Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-11-21
THE CIRCUS IN WINTER.
A YOUNG LADY IN TRAINING AS AN
EQUESTRIAN PERFORMER.


Knee Work" for Beginners-Te.ching
Novice tn. Desired Motions which
Add Gr,Ice to the Rider.
A broad backed white horse, with silver
silk mans and one Of those billowy tails
rarely met with in real life, cantsred into
the ring. There was an arch in his swan
neck and a proud carriage Of his head never
seen outside Of the circus ring white
corded girth secured a pad on his back, and
the lines leading TO his bit were Of blue silk,
frayed and soiled.
Then the invaluable young animal, whose
capacity for taking up tricks was limitless,
came on. She pushed aside the calico hang
ings at the curtained doorway and walked to
the horses side She was girl, with big
bunch Of yellow hair on the top of her head,
a pretty pink and white face and blue fan
mel bloomer costume cut high in the neck,
ample as to skirt and ending in a pair Of
Turkish trousers gathered in at the ankles.
Il amt a going 10 do no knee work to-day"
she said stoutly, when Mr. Marks had swung
her light figure To a seat on the pad She at
once lifted herself from sitting posture to
her feet and proceeded to clasp a snap-buckle
into an iron ring which was sewed to the belt
about her waist The snap-buckIe was at the
end of a rope dangling from gibbet-like
arm above.
"AlI right" remarked Mr.. Marks, -one,
two, three and away you gor
He cracked the long whip in his hand with
a report like pistol shot and winked at the
writer out Of the tail of his eye
DANGLING FROM THE GIBBEr.
Now you will see some fun, he whispered.
The first few rounds of the ring ought al
ways to be taken by the beginner on her
knees 1t is quite as secure position as sit
ting, and 1t is almost Indispensable in catch
ing the horses gait; but maliemoiSelle knows
better than do, and although she has only
taken three lessons you have heard her pro-
pose TO give up knee work altogether-ah,
thought so"
For the first haH dozen yards mademoiseIle
went bravely on. Her siippered feet kept
their hold on the pad, and although her body
swayed dangerously with every move Of the
gently Looping horse she braCed herself by
bearing upon the bride, and seemed deter
mined To vindicate her Judgment in abandon
ing knee work. at this early stage Of the
game But with every yard the swaying
grew more pronounced and her balance more
precariOus, until suddenly with shrek she
fell A fall Of some five feet, while in an
erect position on the back Of u moving horse,
might easily be fatal, especially when ths
horses feet are shOd with iron and the faIIer
alights in his path.
But mademoiSelle did not fall far The
rope dangling from the gibbet arm held her
suspended from the middle in the air, like q
captive frog, kicking with arms and legs and
making some vigorous remarks with her
tongue until the horse had completed the
rings circuit and once more placed his back
beneath her for her support.
Now, you see, mildly began the trainer,
as he helped her again to her stand.
mo, don't SEE" she snapped ~ can
ride this horse without no more knee work,
and I'm a-gOiug TO do it
Which she proceeded to do, taking an in
voluntary and painless hanging at irregular
intervals, but clinging to the work with
grit and a psrtinacity which excited Mr..
Marks unqualified admiration.
TEACHING DESIRED NOTIONS
"Let her keep on and she can command $50
a week when the next season opens" he said,
"from $50 to $50 is the average weekly sti-
pend for riders Of from two to five years ex-
perience, and as it requires winter practice,
when. Of course, no salary is paid, the work
is worth the money. All young riders begin
by riding on their knees. When they can 60
around the ring confidently in this position
they must rise to their feet for a second, then
down on their knees again, up and down, up
and down a thousand times. Finally the
young lady is able to stand erect with a fair
degree Of confidence, and now, when no doubt
you imagine the hardest part Of the task to
be over, my work begins in earnest.
"A human being standing on a hcrses
back is naturally an awkward animal The
girls want to go about the ring with their
hands and arms either hanging like
pump handles at their sides, or
else launched out violently every
other minute in an effort at keeping
their balance, the whole effect being stiff and
ungracefuL / must teach them every de-
sir-d motion and have names for each mo-
tion, so that when call for it the rider will
loow exactly what is wanted. For instance,
when call for foot back she is required to
shrow one foot behind her, resting its toe
gracefully on the horses back. There are
several kinds Of foot back and foot 'front.'
each Of which must be learned thoroughly
l never put beginner at stand-up riding on
a walking horse; the looping gait Is much
easier to ride. II requires considerable prac-
tice to stand on a walking horse, and abso-
lutte genius to keep foothold when the ami
NAL is trotting.
There is more work in the matter Of pre-
pairing circus for the road than people i'm
agine, and what with taking care Of the ami
mails, training them, regilding the band
wagons and dens and mapping out routes we
are all kept in seclusiOn from the time we