The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-08-16
The Marvellous Intelligence Displayed by the
Horses IN Barnum's Great Show.

Barnums "Greatest Show on Earth is steadi-
ly attracting thousands Of visitors everywhere,
and we learn from our exchanges that it well de.
serves the immense patronage it receives. One
of the great features of the show is the large
number of horses.
Independent of the trick ponies, the horses used
for bareback riding and the grand cavacade, the
exhibition comprises stud oftwenty horses (six
blacks, four grays, three bays and seven browns)
whose beauty, symmetry, intelligence and docili-
ty it would be next to impossible to duplicate in
SO many hides. They are all under the charge
Of Prof. Carl Antony, OF Hungary, young gen
tleman only twenty years Of age, who has
been closely connected with horses from his sew
enth year. and who combines all the qualities
necessary to his calling.
lie is young handsome, exceedingly polite,
and thorough master of his profession. In the
saddle he possesses graceful, firm and centaur-
like carriage, and shows plainly the inheritance
OF the riding knack, his father being one of the
best horsenen and trainers in Europe, and at
present with Myers, in Paris
Monsieur Antonio, as he is most generally
called, has, in an almost incredible space Of time
taught his beautiful animals to perform some
most wonderful feats, thOugh-impossible as it
may seem-he has had them only about six
months. These stations were purchased in Eu.
rope at a very large price.
They are pretty as pictures, show great breed
ing, and in their exercise seem to spurn the
ground they tread upon. They are all above the
ordinary standard of fifteen hands in height,
their limbs are clean and supple, their necks and
heads perfectly cast and their rich black coats
shine with sufficient lustre to reflect the thous
and admiring eyes that gaze upon them.
The Russian stallions four IN number, are all
grays, and though trte larger and coarser than
the blacks, are exceedingly beautiful and very in
tclligent, their performances daily and nightly
thrilling the vast audience with admiration and
delight.
Mameuke and Pasha, together with a brown,
are from the royal stables of Hungary, and are
marvels Of beauty, spirit, docity and intelli-
gence. They are the ones first introduced to
the audience by Monsieur Antonio who displays
their capabilities in innumerable ways elciting
well-merted applause from the thousands pres
ent.
The horse formerly owned and ridden by Vic
tor Emanuel, the late King of Italy, is also in
the stud He Is bright bay with white snip in
the nose, about fifteen hands high and strong
and compactly built. A dapple.gray horse, the
only gelding in the lot ia very beautiful in ap-
pearance, child-like in docility and jumps with
the agility of gaelic. liz the rather contracted
arena are placed three hurdles about four feet
high, and against -broadside-are stood
two stations These the gray jumps with extra
ordinary and agility, as also an imitation
fence wall about five feet high.
One of the gray stations is ridden by NJ An
tonic, is made to kneel down, dance waltz and
a gallop, and to go through numerous and iDtrl-
cate steps with great Professionalism altogether,
the exhibition is one Of the most marvellous dis
plays of the power OF the human mind over the
brute creation that we have ever heard of, and
will repay visit.
Barnum's Menagerie and Museum are more
attractive this year than ever, while his circus is
said to surpass any in the world
Among the hundred firstclass performers are
no less than eight lady riders, including Madame
Dockrll, Mile. Linda Jea, Miss Katie Stokes
Miss Emma Lane and Signora Marcellus, all Of
whom ride bareback horses exclusively. There
are six clowns; fifty cages of animals, besides
two coal black camels, exhibited for the first
time in any country two white camcls, double
horned rhnoceros, and the largest herd of elc-
plants ever exhibited together.
Barnum will pitch his tents in Ottawa, Tues
day Aug. 10Th.
Tickets aud reserved seats may be purchased
by those who desire to avoid the throngs at the
grounds at Simon's Music Store, Opera House