the mountains(山脉)-第3部分
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cowboy or military style and seat are the only practicable ones。 Perhaps
of these two the cowboy saddle is the better； for the simple reason that
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often in roping or leading a refractory horse； the horn is a great help。 For
steep…trail work the double cinch is preferable to the single； as it need not
be pulled so tight to hold the saddle in place。
Your riding…bridle you will make of an ordinary halter by riveting two
snaps to the lower part of the head…piece just above the corners of the
horse's mouth。 These are snapped into the rings of the bit。 At night you
unsnap the bit； remove it and the reins； and leave the halter part on the
horse。 Each animal； riding and packing； has furthermore a short lead…
rope attached always to his halter…ring。
Of pack…saddles the ordinary sawbuck tree is by all odds the best；
provided it fits。 It rarely does。 If you can adjust the wood accurately to
the anatomy of the individual horse； so that the side pieces bear evenly and
smoothly without gouging the withers or chafing the back； you are
possessed of the handiest machine made for the purpose。 Should
individual fitting prove impracticable； get an old LOW California riding…
tree and have a blacksmith bolt an upright spike on the cantle。 You can
hang the loops of the kyacks or alforjasthe sacks slung on either side the
horse from the pommel and this iron spike。 Whatever the saddle
chosen； it should be supplied with breast… straps； breeching； and two good
cinches。
The kyacks or alforjas just mentioned are made either of heavy canvas；
or of rawhide shaped square and dried over boxes。 After drying； the
boxes are removed； leaving the stiff rawhide like small trunks open at the
top。 I prefer the canvas； for the reason that they can be folded and
packed for railroad transportation。 If a stiffer receptacle is wanted for
miscellaneous loose small articles； you can insert a soap…box inside the
canvas。 It cannot be denied that the rawhide will stand rougher usage。
Probably the point now of greatest importance is that of saddle…
padding。 A sore back is the easiest thing in the world to induce；three
hours' chafing will turn the trick；and once it is done you are in trouble
for a month。 No precautions or pains are too great to take in assuring
your pack…animals against this。 On a pinch you will give up cheerfully
part of your bedding to the cause。 However； two good… quality woolen
blankets properly and smoothly folded； a pad made of two ordinary collar…
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pads sewed parallel by means of canvas strips in such a manner as to lie
along both sides of the backbone； a well…fitted saddle； and care in packing
will nearly always suffice。 I have gone months without having to doctor
a single abrasion。
You will furthermore want a pack…cinch and a pack…rope for each
horse。 The former are of canvas or webbing provided with a ring at one
end and a big bolted wooden hook at the other。 The latter should be half…
inch lines of good quality。 Thirty…three feet is enough for packing only；
but we usually bought them forty feet long； so they could be used also as
picket…ropes。 Do not fail to include several extra。 They are always
fraying out； getting broken； being cut to free a fallen horse； or becoming
lost。
Besides the picket…ropes； you will also provide for each horse a pair of
strong hobbles。 Take them to a harness…maker and have him sew inside
each ankle… band a broad strip of soft wash…leather twice the width of the
band。 This will save much chafing。 Some advocate sheepskin with the
wool on； but this I have found tends to soak up water or to freeze hard。
At least two loud cow…bells with neck…straps are handy to assist you in
locating whither the bunch may have strayed during the night。 They
should be hung on the loose horses most inclined to wander。
Accidents are common in the hills。 The repair…kit is normally rather
comprehensive。 Buy a number of extra latigos； or cinch…straps。 Include
many copper rivets of all sizesthey are the best quick…repair known for
almost everything； from putting together a smashed pack…saddle to
cobbling a worn…out boot。 Your horseshoeing outfit should be complete
with paring…knife； rasp； nail…set； clippers； hammer； nails； and shoes。 The
latter will be the malleable soft iron； low…calked 〃Goodenough；〃 which
can be fitted cold。 Purchase a dozen front shoes and a dozen and a half
hind shoes。 The latter wear out faster on the trail。 A box or so of hob…
nails for your own boots； a waxed end and awl； a whetstone； a file； and a
piece of buckskin for strings and patches complete the list。
Thus equipped； with your grub supply； your cooking… utensils； your
personal effects； your rifle and your fishing…tackle； you should be able to
go anywhere that man and horses can go； entirely self…reliant； independent
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of the towns。
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III
ON HORSES
I really believe that you will find more variation of individual and
interesting character in a given number of Western horses than in an equal
number of the average men one meets on the street。 Their whole
education； from the time they run loose on the range until the time when；
branded； corralled； broken； and saddled； they pick their way under
guidance over a bad piece of trail； tends to develop their self…reliance。
They learn to think for themselves。
To begin with two misconceptions； merely by way of clearing the
ground： the Western horse is generally designated as a 〃bronco。〃 The
term is considered synonymous of horse or pony。 This is not so。 A
horse is 〃bronco〃 when he is ugly or mean or vicious or unbroken。 So is
a cow 〃bronco〃 in the same condition； or a mule； or a burro。 Again； from
certain Western illustrators and from a few samples； our notion of the cow…
pony has become that of a lean； rangy； wiry； thin…necked； scrawny beast。
Such may be found。 But the average good cow…pony is apt to be an
exceedingly handsome animal； clean…built； graceful。 This is natural；
when you stop to think of it； for he is descended direct from Moorish and
Arabian stock。
Certain characteristics he possesses beyond the capabilities of the
ordinary horse。 The most marvelous to me of these is his sure…footedness。
Let me give you a few examples。
I once was engaged with a crew of cowboys in rounding up mustangs
in southern Arizona。 We would ride slowly in through the hills until we
caught sight of the herds。 Then it was a case of running them down and
heading them off； of turning the herd； milling it； of rushing it while
confused across country and into the big corrals。 The surface of the
ground was composed of angular volcanic rocks about the size of your two
fists； between which the bunch…grass sprouted。 An Eastern rider would
ride his horse very gingerly and at a walk； and then thank his lucky stars if
he escaped stumbles。 The cowboys turned their mounts through at a
dead run。 It was beautiful to see the ponies go； lifting their feet well up
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and over； planting them surely and firmly； and nevertheless making speed
and attending to the game。 Once； when we had pushed the herd up the
slope of a butte； it made a break to get through a little hog… back。 The
only way to head it was down a series of rough boulder ledges laid over a
great sheet of volcanic rock。 The man at the hog…back put his little gray
over the ledges and boulders； down the sheet of rock；hop； slip； slide；
and along the side hill in time to head off the first of the mustangs。
During the ten days of riding I saw no horse fall。 The animal I rode；
Button by name； never even stumbled。
In the Black Hills years ago I happened to be one of the inmates of a
small mining…camp。 Each night the work…animals； after being fed； were
turned loose in the mountains。 As I possessed the only cow…pony in the
outfit； he was fed in the corral； and kept up for the purpose of rounding up
the others。 Every mo
