Year: 1871

Texas.


Those who have never visited the
| regions where wild horses are caught
or reared have but little idea how the
untamed steed of the prairies is rem
dered tractable and useful. At the
present day in Texas the hordes oi
mustangs that formerly ranged over
its vast prairies have become almost
extinct in the settled portions, and
conf1ne themselves to the extreme
western countries. In their place are
horses mostly crossed with American
stock, which are in state. of semi
Wildness-that- is, they roam at will
until certain seasons of the year, when
all such as can be caught are driven
in herds to huge pens constructed for
the purpose, to be branded and mark
ed, after most of them are let loose to
roam at will again.


When the owner Of portion of a
herd desires to break any of his young
horses he proceeds in this wise: The
first movement is to lasso the horse
selected by the head and fore feet, and
throw him to the earth: then a kind
of hair halter, called q "bosal,n - is put
on his head, both to serve as a bride
or to stake the animal, it being much
more effectual than q halter or bri-
die in checking his frantic efforts to
liberate himself. He is either tied up
closely all night or staked, at the will
of the owner. The next morning the
sport begins.


All horse and stock raisers have one
or more UdqtteTOs, whom they employ
for the special purpose Of breaking and
riding wild and refractory horses.
These go out, followed by all fhe
members of the family, and proceed
to overhaul their saddles and see that
there is no defect in the "riggingu
When they are satisfied that all is
secure, they lead, or rather drag, for
ward the steed. Heis alternately led,
dragged and whipped forward, until
he reaches the point where he i5 to be
saddled.


A leather strap attached to the bosaI
is then pulled over his eyes, and a
saddle blanket is dropped gently on
his back, but very seldom remains at
the first trial, as he will almost inva-
rabIy shake it off. After one or more
trials, however, he submits to both
blanket and saddle. The latter arti-
Gle is strapped on tightly with two
girths, fore and flank; strapped, indeed
so tightly, that one uuaccustOmed to
the sight would think that it was in
tended to cut the animal in two; the
rider now adjusts the stake-rope into
reins by tying it securely to the bOsal,
leaving q long end by which to hold
on, in the event the horse should sue
ceed in throwing him.


Everything is nov ready for the
mount. The rider adorns bis heels
with huge pair of spurs, stands di-
al e /
little forward of the shoulder, seizes
the under part Of the bosal with his
left hand, pulls the horses head round
near him to prevent being kicked,
takes the stiTFup in his right hand and
turning it toward him places his left
foot in it firmly. Grasping the POM
mel, ne now gives the saddle a shake
or two, makes one or two feints at
mounting to see how his horseship
will take it, and then suddenly springs,
seating himself securely in the saddle.


The blinds, of course, are still over
the eyes of the horse, and as a general
thing he stands his neck stretched
out and head partially down, q per-
feet picture of awk wardness. The
rider is at his ease, and adjusts him
self and everything about him With
the greatest care, as he knows there
is warm work before him. When
ready for the start he reaches gently
forward and slips up the blinds. Ma
turally the horse is rather astonished
at first and refuses to moved. A sharp
application of the whip and spur,
change his mind. He takes timidly
one or two awkward steps, then sud-
denly doubling himself up until he
resembles a camel, and throwing bis
head down before his fore feet, he be-
gins q series Of,Pitches, which consist
in jumping as high and as far as he
can, coming down stiff-legged.


Those who have accomplished the
extraordinary feat of going down
flight of stairs at one step can form
some faint idea how it feels to sit on
the back Of a pitching horse.


Some of the more vicious will lie
down when the saddle is buckled on
and it requires a tremendous amount
of whipping to get them started; some
will rear and fall backward, occasi0n-
ally killing their riders; some pitch
straight ahead for quite a distance,
while others will pitch straight for
ward for a few jumps, and then, as the
Texans say, "swap ends so quick that
it makes your head SWIM"


Fortunately, they soon tire of such
violent exercise, being wholly unac-
custOmed to a saddle or weight on
their backs, and break down COM
pletely in few hours The saddles
are then taken of, and they are re-
served for another trial next morn
ing.


This exercise is continued for q week
or more, according to the nature Of
the horse, when he is pronounced
gentle and tractable enough for a good
rider, but woe to the unsuspecting
greenhorn that is tempted to place
himself on his back.


A few of the horses aTe naturally
gentIe-natured and never, unless
frightened in breaking, attempt to cut
up at all. Those who love the horse,
and desire to see him roaming at VIII
in his beauty and symmetry, and
glossy hide and flowing name and
tail, should go to the prafries.