Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-04-05
Educated Animals.

Our townsman, Robert w. Fryer, is
creating quite a sensation in New York
with his troupe of trained horses and
dogs, the same upon whose education he
expended so much time, patience and
skill, winter before last, in this city.
The following description Of the wonder
full performances of the troupe is taken
from the New York Star:
The current attraction at the Aqua
rum is of nor than general public in
terest. 1t consists Of a troupe of ten
Broncho horses, whose evolutions con-
stitute a genuine novelty. The fascina-
ton which pertains to ordinary circus
performances has been heightened in
this instance by the adoption of a novel
and ingenious plan. Briefly stated, it is
to present al equestrian entertainment
Invested of the mere mechanism of the
ring" Extraneous aids are disregard
ed. The horses appear without riders.
They are neither checked" driven or
directed, but perform evolutions which
are wholly the result of training, and
perform them without assistance.
These horses were originally wild on
the plains. and have undergone all stages
of subsection until they are now under
complete control. To what extent they
may be carried is shown in some of their
marvellous feats. The horses first IKE
cute a military drill, forming into line,
answering to roll-call and marching in
single and double file, and in platoon,
counter-marching and executing other
martial tactics. A handkerchief is pass
ed along the entire line from mouth to
mouth. At the conclusion of this, Pic
comma, who is perhaps the most spirited
of the ten. compels the others to leave
the ring in successive order, without a
word of direction or assistance being ut
tered by any one. Then two horses open
a lid of a box and find a handkerchief
concealed therein, which is delivered to
| the owner. One horse makes choice
among flags of different c%olors, such
ones as the audience select, and after
ward leaps through a burning hoop,
| Another animal fires off a pistol from a
sack strapped at his flank, and still an
other unties with its teeth a handker-
chief tied alternately on n of his fore
and hind feet, But the most difficult
trick accomplished is the act Of see
saving" A horse mounts a plank oscil-
lating on a fulcrum, and, although the
board is scarcely two feet in width, bal
ances himself in the center until it
reaches a horizontal position. When he
has the plank completely at rest, he in
clines toward one end, and by letting the
other fall, enables a second horse to
mount. The equilibrium is again estab-
lished, and for some time the two horses
"see-saw" in the most approved style.
They then change places without leav-
ing the plank, and finally dismount sep
arately.
The horse Flora rolls a barrel up an
inclined plane-a most difficult feat, for
the hoofs of the animal are so constitut-
ed as to render impossible any grip on
the substance. But more difficult still
than this is the process of rolling the
barrel down the plank.
Nettle is the chief leaper of the Bron-
cho troupe, clearing four horses and a
fence at a bound. All of these horses
are of great strength and grace of move
ment, ana unue MOSC perfect training.
Their exhibitions are a real novelty,
and will amply repay q visit to the
aquarium.
The attractions of the place are like.
wise enhanced by a troupe of educated
dogs. A dogs pantomime of the droll-
est description is enacted. One dog
steals a brass collar from another; a
third one goes in pursuit of the offender
and overtakes him. Meanwhile, a moose
has been slipped around his head. Two
other dogs erect a gallows. The dog
who has hold of the end of the moose
drags the thief after him, and, by jump
ing over the cross-bar of the gallows, is
enabled to pull the rope taut, and thus
raise the offender from the ground,
The thief is then let down, to all appear
nice dead. Three dogs bring a wagon
for a hearse;; the dead criminal is depos-
tied therein, and the funeral cortege
proceeds from the place of execution,
while the brass collar is restored to its
rightful owner. The intelligence shown
by these dogs is surprising.