NEW ZEALAND WHO HORSES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 443, 28 February 1912, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND WHO HORSES.

By Ben. Wylly

These wild horses have descended from escaped blood stallions am! mares of various type 9, many of Uie latter at the time of their entry into the free life being pregnant to well bred stallions. They are fairly numerous throughout the North Island thermal country, each mob having its own recognised run and instinctive equinine laws regarding feeding boundaries, and drinking places. These laws are only broken when nature balances up and finds an unequal and unwarranted ownership of her gifts not too lavishly attributed ; then.might is right, and so these unfettered horses of New Zealand's never-never land, have lived and died for over half a century. Young stallions over two years of age, are never found in wild horse family mobs. The Sultan of the harem promptly kicks them out when they rise two years of age, the reason being obvious to all who understand wild animal Hie.

I came upon such a mob one day at mid afternoon, just as the summer sun was on the wane. There were twenty-seven all told in the troop: about sixteen matured mares of different colours and usuages, and tea yearlings of mixed sexes. Their leader was an aged chestnut stallion with silver mane and tail. I placed him a3 being fairly old by his hollow back and lean condition. They were feeding leisurely on the wi-wi grass manawa shrub and hawk weed that constitutes the natural and introduced pasture of th se poor pumice plains.

With slow and sauntering movement al! were headed in the same direction, feeding as they went: now walking a few paces, now cropping the tough but satisfying pasture; for the tussock was golden headed with seed, and when it Ts so tha free horses of the plain 3 are sleek, with coats shining like those of well groomed racehorses. This mob was making their way to their evening drinking place at the Pueto river, whose white pumice banks I could see in the distance from my place of concealment, simmering in the summer sun. Suddenly, the master of the mob. old Silvermane, became restless, and while his wives fed on unconcernedly and meandered on carelessly, he became one quivering form of arxious horse flesh. With quick and nervous tread, he moved to the head of the slightly scattered company, and with raised head and extended nostrils, he took the air and tested it, and at tha same time searching the four points of the compass with his mobile eyes, then he lowered his head and walked a few chains sniffing the ground at every step and seemingly not satisfied with 'this frontal investigation, he returned to the rear of the troop by the opposite side to that on which he went forward -and repeated the same performance there. I was hidden in a clump of white titr«e that grew on a small hillock overlooking the flat on which the horses were grazing and as the wind blew from them to me, I knew I was not likely to cause, them to stampede. I had often watched wild horses before, but had never noticed so much anxiety, apparently without cause, displayed by the stalilon in charge as by old Silvermane on this occasion, and knowing I was not £the promoter of his nervous activity my curiosity was aroused, so I decided to await eventualities.

Opposite my hiding place, about a quarter of a mile distant, the open tussock plain ended abruptly, being replaced by ti-tree fully twelve feet high, that seamed to grow thickly away to the east in an unbroken line towards the Tauhara mountain. Presently from that quarter a clarionlike cry cleaved the balmy afternoon air, shrill and defiant, a sound humanly unreproducable, but once heard never to be forgotten. It was the half shrieked, half neighed cry of a young fighting stallion, the challenge of a horse that was a lone hand, mateless and full of vigour, who was announcing in a very emphatic manner, that if the God of horse battle gave him fair opportunity, he did not intend to remain an outcast much longer.

I watched the challenger leave thß shade of the ti-tree and come out into the sunlight view, with raised crest and tail stiffened from root to last joint, from whence the fibres fell away, in graceful folds to the fetlocks. I did not watch and hear alone. Silvermane was all attention, and he seemed full well to understand the purport of the challenge, for, no doubt, this was not the first time that he had been called upon to protect his harem from a covetous invader. Re cantered about a chain towards his disturber and took stock of him. With head poised in the air, mane floating on the breeze, and nostrils dilating, he blew one quick blast through them, a3 a warning snort and command to his family that danger was at hand, thus signalling them to prepare for it. Perhaps they were too slow in coming together to please the old horse in his now fretful state, for he hastened their movements consideraby by quickly galloping around the mares and vigorously applying teeth and heel to their tender skins, he soon had them all grouped together, the mothers outside and the youngsters in the centre, with heads turned towards the stranger. Then he placed himself between the intruder and his family, and fixed his gaze on the young stallion that instinct told him had come to fight him to the death for his little kingdom. The stranger was jet black and from his general appearance 1 should say was five years of age with tushess well up and every thing in nature telling him that it was no longer fit that he should live alone. No doubt since he had been driven by his sire from his native mob, perhaps somewhere miles away on the other side of the mountain, he had tried to obtain mares of his own, by endeavouring to coax them away from older stallions when the opportunity appeared favourable. But being caught in his

j a;'t (.if horsr pivi'.cy had been hunted ! I rind kicked without apology from stal- I j linn t« stall ion, feeding ground to i I feeding ground, across drinking places t j and boundaries by the various sires , j on whose runs he had been forced to | I tresspass running the gauntlet in this ; mannei until he had found a place in ; the wilds unfrequented and unclaimed ! by any horse lord, where there was water and pasture. Su lie h:ul lived a j lonesome life building up the tissues ; until he was grown big and strong ; enough to have confidence in himelf that he could battle successfully for a j following of matters. Especially if he ; was lucky enough as on the present occasion to contest for supremacy with a horse past his prime and becoming broken mouthed with age, and thus past his best fighting days. So, ence he came, cavotting with side-like action, as if he intended to dodge the old guardian he was approaching and stampede the mares. Silvermane then advanced a. little more from his charges, and choosing a rising mound, awaited developments. They soon came. The young horse quickly drew near h>m, and at three horses' lengths stood and looked hard at the defender of the prizes to be fought for, and neighing softly to the mares by way of a reassuring introduction, with arched neck and ears rapidly moving backward and forward, like those of a wild cat before springing on its prey gave one sharp snort of defiance, blowing the nasal spray over Silvermane, with tail raised over the level of the back like a game blood horse at the starting post. Then with a fiendish squeal of hate, the young stallion closed. ,As quick as a lightning shaft leaving its. mother cloud, the old horsa turned right about, and with lowered head and raised rump, he sent in both hind feet to the chest of the dark challenger, who, not 1 dodging quick enough, got both fair on, wh,ich staggered him, and before he could recover, Silvermane was on him, every muscle of his body quivering with rage and excitement, and with opened jaws and bared and gleaming teeth, he gripped for his antagonist's wither, who, to save himself, rose on hind legs. Silvermane rose with him, and for a while both were locked in embrace, standing chest to chest, with fore legs resting on each opposing shoulders and ribs. Then they waltzed around like wrestlers, each seeking a grip of advantage to their own hellish music, of half neighed groans caused by pain. Suddenly both were on all fours, and quickly their hind\feet were rattling at ribs, stomach and sheath; then facing one another again they used fore feet, striking at the opposing fore legs. ** Again in the air, they would rise suddenly as a geyser rpouting, assuming a perpendicular and almost human attitude, biting and chewing at wither, shoulder and neck, until the sweat from their bodies turned to froth, beaded with blood. Still they strove on until the red and white foam from body and mouth, now coming'ed, ran down their legato the < ground. Eyes assumed a black lustre hue, and their diabolical squealings were reduced to painful pantings, and groaningly they snapped and chewed. For half an hour the fight raged on; then the old horse stumbled, after receiving a back kick in the ribs. Quickly the young stallion pounced on hi?.;.', and sinking his, incisors to the gums in his opponent's crest, where the opening in the clonical vertebrae at the dentata leaves unprotected the spina! cord, this vital place was immediately pierced by the black fighter's teeth, and Hike a pithed bullock the game old chestnut fell. He only feebly tried to rise. The conqueror repeatedly struck at the fallen horse's fore legs until he broke one of the cannon bones, and then with a parting kick at his fallen foe's head, and a neigh of triumph he left the immediate scene of his victory and strolled towards the mares.

And what of the vanquished hero's wives? Why, female like, they made a pretence of being shy, and not liking their new lord and master, so they ambled away as soon as the victor approached them. But their now 3elf-made owner, headed them at a common canter. I know he was too exhausted to gallop, and 1 guess they knew it too, hence their slow gait away. They were afraid to gallop for , fear they would not be caught. Fie soon rounded them up, and with little half vicious, half playful bites and kicks he asserted his authority, and then placing himself in the lead, with proud mien he led the mob down a ravine towards the river. Walking over to the defeated, and now deserted and dying stallion, who had been compelled to bow his head to one of nature's irrevocable laws, I could not bear the sight of his mangled body and mute suffering; so, putting my gun to his forehead, while his eyes seemed to thank me, I pulled tho trigger and sent him from his last fight to his long sleep.