Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1896-06-03
TRAINING CIRCUS HORSES.
THEDIsTINcTIoN BETWEEN TRrCK
AND RING PERFORMERS.
Tutors Never Punish for BIunders--
The Green Horse Gets (ilddy-
Spotted Animals Rare.


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manifested by the equine
race, We have wondered at the pa
tience and perseverance that it must
have taken to train the animals. The
horse, which Justly claims our affec-
tionate gratitude for the many addi-
tions he makes to our comfort, happi-
ness and pleasure, is capable ot much
under the training hand of kind and
patient teacher, who must be likewise
firm and mastery.
Trainers begin the education Of
"green horse" when he is two years
old. Should he be older, he will not
be SO traotable, but will probably
sulk, go off his feed and lose condi-
tion. Some horses, like some men,
can be taught nothing, while others
are quickly impressible, and. show
great delight when brought into the
training ring. AS soon as the young
ster is mouthed and lunged, his train
ing in "tricks" commences. The
trickmaster must have unquestionable
| patience, perseverance and resolution,
+, with a perfect command of his own
temper, and quick perception c'f indi-
vidual equine idiosyncrasies. Kind
ness and perseverance alone a:e suc-
cessful.
At every forward step, however in
| significant, the pupil is encouraged
and rewarded with few pieces of car
rot, which the tutor carries in his
pocket. An intelligent animal soon
begins to guess what is required of
him. He must never be punished
should he make blunders. The tutor
gently, firmly and kindly continues
the practice in hand until the bIunders
are no longer committed, the instruc-
for always keeping the mastery. If
the horse turns suikY, the lesson must
be perseyered withtill he comes out of
his suIks; but If ne Is god "a and
amiable, short and frequent lessons
are the most effective, say, half an
hour at time, and, perhaps, eight or
nine lessons in,the day. A horse is
never struck unless he proves vicious.
Spectators in circus often wonder
how the horse has the intimation Of
what he is desired to do. The most
careful watching may fail to detect
the "cue," if one does not know what
the "cue" is, but, nevertheless, it is
always given, and by it alone the
horse is directed in his performance,
and his concentrated attention when
in the ring is easily discernible. The
professional phrase is "giving the
office" In teaching, the "ofice" is
given by touching the horse sharply
on particular parts with light whip.
The general "ofices" are, for march
ing, to touch the horse on the front
part of the shoulder, on the off or near
side, according to what leg he is to
march with; the "office" for crawling
is touch on the under side; for lay
ing down, tap between the knees,
and so on. There are many other
"ofices," according to the taste of
the individual trainer, who must, in
the course of training many animals,
discover idiosyncrasies and accidental
intelligence, which, if he have the
necessary tact himself, he can make
available. A complicated trick. such
Us firing of pistol, takes long time
to teach, and should the animal take
fright at the sudden noise, he will
never be able to accomplish it. The
horse has remarkable memory.
When step in his instruction is once
acquired, he never forgets it; and
even if he should not be called upon
to practice it for years, very small
effort is sufficient to recall it, and he
will be as expert as ever at it.
After the animal has "felt the ring,"
as it Is called, the lessons in cantering
begin. The horse lie taught to strike
off with the inner legs to whichever
hand he is working. If he cannot be
relied on to do this, he is not safe for
o single round. 1t is very difficult to
train horse to canter courageously
under objects held close above him.
The object is to get the horse to that
slow, Collected, equable canter which
is an artificial pace, but indispensable
for circus work, so that he may not
yield to the impulse to stop dead or
to swerve while the acrobat sexpected
to Jump over banners or to crash
through paper globes and alight once
more on the horse cantering placidly
below.
Marked horses are so rare that they
fetch high price. In England a.
young horse, of ordinary color, dor
which $3.50 or 5000 would be reason
able price, fetches readily $3.50 to
$500, if his markings make him an
eligible circus horse.-New York
Ledger.