The Bozeman courier., 1927-10-28
HORSE REWOLUTIONlZED LIFE
OF INDIANS ON PLAINS

Of Crows to learn how they conducted
such expeditions. These is a bare pos
sibility that the white man in question
himself may have craved a better mount
an dhad no conscientious scruples about
stealing from Indians He found it much
easier to steal horses from white men,
and safer. The Crows, on the occasion
cited, captured many horses from the Nez
Perces, and this without losing a man.
The narrator failed to mention whether
he gained anything more substantial
from this raid than the knowledge he
sought.
All Indians, so far as I can learn, were
expert horse thieves, and it was not long
after the introduction of horses into the
Southwest before they were plentiful on
the northern ranges. Fear that horses
would be stolen was one Of the reasons
why oxen were largely used by travellers
and freighters across the plains. Oxen
were slow, but sure, unless stampeded,
when they ceased to be either sure or
slow.
One would have thought Indians might
steal cattle for food. They never liked
the flesh Of beef so well as buffalo meat.
Then, too, they could not swoop down
on cattle and drive them rapidly away
at such speed that they were not likely
to be overtaken. It is admitted that the
use of oxen saved the lives Of number
less pioneers. Army supply trains were
often drawn by mules or horses, and un-
| less strongly guarded were likely to be
left stranded on the prairie, with no
means of going on until new motive
power was supplied them. I have seen
a train under such circumstances, and
heard the unprintable profanity Of its
wagon boss which doubtless eased his
mind, although it did not bring back
the stolen horses.
1t was in the month Of October when
| we passed this train, and already the
| nj nO1n-fOn cOln
Tt was long distance to Salt Lake; the
Sioux weer on the warpath, and there
was no immediate prospect Of the situa-
ton being improved, for this man we
saw seated on wagon tongue, hurting
| strange oathS at the Indians who stole
his horses. Trains passed him daily on
/ their way east or west, but none OF them
had time or the ability to aid him fur
ther than to inform others Of his pre-
dicament who might be able to go to
his assistance. Fortunately, he had with
him enough men to guard the wagons
and the supplies they contained.
There wa sa time, not so very long
ago, when it was profitable for ranchers
to raise horses. Then they leclined in
price until the Boer war caused an
increased demand. No one visioned the
rapidly approaching day Of the horselesS
carriage, the horseless agricultural i'm
! plements, which would enable the farmer
TO dispense with horses altogether as {
lew now do.
When automobiles became common
hundreds of horses entered upon a Pc
riod of leisure unknown to them before
, They shared the fate Of the escaped
! horses Of an earlier day, and are be
coming wild.
The StOckman necessarily kept horses
without them, where would the typica
cowboy, who now figures at rodeos, hav
received his education in horsemanshil
s which surpasses that Of the Arab Of tn
. desertl The stockmen did not cOnsida
z horses good grazers. On account Of thei
I playfulness, they ran about good deal
tnjuring the sod, driving cattle away from
watering places, and killing calves, eithe
4 by chasing them, or running over then
= 1t is also said they are closer grazeT
e than sheep. For these reasons, more wa
r charged for pasturing horses than TO
o cattle.
= Fine horses have been raised In Mon
e tana and now in the Bitter Root vale
st are some 1T is a delight to behold. Thes
e came from the wOrld-famous horse ranc
It Of Marcus DAILY.
e There viii always be a demand fC
n horses, but it is doubtful whether the
s. ever again viii occupy the prominer
s, place among domestic animals they hav
lie IN the past. The young Lochinvar'' {
e the present does not fee with his 5rio
s, on his trusty steed, but in the MOI
IS speedy automobile. and Mazeppa by wa
p OF torture would be turned over to til
=. local police, for the administration
1f the third degree. Romance fares hard 1
ID this machine age.