The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-03-12
CIRCUS RIDERS SCHOOL.
WRITER REHCARsALS FOR EQUGS-
TRANS AND THEIR HORSES.


Horses for the Hing.
There is the usual circus ring in the centel
of the barn ike building. On two or thfc'
sidcc Of the ring ere rows Of narrow boz
stalls. IN which the trained horses have tLeii
homes. A score or moro Of hostlers anC
belpors are about the room, making anC
keeping things clean and neat. With thu
cold blast that comes in at the open dooI
comes also a tall, rather slim, figure, wrapped
In a cloak of fur, and with such a hat and
such cloyts. and such an outfit generally as
ono might cxTcct 20 see on any lady taking
her morning walk on Broadway. She is de
cidodly pretty ne She trIlS IN, closes the door,
grocts every one with % CHEEKY good morn
ing" and then tr.~ tp a fight Of stairs to
her dressing room. .lt before she disappears
from sight she says. Please get Bob ready
Bob Is brought out. lie is a big horse,
more white than gray, and Is taken from one
of the stalls which have IA number very like
him in color IN them. That prompts an in
uisitivc visitor TO ask one OF the titled
people standing round If white horses are the
only ones that viii train well for circus pur-
poses.
Not a bit. nv boy; bays OF blacks or
chcstnuts would 10 equally well, but the
ridcrs like the white ones best. Why Oh,
because they like to keep up the Illusion Of
the ring. Sec. there's the reason why white
horses are used so generally
As be spoke this professor Of horse educa-
ton pointed 70 a young man who was rub
L'nr Bobs back with a lot of fine powder.
II va, powdered resin, and was applied lib
orally o. the back Of Bob and carefully
e,r,aI over all the broad back on which tho
fairy vino a few moments ago entered would
soon 5c dancing.
THAT'S the reason why the white horses
are chosen by riders tor their uses. Now, If
Inc horse was black or bay in color the pow
der would he in n great pad like block that
would be- plainly visible 10 every one.
Riders. male on female, dislike to have any
orr know that they use resin 10 help them
keep their feet ON the animals back. So
thov use white horses to help out the decep-
ton
While this explanation Of the petty decep-
fion was being INDUCED la the horse profess
SORTS a. istauts had got the mechanic into
trim. That 'mcchanic' looked more like a
can0wi than any dining else. From the enter
of the ring rose a strong pole, or mast, which
lost itself M the beams above which served
70 support the dressing room floor. Three
quarters OF the way mp from the bottom VI
the pole there stretched out an arm, which
gave to the pole the gallows like appearance.
A rope which hung from the end OF this arm,
with a halter band OF leather, added TO the
repulsiye appearance The arm moved
noieClessly and easily about the supporting
post is the young lady 10 be hung Oh that
Galowsf was the Factions inquiry addressed
70 the man Of horse lore aud circus mystery.
'Ycs, shell hang there for a half hour.
Here she comes. now see how She does it"
The erstwhle fairy came tripping down
II a fairy can "trip when shod in a sort
of sabot, much like those worn like the peas.
ants Of Holland, but with a trifle less wood
IN them. Great Scott, What a transforma-
ton! The sabots brought down stairs "a some
thing utterly unlike the graceful woman who,
few moments before, had gone to the mys-
FERROUS regions of the dressing room 1t was
n being clothed in n cross between Il bloomer
and q bathing dress.
The ringmas,cr fastened u stout bit Of cord
10 the horses bride bit, the other end of
cord he held in the hand that didn't
hold the whip. An attendant fastened the
halter about the waist OF the peerless cques-
t%ricnne, and tho gallows was ready. But
her lesson is begun Mile. T~hroughthe-
hoops goes up 10 Bob, pats him kindly on the
lead and neck, and gives him a lump of
Friendly relations are thus established
horse and rider, and she says "All
let INN go" There's a snap of the
whip, n Enthusiastically wo-
manly Get up!' in a shrill, high KEY, and
he handsome gray begins his gallop about
he little circus ring lie makes a half dozen
ircults OF the ring, and then Mile. Through
hehoOps makes frantic rush at him, catches
i'm by the name with one hand. and with
he other sei2cs the grip fastened to the saddle
irth and leaps 70 his back. At the same in
tant tho rope arrangement Of the gallows
of the mechanic IS hauled taut. 1t was
veil II was hauled taut, TOO, for the new
ors9, startled by the sudden descent on his
back, jumps away as if struck by a
ulet. The rider loses her foothold. and if it
'asnt for that mechanic and its gallows like
rm, she would have had a bad tumble. In
cad the mechanic and its arm and harness
eop her swinging in the air, AID she is grad
ally lowered tothe ground. The ringmaster's
hip cracks, everybody yolls "Hi-hi-hi,r the
orse finally gets down to its regular gallop
ace more, and the thing is gone over and
yer again Several times the rider is saved
a tumble by the mechanic, and finally
Bob' IS dismissed with a pat and a lump Of
and another gray horse, who is an old
agcr, comes to the ring. |
Things go much better now. Mile.
hroug hthehoops calls FOR the banners. and
strips OF white cotton cloth come out in
ace OF the gay colOrcd silken banners that
ould be used IN a regular circus ring. The
wv horse starts IN with a regular stride,
lie Throughthehoops, still fastened 70 tho
echanic, leaps TO his back, and the circus.
ithout It's tinsel, is reproduced In NINA
re. The Nile" goes on with her act lust /
II a thousand people were watching her,
I'd courtesies and smiles and waves her 1
.nds as she would III the ring. Who is She |
urtesying and smiling att To every EN-
BYE in the big building whose duties do +,
Z compel him 70 he elsewhere. This crowd
men are just outside the ring, hallooing at
g top OF their voice, "Hi-hi.hi,n and clap
thor hands and mGking things hideous ,
nerally As they shout, and the ringmas- y
B whip cracks and hands are clapped, and \
b rider jumps and leaps and wells at the !,
, OF her voice occasionally, and she really Il
'ns TO enjoy 1t, until II misstep throws her = =