FOUR-LEGGED RECRUITS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2711, 4 March 1916, Page 3

FOUR-LEGGED RECRUITS

GLIMPSE OF ARMY REMOUNTS. 1 i For the man who loves-a horse—and ' J this means almost overy Außtialiati- > i there are many_ features of interest in.. 1 tbo work Mint being undertaken by ; the remount section of the Common- ! wealth military forces. Prior to t-lie i war the army remounts in Victoria I numbered less than 600. They comprised permanent gun teams, a few j transport horses and. a limited number of cavalry riders. Additions to the eetabhshment were made only at rars. i intervals. _ The remount staff confined ' its attention to the care of' these ani- : mals, and the t-ask -was comparatively ! simple. The situation, however, was ■' completely changed when the nation went to war. Horses were required in j thousands instead of tens, and at a • moment's notice the remount . section . . i rose from a unit of small significanca to an institution of vast importance. .' i It is now handling hundreds of -horses j each week, and buying boards arc at : work in all parts of tho Commonwealth purchasing the pick of the' country's horseflesh to meet the ever-increasing i requirements Cjf the authorities. And ; it is not for 'the Australian forces alona' ; that these horses are being purchased: ,j The Imperial Government is beginning \ to look to the Commonwealth for army i remounts, while the Indian Govern-' i iuent, which lias long'recognised the . ; value of-the'Australian'- wafer, is coin : i stautly making requests for this' t.ypa j of animal. Competent judges, who I have had the opjjortunity of inspecting the various types of horses shipped I since the war, assert that Australian ■ bred horses are far superior to those : snipped from either Canada or America. ; fact appears to have been recog- ; msedby the Imperial authorities, which. 1 explains their anxiety, to swure horses irom ; The amy remount when he first ar» i rives at the depot is branded with the i tiovcrnment broad arrow, and aftei be- i ing "sworn in" in '.this manner he is j given his number, and at once becomes - ' a distinctive unit of the military forces. This: number is stamped On tho i tore feet. If necessary tho horse is ' ; thrown for examination purposes. This operation has been made .simple at'.tho, ! depot by the adoption of a looallv in- ■ ' vented device, known-'as the Kemp. "- I Daly tackle. It is simple to'.-use. and- Iby pulling a horse first on its liauucliea ; |H events the jarring fall often occasion- ! i . e<l when hobbles aro used. " ■- , ; Until he is ready to be' shipped j abroad the young remount lias the" run ' ! of several extensive paddocks in Maribyrnong. He is fed largely on lucerne, • and there is no stint in the commis- ; sanat department. A particularly good- i stamp of horse is now being secured by tho Government buyers. Stringent i precautions are taken'- to - prevent bad bargains, 'and each buyer. stamps -his - own purchases, thus enabling'the'officials :'of" tho rehiouiit . staff..,to" ko'ep a •' >' record of his work. Only animals'be- ; tween the ages of five and twelvo yearn i are accepted by the authorities." ' i