding in
structors. In March the school teach
ing practically comes to an end with
the "Besichtigung." and the regiment
then enjoys the greater freedom of
the exercise ground. AS soon as the
young cavalry ensign has attained the
much-desired grade of lieutenant he is
sent to one Of the riding schools at
Paderborn or Soltau for year. to be
initiated into the difficult art of horse
manship. In all regiments the officers
up to the grade Of captain participate
during the winter In daily riding les
son. The teaching used to lie In the
majors hands, but instructions now
allow of this difficult post being con-
f1ded to the most capable officer. The
first hour Is devoted to the riding of
chargers. the second to horses In the
officers possession, which must, how
ever. be able to satisfy all the demands
Of military duty. Every cavalry and
artillery lieutenant is entitled to q
which after four years. serv-
Ice becomes his own property. They
are chosen from remounts that have
been two years in the army. In the
riding lesson horse and rider each
take their share Of the schooling. Al
though they do not carry the weapon,
the young officers are specially trained
In the use OF the lance. 30 a. to be
able instructors to the soldiers. Spe-
cial attention Ii devoted to riding
over obstacles. High school" riding
and racing are encouraged a. I'm. q
possible, and very great stress II laid
"a croas-country riding and hunting.
All regiments practise the latter in the
AUTUMN after the mAneuvers have
come 70 A end. and Il 4 carried on - |
|ong - the severe German winters |