Williams news., 1914-05-21


 heart, mounts the we'll broken, wary steed that is to be his master" in more ways than one. The accomplished rider facing the ob- 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 have 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 g 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. It 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 it, it 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, we'll 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 it, 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 good many Argentines, the East Prussian had most endurance and was the most serviceable. 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 a 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 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 as the show squadron of the regiment.
 The recruits enter the regiment in late autumn. Their teaching is so far advanced in spring that they are able to be incorporated in the squadron Officers 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 ol the exercise ground. As soon as the young cavalry ensign has attained the much-desired grade of lieutenant he if sent to one of the riding schools al Paderborn or Soltau. for a year, to bs initiated into the difficult art of horse AAAesAASAAP. Ill oh ISSlmcuIS Iu0 OuC0rl up to the grade of captain participat. during the winter in a daily riding les son. The teaching used to lie in tn, majors hands, but instructions nov allow of this difficult post being con fided to the most capable officer. Tn, first hour is devoted to the riding O chargers, the second to horses in tn, officers possession, which must, how ever, be able to satisfy all the demand of military duty. Every cavalry an, artillery lieutenant is entitled to. I :, charger. which after four years sery % ice. becomes his own property. The are chosen from remounts that hay ,: been two years in the army. In tn riding lesson horse. and rider eac take their share of the schooling. A though they do not carry the weapor the young officers are specially traine fin the use of the lance, so as to b able instructors to the soldiers. SD, cial attention is devoted to ridin over obstacles. High school" ridin - and racing are encouraged as far a possible, and very great stress is lai on cross-country riding and huntin, All regiments practise the latter in tn autumn after the maneuvers hay come to an end, and it is carried on g long as the severe German winter