Page:Don Coronado through Kansas.djvu/142

131, ORBASING OF HORSE3. I'Jl ' would be tied to the "front foot, the chunk ^-oruJ only- reach back toward the hind feet, so Mr. horse will step on the rope or block and either hurt his leg or per- haps throw him; but a later scheme was to get a strap with a ring and a piece of chain three oi; four feet long, the strap being buckled around one of the fore feet, so that if the animal attempted to trot or run the chain would lap around his fore legs and throw him. And did you ever nave any experience in "creas- ing"? Wasn't it a picnic to watch a nag after being creased? Well, for the benefit of those who don't know the meaning of the term, it is here explained: All over Texas, Colorado and Kansas the^e were herds of wild horses running on the range, and some-, times a man would be desirous of procuring one for immediate use; so he would sneak up as close as pqs- sibleto the herd and select the one desired; then a bead would be taken at the nape of the neck half-way between the ears and weathers, then "ping" would sound the man's rifle and a ball would be put into the gristle of the neck. This would stun the horse and cause him to fall and biBCome unconscious for suffi- cient length of time to allow the party to hobble and rope the animal before it came to. No doubt l^e woutid would be painful, but it did not hurt the ani- mal for use, and soon healed up. But what about alerting outdoors 367 years ago in the province etf Qiaivira? Well, if it were as delightful as doing so fiMrty years ago, then it was a bedroom in heaven; and After sleeping thus for a few weeks, then to be com- P^ed to occupy the average bed in the average house