Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1873-08-23
TIE sAwDUsr RING.
How CHILDREN ARE TRAINED I'd BEcoME
BAREBACK RIDERs-TnE LEADING
Circus RlDEas OF THE WORLD.


Circus RiDEas OF THE WORLD.
Visitors to the circus now performing
on the Jackson-strcct lot cannot fail 10
have been struck with the excellence of
the Juggling fcats on horseback of Har.
nv Welby Cooke, who for six years has
hal challenge out to all comers 10
compete with him in this class Of acts
for $4,000. Mr.. Cooke who is tho lead.
ing bareback rider in the company, and
among the foremost in the world, i'm tho
course of conversation made some inter
esting statements in regard to early
training os riders. His own experience
will sorve as an example of
THE COURSE or INSTRUCTION.
pursued by nearly all successful riders.
At the age of three and half years he
put OH the spangles and entered the
sawdast ring for his first lesson. IL
consisted of merely riding pony
around the ring barebacked, in order to
get confidence and the art of balancing
two essentials in bareback riders. II
the child is possessed of sufficient cool
ness and courage TO warrant the hope
that he will become a successful rider
with sufficient practice, after number
of such lessons, he is taught To ride two
ponies, galloping around the ring, stand
ing with one foot on the back OF each
pony. and holding the rcins in his hand,
while his tutor holds cord attached tO
the child's waist and passing through u
ring in the saddle. This is used TO keep
the child from falling under the horses
feet, in case of his losing his balance.
The lesson will be illustrated this even
ing, when thrcc-ycar old son of MIR.
Cooke will ride the dancing pony. IL
is much easier TO balance with one foot
on each horse than to ride single AMI
NAL. After the pupil liz able to rido
two ponies, and has some idea of tho
balance required, he is then placed on q
pad, or equestrian saddle. An expert
enccd sits behind, and the pupil per
forms in front within reach Of his tutors
arms. Every prccaution is taken TO
preserve the child from falling, as n fall
destroys confidence and often undoes
months of patient instruction. Instead
of using severity il is the aim of the tu-
tor to make the pupil feel additional
confidence aud pleasure in the perform
ance every time it is repeated.
TIiE NEXT STEP
is allowing the child to ride alone on
the pad, if he has sufficient confidence
in himself and good idea Of prcscrv-
iug his balance. Tho cord attached to
the child's waist il still held by the etutor
to prevent accidents. After he has
learned to stand on one foot, and jump
from his knees To his feet, the bareback
horse is introduced, and the routine of
introduction is repeated with additional
precautions. Then the "leaping OBJ
jecls' are brought in. The first lesson
Is lcaping tho banner, which requires
some time To perfectly accomplish. At
this stage Of the instruction i the. boy
he soon drops out of the list of riders
and becomes an objectholder. Thcpu-
pill next tries hoop jumping, and when
he is well up in these he tries the
"cross tricks which consists OF somer-
saults, pirouetting, standing with face
to the horses head, jumping halfway,
and lighting with his face 10 the horses
tail. These tricks often require years
OF patient practice, supplemented with
great coolness and Judgment.
JUGGLING ON HORSEBACK.
is another branch OF bareback perform.
ance, which is studied after the pupil
becomes master OF the foregoing accern-
plishnIents. lie commences with the
balls, the globe, spinning the basin, etc,
on the ground, and when be becomes
proficient attempts the same feats on
horseback. As the rider keeps his eyes
on the balls or basin all tho time, tbese
feats become doubly difficult and dar-
ing. The most difficult Of all is the
trick which Mr.. Cooke performs
Jumping through the paper l'oop,throw-
ing the basin over the top and catching
il after alighting on the other side.
This requires years of practice and an
extraordinary amount Oppression. Fc-
male bareback riders are put through
the same course OF training.
THE FOREMOST BAREBACK RIDgRa
in the world are James Robinson, John
Henry Cooke, II. Welby Cooke, Chas.
Fish, Donald Melville, William I's!l,
Madame Caroline Roland and Madame
Dockrill. The average salaries Of bare
back riders arc from Sl75 10 $500 per
week. James Robinson, who has been
tlirty-iwo years in the business, and rs
regarded M the best in the world, has
refused s7OO per week in Germany
while filling n more lucrative engage
mcnt. Madame Roland and Maismc
Docknll each command about 300 per
week and cxpenses.-Son Fra"eiseo
ChroaiciF.
A HINT TO HOUSEWIVES
HOW TO KEEP KITCHEN WARE
CLEAN AND BlslGIiT--Every