Leo T. reviewed on 5/28/2015 + 1775 more book reviews

Coming from Glendale JC in 1965, I would change buses and once spoke to an old geezer taking his ease in the Springtime sunshine. He was in town to visit his daughter, but told me of cowboying in the Dakotas in 1890 when he was sixteen. Mr. Wyman had the advantage of speaking with or corresponding with many old timers when he researched this book in the 1930s and for that reason I doubt that it will be equalled. The chapters are short, there are ample footnotes (he researched journal articles and some of the popular press in the days before computer searches), and I find it well written. I would use some chapters for interested students to read and discuss (10 pts) and include others in the weekly reading packet for all students to read and discuss in groups, followed by sharing their thoughts with the whole class. Chapters 8 The Rancher's Revolt and 9 The End of the Horse in the Public Domain recount the conditions when the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934 came into effect.
Even in the late 19th C. the ranchers did not want the 'broomtails' consuming 'their' forage, one horse eating enough to otherwise support two cow/calf combinations.
In earlier chapters, horses come north from Mexico and Chapter 3 The Indian Gets the Horse is of general interest for a history class. The author notes that the horse made the conquest of the Americas possible but Indians in possession of horses prevented an easy defeat of the Plains Indians.
Actual prices that horse brought are of special interest.

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