The Boer and His Horse.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume II, Issue 153, 24 May 1900, Page 3

The Boer and His Horse.

Now that the Boers have shown to the whol" world the great value of the mounted rifleman, it is of pnnicul.ii' interest to learn how they jnanr^f their own hoiws when out ou aofche .service. It' they can help ifc they never allow themselves to he separated from theiv horse, and these hardy little xnitnals, mostly about fifteen hands higu :md. very lighdy framed, are picketed close to the spot where the riders* deposit their rifles and blankets. It they •allow th-eua to graze on the hillsides during tbe day, they run a ropo through the halter near>t le horse's muzzle and tie ifc clo^e abovo the knee-joint of the near foreleg. By this means the hor&es can graze in comfort, but cannot move away at any pace beyond a slow walk, and so are easily caught and saddled if required ii\a hurry. The oxen and [ ,^heep to be used for slaughtering purposes are diiveu up close to the camp ; a waggon or two ia drawn across the ravine above and beldw them, and then they cannot stampede if frightened by •anything. Having pitched his laager, the commander sends out his scouts, who amble off at a pace they call a " tuffle," a pace which the Boers educate their horses to adopt. The foot; scouts' take up their positions among the rocks and scrub. Their life as civilians have be-'n on« long preparation for the work in which | they are now engaged, and they may be trusted to keep their pobtti wiuiout any watching fioin their officers, and to give the earliest warning of any approaching danger.