Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-02-20
WONDERFUL CIRCUS HORSE.
TRAINING 1T IS AN OLD AND INTER-
ESTING PASTIME.
The Wonders of the Equine Memory
and How Trainers Utilize This
FacuIty-SOme Remark
able Incidents.

From the London Field.
TIC the ordinary spectator, the ring horse
is a comparatively uninteresting animal; he
goes round at a steady canter while the
rider goes through more or less difficult
feats; but the circus proprietor would tell
us that a really good ring horse Is one
Of the most valuable properties. In order
that the performer may execute his feats
with accuracy, the horse must travel at
one even speed; for If he were to make
a start or slacken his pace the rider would
come to the ground. He must also be ac-
customed to the business of the ring, for
neither the music of the band. the action
of the clown, nor. in the case OF the Jockey
act, the running up 70 Nun nm s Oh me , r,de :;
may surprise some people to learn that a
horse is seldom perfect for the ring until
l he has rinh had bor a5o ut rarfe Sea Entitled ea9et to our
sympathy, for the continuous canter must
become very monotonous, and not only
day at public exhibitions, but they are also
requisitioned for rehearsals. In order that
new tricks may be practiced and fresh
hands taught their business, while in bare
hack acts their coats are freely rubbed
with rosin in order that the performer MAJ
have a good foothold.
the cap of military equitation that Philip
Astley-who was probably the most sue
cessful of the early y,1 tra y trsonea ne , m cayn
airy regiment: so that even in those days
somewhere about the year no the cav
airy riding master would appear to have
been more conversant than other people
with the breaking and training of horses.
During recent years the greatest ad-
of ofn What are called liberty" horses: that
is to say. horses which are introduced
instead Of being ridden. Within the men,
orv of people who are scarcely more than
middle-aged more than one horse was sell
dom, if ever. seen in the ring at once. He
was brought in, and went through his
| performance to the great delight of the
spectators. whereas now we find
fifty or sixty horses In the ring at one
time. and their performance must be re-
garded as a triumph of the trainers art.
Herr Wulf. in his earlier visits to this
country. considerably astonished his VISIT
ors bv the introduction Of something like
fifty horses in the ring at one time. and
he made no secret of the fact that one of
the most difficult tasks was to make the
ponies trot along the ring fence, while
the bigger horses were going through their
to tumble off. they became frightened, and
eventually had to be held up: but patience
ar last proved victorious, and the tout en-
semble was extremely good. 1t is univer-
| sally admitted that memory is a horses
strong point, and it is on this that trainers
memory occurred in the case of a pony
once owned by the late Mr.. William Cooke.
who for many years was at Astley's. In
the early days of his career he owned a
small pony. which he sold when his estab-
! lishment increased. Nearly a dozen years
a man came to ask whether he was open
to buy a small pony. He said that he was,
and. on inquiring how old the pony might
be. was told S years.. On the steed being