Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 January 1875 — Taming a Wild Horse in Mexico. [ARTICLE]

Taming a Wild Horse in Mexico.

The following graphic, sketch of the breaking to saddle of a wild horse in Mexico is given by an eye-witness: Preparations began for saddling the wild horse; no easy task, for in order io saddle him it was necessary to keep pirn on his legs; and, as if he guessed the object of the vaqueros, he began to kick up furiously, ,A lasso was passed under the fetlock of the left hind leg and fastened tightly to the breast-leather of the horse, so as to press the thigh against the belly. I The right front leg was bent by the same means, and thus kept in equilibrium the horse was condemned to immobility. * Benito seized bis heavy saddle by the pummel and threw it over the back of the horse, who shook and trembled when his loins felt the burden and the large wooden stirrups rebounded against his side. The girth was violently tightened under the belly, and the vaquero seated himself on the ground to fasten _ the spurs on his feet. At this moment I glanced toward the stand Maria Antonio waa motionlcsa,but her large black eyes, immediately open, sparkled in her now pale face, and the agitation of her bosom betrayed her agony. Pon Ramon himself seemed frightened, and once I hoped he was about to recall the permission which exposed the intrepid young man to almost certain death. But he said nothing. When Benito had fastened his spurs, the bonds which kept the horse’s legs w ere loosened and the leathern bandage tied over his eyes. Yet. though held by the rope which twisted his lip, the furious leaps of the animal prevented his being mounted. He was forced down op his knees, and two vaqueros, each biting one of bis ears, kept him thus a second. Benito sprang on the horse’s back. “Let him go,’’ he exclaimed in a firm voice. The two vaqueros quickly jumped back whilst the wild animal started up as if moved by some concealed melanism. Owing to the leathern bandages that blinded him, he at first stood on his legs, trembling, with upturned nostrils. Benito availed himself of this short respite to seat himself firmly in the saddle, leaned forward, and raised the bandage that covered the animal’s eyes. Then commenced a truly admirable struggle between the man and the beast. , Frightened at the sudden light which dazzled his bloodshot eyes, shaking his tangled mane, which stood erect with rage, the fiery animal neighed, terribly and bounded toward the four points of the compass as if to scent the wind. Benito, without seeming shaken by these impetuous bounds,, still kept on the defensive, roughly kicking away at the beast’s mouth, as it tried to bite his legs. The foiled animal reared suddenly on his haunches. In vain - the spurs running into his groins made him rear. Instead of falling on his legs he threw himself violently on his back. The spectators all screamed, but the pummel of the saddle alone knocked against, the earth with a lugubrious sound. Benito, foreseeing the shock, had sprung rapidly to the ground. In the midst of a cloud of dust the astonished spectators soon beheld the horse-tamer leap into the saddle by the oft" side, against all equestrian rules, at the moment when the bewildered horse got up neighing. The vaquero, in his turn, appeared mad with fhry. For the first time in his life lie had been unhorsed. Impatient to revenge this insult his legs never ceased pressing the horse’s legs but to trace bloody furrows with the spurs under his belly; his hands only left hold of the horse-hair snaffle but to shower down blows on the enraged animal's bruised skin. But as yet neither had the advantage; and, after a few minutes of furious struggle. the two antagonists stood still for a moment. Applause resounded on all sides; and" certainly to meet the admiration of those centaurs it was necessary to have accommore than it givenman' to accomplish. Either the vaquero was one of those whom danger or intoxicated, or he thought himself able to do Stillmore, for he profited by this truce to draw a sharp knife out of the garter of his boot. “ Hollo!” exclaimed Don Ramon, a less passive spectator of a struggle in which, apparently, the life of a horse was in ; question; “ is the rascal going to cut the ■ horse’s throat?” Indignation flashed from Maria Antonio’s black eyes at the Supposition that a man whom she had distinguished could be a coward, and a superb smile of pride lighted up her features at the sight df Benito, who, in a fit of wild temerity, intoxicated, no doubt, by the presence of his beloved, had cut the horse’s" snaffle, ‘ and thus placed himself, without bridle, at the mercy of an untamable animal. . i Freed from the bozal which compressed his nostrils, the horse noisily i breathed the air of the forests, shook the waves of his golden mane, and set off in the direction of the lopped tree. . Such was the impetuosity of his ca- ! reer that it seemed impossible to preI vent his dashing against the obstacles in his way. Nothing, therefore, could prej vent the rider from the fate awaiting ; him. The horse was only a few yards off the : fatal trunk when by a sudden and un- ! expected movement Benito pulled off i his broad-brimmed hat, and, at the mo- ' ment when a final bound was about to : end the struggle, the hat, interposed between the tree and the horse, made the latter spring with terror in another direction. We then witnessed the singular spectacle of a rider without a bridle guiding his unmanageable horse, which sprang from side to side as the bugbear passed from one eye to the other. The horse, shuddering „with rage, passed thus beneath tne stand, where Maria Antonio rewarded Benito’s fortunate temerity with a glance.' > The pride of triumph which brought I out the energetic and masculine beauty of the horseman, and lighted up his brow, over which the wind waved his floating hair, wonderfully justified the young girl’s choice. Giving a fresh impulse to the horse?? which was panting and disconcerted by unexpected resistance, Benito allowed him to take the direction of the forest. We beheld him for a few seconds shaken like a reed by the furious bounds of the animal, bql, we 50011 lost sight of him.

A few horseman followed him; but bis course was so rapid that they soon returned to the stand, giving up the pursuit as useless. He returned in less than an hour.i bringing back the hitherto unmanageable horse completely mastered.