The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1915-10-14
SELLING WAR HORSES.
European Buyers Favor Western Animals
Because They Have the Qualities Es.
sential to Good War Horse.
by Joseph Hickman)

that have been captured on some nro.
vious chase or have wild blood in
their veins. One who has not seen
them go at top speed over prairie
dog villages cannot realize how sure
the ponies are of their footing Of.
ten the holes are, on the average.
not six feet apart. Occasionally a
riders horse will fall, sending him
rolling in the dust. The other pur.
suers glance over their shoulders: If
he shows signs OF rising they go on;
If he lies quite still, one will return
while the others continue the chase:
for once the band is caught up with
1t is an awful waste to let them es.
cape. By far the greatest task is
to get within striking distance of
band. Many times the wild horses
start to run when the pursuers are
five miles or more away. Being ev.
err so well mounted, II Is a most diff.
ficult undertaking to overcome such
a great lead.
Once the lead is overcome, fresh
riders well stationed, can drive the
band in a circle until headed toward
the corral. Going at topmost speed.
the wild ponies soon reach the cor.
rail-. Instinct seems to warn them
of entering this enclosure, and at the
gate a fresh number of riders find it
dtfhrn1t 10 Ennn hn hand
and get them into the corrall. Al
ways some of the strongest and the
most desirable animals escape.
Some Of these, however, are followed
and lassoed in the open.
lassoins Not Common Today
But the lassoing OF a wild horse
on the open desert is not so common,
to my knowledge as 1t is in art and
literature. 1t is a most hazardous
undertaking.
When rope flies through the air
and encircles the neck Of one of
these half wornout brutes the effect
Is marvellous. He seems to be pos
sessed with all his original energy,
and with single leap will often so
surprise the cowboy as to free MIN
self and go kicking, biting and squeal
ing over the plains to freedom.
Once in the corral, the tale Is diff
ferent. All the kicking, biting and
squealing but add to the fun of the
cowboys who in the center of the
corral throw their lasooes so as to
catch by the forefeet the ponies they
have selected. This brings the
pony to the ground with much kick.
ing and hard bumps. He is then fit.
ted with a sort OF rope halter and
tied to the fence. When all that are
worth keeping are thus tied, the
others are released.
II. as stated by the Missouri horse
buyer, 1t is the blood of these little
brutes that has made the West fam.
Gus as producer of war horses,
there should be something back of
their present condition which would
make them what they are.
hiiotoiy iSiutCb thdt eht Win pun
les had their origin at various Span
ish missions, about 100 A. d. At
the Spanish mission of California
horses multiplied so rapidly at one
time that the vaqueros drove them
over a steep embankment by whole
bands in order to destroy them more
easily, leaving the range for the cat
tie which were more valuable.
Why These Horses Are WarIike
II Is possible that tae first wild
bands OF America originated through
the Indians stealing horses from
the Spanish explorers. AS concern
ed the West, this could have been
as early as 1910, when Coronado
started from Mexico and Travelled
north into what is now New Mexico,
Arizona, Colorado and possibly Utah.
He had q large number of horses
with him, many of which were doubt
less lost. These alone, running UNI
molested on the plains, could have
originated a band of wild horses. But
1t would be futile to surmise how the
first band was started. History tells
us that there were no horses here
wnen the first white men came.
We have authority for the state
ment that the horses of the missions
Increased by useless numbers, and
were driven off In order to leave the
ranges for the cattle. This fact alone
would account for the wild bands OF
America.
Driven off the most desirable rang
IS as the vaqueros drove them. the
ess hardy ponies died during the
irst severe shortage OF feed, The
more hardy ones lived and reproduc-
ed. The less hardy OF the differ
ant generations died from lack of
'ood or were killed by wolves and
otner animals.
I'D