"PINTO" HORSES 55 



And it is a rule with the red man not to do the unneces- 

 sary. " Never do to-day what you can by any possibiHty 

 put off till to-morrow " may be said to be his motto — ex- 

 cept on the war-path. Is it alone his ? 



The Comanche is particularly wedded to and apt to 

 ride a pinto ('' painted " or piebald) horse, and never keeps 

 any but a pinto stallion. He chooses his ponies well, and 

 shows more good sense in breeding- than one would give 

 him credit for. The corollary to this is that he is far less 

 cruel to his beasts, and though he begins to use them as 

 yearlings, the ponies often last through many years. In 

 this lie resembles his Oriental brother. Yearlings are very 

 frequently seen under saddle among the Arabs. The Co- 

 manche is capable of making as fine cavalry as exists, if 

 subjected to discipline and carefully drilled. But the 

 process may be difficult. 



