Evening star., 1898-01-22
TRAINING THE CIRCUS HORSE
An Old and Interesting Pastims for The
Hofseman.
The Wonders Of the Equine Memory
and How Trainers Utilize
This Faculty.
From the London Field.

rfum the LONDON Fte1d
To the ordinary spectator, the ring horse
Is comparatively unirteresting 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 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 well ac-
customed to the business Of the ring, for
neither the music of the band, the action
OF the clown, nor as the case of the jockey
act. the running up to him of the rider,
must cause him to alter his speed; and II
may surprise some people to learn that q
horse Is seldom perfect for the ring until
ne has had about three years experience.
The ring horse Ia, perhaps, entitled to our
sympathy, for the continuous canter must
become very monotonous, and not only
have horses 10 appear once or twice In the
day at public exhibitions, but they are also
requisittoned for rehearsals, in order that
new TRICKS may be practiced and fresh
hands taught their business. while in bare
back acts their coats are freely rubbed with
rosin In order that the performer may have
good foothoid.
1t is perhaps somewhat of a feather in
the cap of military eQuitation that Philip
Astley-who was probably the most sue
cessful of the early trainersIearned much
or his business while trooper in a cavalry
regiment; so that even in those days (some-
where about the year ITO the cavalry rid
ing master would appear to have been more
conversant than other people with the
breaking and training Of horses.
During recent years the greatest advance
has perhaps been in the training of what
are called liberty horses; that is to say.
horses which are 'tintroduced' instead of
being ridden Within no of
pie who are scarcely more than middle
aged more than one horse was seldom. IL
ever. seen in the ring at once He was
brought in, and went through his perform
ance to the great delight of the assem-
bled spectators, whereas now we find fifty
or sixty horses in the ring at one time
and their performance must be regarded as
triumph Of the trainers art. Herr Wulff,
in his earlier visits to this country. consid-
erably aStonshed his visitors by the intro
ducticn 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 evolutions inside the
ring. The ponies used to tumble off, they
became frightened, and eventually had to
be held up; but patience at last proved
victorious, and the tout ensemble was ex-
tremely good. 1t is universally admitted
that memory is horses strong point, and
it is on this that trainers work. remark
dpie eAdfnpie Oh morse memory oc-
Cured in the 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 establishment increased.
Nearly dozen years later he was tenting
near Bristol, when man came to him to
ask whether he was open to buy a small
pony. He said that he was, and, on in
quiring how old the pony might be,sswas
told five years. On the steed being brought
to him, he at once recognized it rs the old
pony, and suggested to the man that it was
a little more than five years old. The
would-be vendor WAS indignant at his words
being doubted. We'll" said Mr.. Cooke, Il
had this pony something.like ten or twelve
years ago, snd l think / can prove it to
you" He then gave the pony his cues, and
the little fellow went through the perform
ances as though he had been doing them
daily. though possibly IN the interval he
had never been asked TO perform.