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Posted: 3/30/2015 9:58:50 AM EDT
[#1]
Most horses I've ever been around go into 'instant rodeo mode' if you fire a gun off their back. I believe a lot of western movies used really light loads of black powder to provide the muzzle smoke effect - with the full power sound dubbed in when the editor got ahold of the film. I've guided, bucarooed, and pulled mules for a living over many years and have yet to see many horses that will let you fire a gun off their back....without introducing you to the ground.  Movie magic. |
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Posted: 3/30/2015 10:01:34 AM EDT
[#2]
Well, the "old west shoot 'em up days" are largely an invention of Hollywood, so most horses were probably all right, auditorially speaking.
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Posted: 3/30/2015 10:02:29 AM EDT
[#3]
Don't they put cotton in their ears?
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Posted: 3/30/2015 10:04:15 AM EDT
[#4]
Why do you think they used reigns instead of just telling them where to go?
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Posted: 3/30/2015 10:04:18 AM EDT
[#5]
you never see the guys that fired a gun from the saddle and got smashed into the ground by the horse either, but it certainly happened.
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Posted: 3/30/2015 10:05:49 AM EDT
[#6]
I would think they would suffer from gun shot wounds also.
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Posted: 3/30/2015 10:07:51 AM EDT
[#7]
Don't they do horseback in Cowboy Action shooting?
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Posted: 3/30/2015 10:11:25 AM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Most horses I've ever been around go into 'instant rodeo mode' if you fire a gun off their back. I believe a lot of western movies used really light loads of black powder to provide the muzzle smoke effect - with the full power sound dubbed in when the editor got ahold of the film. I've guided, bucarooed, and pulled mules for a living over many years and have yet to see many horses that will let you fire a gun off their back....without introducing you to the ground.
Movie magic. Obviously hollywood has its mark, However I do think that at battles such as Little Big Horn there was a lot of shooting from horseback. |
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Posted: 3/30/2015 10:12:56 AM EDT
[#9]
You would be amazed at how little actual "gun fighting" occurred in the Old West or how few people actually engaged in that sort of activity. Most were armed in some way but shoot-outs were rare. Places like Tombstone were the exception, not the rule.
Or were you talking about the filming of Western movies? |
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Posted: 3/30/2015 10:13:45 AM EDT
[#10]
I believe that the US Cavalry used to place the stables down near the firing range. The horses were exposed to shooting on a (somewhat) regular basis. They either got used to it or they got sold or shot.
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Posted: 3/30/2015 10:14:16 AM EDT
[#11]
 I love Arfcom
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Posted: 3/30/2015 10:15:14 AM EDT
[#12]
Quoted:
The horses back in the old west shoot 'em up days must have been rendered deaf after a while. What ? |
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Posted: 3/30/2015 10:16:18 AM EDT
[#13]
As far as shooting off the back of a horse, it depends on the horse. I've shot lots of rounds while riding. We did it everyday. Never thought about mine or the horse's hearing to be honest with you
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Posted: 3/30/2015 10:19:46 AM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
You would be amazed at how little actual "gun fighting" occurred in the Old West or how few people actually engaged in that sort of activity. Most were armed in some way but shoot-outs were rare. Places like Tombstone were the exception, not the rule. Or were you talking about the filming of Western movies? Tombstone's most violent year ever was 1881, with 3 homicides---all at the incident at the O.K. Corral. |
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Posted: 3/30/2015 10:21:54 AM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
You would be amazed at how little actual "gun fighting" occurred in the Old West or how few people actually engaged in that sort of activity. Most were armed in some way but shoot-outs were rare. Places like Tombstone were the exception, not the rule. Or were you talking about the filming of Western movies? That would be a great counter point to bring up when libs scream that "without gun control this place would be the wild west". So that would make Chicago with some of the most draconian gun laws in the country and yet the most shootings per capita what, the wild upper midwest? The wild North???? 
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Posted: 3/30/2015 10:28:47 AM EDT
[#16]
Some people would slowly acclimate their horses to gunfire w/ positive reinforcement and treats. Others would fire a couple of rounds inches from the horses ears and blow their ear drums out; and then break the horse to make him manageable through brute force and head games.
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Posted: 3/30/2015 10:32:24 AM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Tombstone's most violent year ever was 1881, with 3 homicides---all at the incident at the O.K. Corral. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
You would be amazed at how little actual "gun fighting" occurred in the Old West or how few people actually engaged in that sort of activity. Most were armed in some way but shoot-outs were rare. Places like Tombstone were the exception, not the rule. Or were you talking about the filming of Western movies? Tombstone's most violent year ever was 1881, with 3 homicides---all at the incident at the O.K. Corral. It was the lawlesness outside of Tombstone that was problematic I would think. |
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Posted: 3/30/2015 10:37:09 AM EDT
[#18]
I ride my horse every morning to check the herds and have often taken shots at coyotes/hogs while I was in the saddle. However I always turn and shoot broadside so I'm not shooting over the horse's head. He'll flinch a little bit, but has never bolted on me.
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Posted: 3/30/2015 10:43:47 AM EDT
[#19]
Elmer Keith told of a great old horse he had as a young man. Elmer would carry a double barreled shotgun with him on the way to and from town and shoot any quail or grouse that flushed in front of him.
Elmer said his horse knew the drill and when some birds flushed, the horse would turn his head way to the other side from where they rose and close his eyes. He said that of he hesitated in firing, the horse would start to quiver in anticipation waiting for the shot. Elmer said it took a little training to get a horse not to bolt when you shot off of his back. |
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Posted: 3/30/2015 10:47:31 AM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Tombstone's most violent year ever was 1881, with 3 homicides---all at the incident at the O.K. Corral. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
You would be amazed at how little actual "gun fighting" occurred in the Old West or how few people actually engaged in that sort of activity. Most were armed in some way but shoot-outs were rare. Places like Tombstone were the exception, not the rule. Or were you talking about the filming of Western movies? Tombstone's most violent year ever was 1881, with 3 homicides---all at the incident at the O.K. Corral. Liar. I watched Tombstone; they killed more men than that in an hour and a half. 
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Posted: 3/30/2015 10:57:04 AM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Elmer Keith told of a great old horse he had as a young man. Elmer would carry a double barreled shotgun with him on the way to and from town and shoot any quail or grouse that flushed in front of him. Elmer said his horse knew the drill and when some birds flushed, the horse would turn his head way to the other side from where they rose and close his eyes. He said that of he hesitated in firing, the horse would start to quiver in anticipation waiting for the shot. Elmer said it took a little training to get a horse not to bolt when you shot off of his back. The recoil pushes you back a little, the horse moves forward quickly, and you find yourself on the ground as your horse (without you) gallops off into the sunset. |
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Posted: 3/30/2015 10:59:13 AM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
What ? Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
The horses back in the old west shoot 'em up days must have been rendered deaf after a while. What ? I came here to say that. WHAT? |
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Posted: 3/30/2015 11:01:17 AM EDT
[#23]
Old West?
What about cavalry horses? |
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Posted: 3/30/2015 11:02:24 AM EDT
[#24]
"Hey dawg... DAWG... did you see the size of that CHICKEN??" *BOOM*
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Posted: 3/30/2015 11:07:32 AM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
What ? Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
The horses back in the old west shoot 'em up days must have been rendered deaf after a while. What ? Can you post that a little louder please? 
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Posted: 3/30/2015 11:10:35 AM EDT
[#26]
Per some old pictures you could have mounted a gatlling gun on the back of an elephant without issue and they have larger ears.
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Posted: 3/30/2015 11:11:21 AM EDT
[#27]
We use horses to hunt sharptail grouse out west. The horses and dogs don't seem to suffer any negligible hearing loss.
I've shot thousands of birds with no ear protection, I'm sure I technically have hearing damage but I'm usually the one complaining the TV is too loud. |
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Posted: 3/30/2015 11:41:52 AM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
What ? Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
The horses back in the old west shoot 'em up days must have been rendered deaf after a while. What ? I dunno, I think he said his whore was shooting up & has been dead for a while. |
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Posted: 3/30/2015 11:48:36 AM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I dunno, I think he said his whore was shooting up & has been dead for a while. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
The horses back in the old west shoot 'em up days must have been rendered deaf after a while. What ? I dunno, I think he said his whore was shooting up & has been dead for a while.
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Posted: 3/30/2015 11:52:03 AM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Obviously hollywood has its mark, However I do think that at battles such as Little Big Horn there was a lot of shooting from horseback. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Most horses I've ever been around go into 'instant rodeo mode' if you fire a gun off their back. I believe a lot of western movies used really light loads of black powder to provide the muzzle smoke effect - with the full power sound dubbed in when the editor got ahold of the film. I've guided, bucarooed, and pulled mules for a living over many years and have yet to see many horses that will let you fire a gun off their back....without introducing you to the ground.
Movie magic. Obviously hollywood has its mark, However I do think that at battles such as Little Big Horn there was a lot of shooting from horseback. I think Custers Troopers were dismounted and may have used their horses for cover as they were on the exposed high ground. The braves rode from the encampment and dismounted and crawled up the draws and gullies to fire from concealment at custers people. They did not Zulu them with human waves as depicted in sensationalized papers at the time. |
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Posted: 3/30/2015 12:05:46 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Tombstone's most violent year ever was 1881, with 3 homicides---all at the incident at the O.K. Corral. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
You would be amazed at how little actual "gun fighting" occurred in the Old West or how few people actually engaged in that sort of activity. Most were armed in some way but shoot-outs were rare. Places like Tombstone were the exception, not the rule. Or were you talking about the filming of Western movies? Tombstone's most violent year ever was 1881, with 3 homicides---all at the incident at the O.K. Corral. Do you have link to records for this? Tombstone had a population of 15-20K at that time (counting women and children like we do today) so that would give Tombstone a murder rate of 20 based on today's per 100K method. (assuming the lower population around 1881) That's above the national average of 8, but well below St Louis, Baltimore, New Orleans and Detroit. |
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