Boer Horsemanship.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 328, 31 January 1902, Page 1

Boer Horsemanship.

'I lie Boer breaks his horses m a verv simple manner. He will take a vounc one, will pack a sack of mealio.s weighing about 2001 b on 'ts back, and will then lunge it in the mealie parch. The mealie stalks will irritate the animal, and it will run itself out. When this happens it will ,«e saddled, a sharp curb will be placed in its ninth, and a Hottentot will now mount the thoroughly exhausted ture The Hottentot can stick on anything that ever' breathed, and there will not be much necessity for much sticking on after the previous proceeding. When this has been uoae for a ifew consecutive days the Boer will lake a hand himself. He wih mount cteadv-going horse, and Me young ~,18, saddled and bridled, will be made fast to it. He will mount the old stager, and start off on a canter, up and*' down hill, until both animals are urged out, when he will slin from one saddle to the other. When this has been done a few times the animal wi) be considered broken, and-will beallrwed to run with the other horses until it is required fpr use. Lae South African horse has little real vice, 01 ft is hard to say what the effect of su ~q draconic treatment mignt be later cn The Boer when he can possibly d, so breaks his horses for harness by ir uxy. He will loan a young animal •to a post cart company for a few veiks P The youngster will Ve placed iQ P the centre of a team of eight strong roadsters, and he will simply have to t > After a couple of journeys m this he will lie shifted farther back, until eventually' he reaches the pole. A few weeks of this and be will be ha-rcss horse. A good deal of dis cot cion has taken place at times as to ,1 r Roer’s capability as a horseman. TIM-rc can be little question on this Skt He ?» not * "“r m „e“ y . with « had reputatm . »d ™ ”10 to ask its owner if he 'Cpeir, -)<■ would look at you in surprise and say, “ But why should I ride tbau horse when I have quiet horses : He lano hands and no seat. Hc , r , 'ml exirtmely long stirrups, and --eeps £ more by balance than .n> thing else. To him riding is simply a means | lof locomotion, and nothing mme. • Boer’s horse lives on what :t can pick mi en the veldt, In the -ummer t geU- on alright, and takes | l it f f"-lres large girth, but in the winter, it farts imlly. The stock, however, :* wonder Hilly hardy. The favorite time for travelling in the l ransvaal what . called “ trippling. This .nay sciihcd as an easy amble, m t orse is taught this pace by holding a sharp bit and keeping the -'purs wel in at the same time, and ail r.iniual n fair condition will do 50 miles a da> at this pace, and the rider •••H feel „o more tired at the end ot h.s_ jpmne/ than 'if he had been sit-ing in Ins armchair. In fact, Englishmen in the Transvaal will call this the armchi.r pace.” A good ‘ tripplcr w ill fetch half as much again amongst the Boers as a horse that has not got this hut no Englishman or colonial will buy such a horse at any price. Some fanners have the reputation of turning out good “ tripplers, and a Beet in want of a fresh mou.it will unvel a long distance to purchase one from such a person.—Live cH-ck Journil-