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53 minutes ago

Last week's post started with mountain men who we knew little about and drifted off to horses.
Let's talk about horses. Having a horse was essential in the West. Distances were huge, and you needed something to carry gear, etc.

From William Ashley, on horse feed:
I was exceedingly surprised and no less gratified at the sight of a grove of timber, in appearance,
distant some two or three miles on our front. It proved to be a grove of cottonwood of the sweetbark
kind suitable for horse food, situated on an island, offering among other conveniences, a
good situation for defence.

From John Ball, horse was a menu option when times got tough:
So for food we killed an old horse. But hungry as
we were, this did not relish well. But I will show that horse, in good condition is good food, for I
afterwards tested it.

From John Ball, Spaniards in California using horses to capture wild bulls (cattle, not buffalo):
And here our ship lay for many days. On one, I saw a Spaniard noose with his lasso a wild bullock
on the shore, or rather two of them. And thus mounted on their horses, used to the business,
one threw and caught him by his horns, and then wound his lasso around the high pummel of
his strong, well girthed saddle, and the horse stood and held him. But they wishing to throw him
down, so as to butcher him, the other man threw his so accurately that by his first move the ox
stepped into the noose, which caught him by his foot. Then each turned their horses in opposite
directions and starting up they laid him flat on the ground in a twinkling. And then the horses
keeping their stand, one dismounted and cut his throat.

From John Bradbury, on marking horses for ownership:
After our return, I went to the trading house, and found that the
trade for horses went on very briskly. The instant a horse was bought, his tail was cropped, to render
him more easily distinguished from those belonging to the Indians, which are in all respects
as nature formed them.

Also from Bradbury, describing and Indian saddle, apparently not comfortable to him:
The reflections on my situation, combined with the pain occasioned by mosquitoes, kept me from
closing my eyes; in addition to this, I had already painfully experienced the effects of an Indian
saddle, which I shall describe. It consists of six pieces of wood: two of these are strong forked
sticks, one of which is formed to fix on the shoulders of the horse; the other is adapted to the lower
part of the back: they are connected by four flat pieces, each about four inches in breadth: two
of these are so placed as to lie on each side of the backbone of the horse, which rises above them;
the two others are fastened to the extremities of the forked sticks, and the whole is firmly tied by
thongs. Two strong slips of buffalo hide are doubled over each of the upper connecting pieces,
for the purpose of holding the stirrup, which is formed of a stick about two feet long, and cut half
way through in two places, so as to divide it into three equal parts: at these places it is bent, and
when the two ends are strongly tied, it forms an equilateral triangle. The conjunct end of the foremost
forked stick rises to the height of eight or ten inches above the back of the horse, and serves
to fasten on it the coiled end of the long slip of dried skin intended to serve as a bridle: this slip is
also made use of to fasten the horse at night, to allow him sufficient space wherein to graze, and is
mostly fifty or sixty feet long. Under the saddle is laid a square piece of buffalo skin, dressed with
the hair upon it, and doubled four-fold, and on the saddle the rider fixes his blanket.

From George Catlin, on buffalo running horses:
Such is the training of men and horses in this country, that this work of death and slaughter is
simple and easy. The horse is trained to approach the animals on the tight side, enabling its rider
to throw his arrows to the left; it runs and approaches without the use of the halter, which is
hanging loose upon its neck bringing the rider witllin three or four paces of the animal, whem the
arrow is thrown with great ease and certainty to the heart; and instances sometimes occur, where
the arrow passes entirely through the animal’s body.

Snake and Sioux on the Warpath, by Alfred Jacob Miller, showing how Indians would use their horse as a shield.
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Trapper Talk

11 hours ago

Frost scaping beavers? [by beaverpeeler]

Our own Boco showing off his skills as a frost scaping beaver expert at the FHA convention this weekend. My question is this:

....can you get scapies from frost scaping beavers?

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