In the days of chivalry, when the knights wore steel armor and used heavy harness, large and strong horses had to be ridden, but in later days much lighter horses served for the soldiers' needs. Those who have read of Napoleon's wonderful campaigns know how much use he made of his cavalry, and many horses are still used in war, though not so many as of old.
If now we leave the story of the war-horse and the racer and hunter and come to that of the working-horse we meet with an animal in which strength and pulling power are of more account than show and speed. For ages past the horse has worked faithfully for man, in the farming field, along the country road, on the streets of the cities; hauling the plow and harrow in the field, the wagon and cart along the road, the carriage, car, dray and other wheeled vehicle in the street. And its life has often been one of much suffering, and still is in some countries, for there are nations in which the poor, patient horse is treated with great cruelty.
A Logging Team with a Heavy Load
But in these days man has much less need of the horse than of old. Once it did nearly the whole of man's hauling. Now the powerful locomotive takes its place. In city streets the electric car saves the horse from much of his former labor, and the automobile and auto-car are taking the place of the horse for riding and hauling. Yet horses are still in use in large numbers and it will be long before man gives up this useful friend and helper.
THE HORSE TAMER
The taming of wild horses is no light task. It is one that needs the greatest skill and daring. The lasso, a long, strong rope with a noose at its end, is the weapon of the tamer, with which he can bring down the strongest and wildest animal. Chasing the wild horse on a tamed one, trained in the art, the skilled rider, when near enough, will fling his lasso with wonderful skill and rarely fails to catch the fleeing animal in its strong noose. The horse he rides knows well its duty, which is to pull back on the rope and check the flight of the frightened creature.
To bring the wild captive to the ground is only half the labor. It must be saddled and bridled and ridden until it is worn-out and its wild spirit gives way. It will plunge and rear, whirl round and kick in all directions, even roll over and over, in a mad effort to throw the rider from its back. Only when completely subdued will it yield, but once tamed it may become a very faithful friend and servant to its tamer.
Bucking is one of the ways a wild horse seeks to get rid of his rider, and it takes a man of great skill to keep on the back of a bucking horse. Lowering its head between its fore-legs, it gives a wild leap upwards and comes down with a smash of its hoofs on the ground. The man that can keep in the saddle through two or three of these jumps must make himself part of the horse.
The men who do this are splendid riders, and the cowboys of the plains, who have to take care of the great herds of cattle, almost live on horseback. Such a man can often bend over from his horse, reach down, and pick up a small object, such as a glove, from the ground while riding at full speed.