Rensselaer Republican, Volume 12, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 July 1880 — The Wild Horses of America. [ARTICLE]

The Wild Horses of America.

At the time of the discovery of America there were not horses in any part of that continent, although the boundless prairies were admirably fitted for the support of countless herds. Soon, however. those imported by the settlers strayed away, and as a consequence are now to be met with in enormous nunben, in some cases amounting, it is said, to ten thousand in one troop. They appear to be under the command of a leader, the strongest and boldest of the herd, whom they implicitly obey. When threatened by danger, at some signal, understood by them all, they either cloee into a dense mass and trample their enemy to death, or, placing the mares ands o&ls in the centre, they welcome him with their heels. The leader first feces the danger, and when prudence requires a retreat all follow his rapid flight. In the thinly inhabited parts of South America, according to Yougtt, it is dangerous to fell in wito any of these troops. The wild hones approach as near as they dare; they call to the loaded home with the greatest eagerness, oud if the rider is not on the alert, and has not considerable strength of arm and sharpness of spur, his animal will diyest himself of his burden, take to his heels and be gone forever. Byron well de describes the wild horse in his ‘ Hazeppa.’