The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-07-25
TRAINING OF HORSES
CAREFUL HANDLING TO FIT THEM
FOR CIRCUS TRICKS.

The Candidate For Ring Honors
Must Have Special Points Well De-
VcIopcd - Horses Can lie Coaxed,
Like "A Child, hut Not Forced.
"a trainer must possess two qualfi-
cations before he can successfully ed
ucatc a horse to do the tricks seen In n
circus-he must possess kindness and
perseverance.
"a veteran trainer selects his horses
with as much care as a society woman
plans party gown. The candidate for
the future applause OF the circus going
people of the world must be handsome
In color as near perfect as possible In
conformation and possess an even tenn
permanent. His eyes must be large and
devoid of the least trace OF vicious
ness, he must hold his ears pointed
slightly forward, and he must have n
sensible looking head, broad between
the eyes. Horses that lay back their
ears at the approach of man, who
nip vlclOusly at every passerby and
whose eyes plainly demonstrate
mean disposition are discarded. A
trainer will handle no animal OF this
kind.
"Once the candidate is selected he IL
shipped 20 the winter quarters Of the
circus and assigned TO comfortable
stall In n large, clean, well ventilated
barn tenanted by several hundred beau
ties of his kind. Good hay and oats are
his In abundance, and for several days
he is allowed TO rest and become famil-
lar with his surroundings. The trainer
visits him daily and by speaking kind
ly and occasionally giving the animal a
bit of sugar gains his confidence. After
time the horse begins to whinny at
the approach of the trainer, and the
bond of friendship is thus quickly ce-
mentCd.
"Thcn comes the first lesson. The
| candidate is introduced to the training
ring constructed near the barn and al
| lowed TO wander about at will. He
smells the sawdust, the pedcstals and
the harness and ropes that will soon
be bucklcd about his body and then,
horselkc, lies down in the center of the
ring and enjoys a good roll.
"NcXt day he is led around and
around the ring for several hours and
soon understands that he is expected
TO enCirClC the ring of his own accord.
Then n strap is placed around his right
/ forcleg. and from this strap n rope is
/ run through harness fastened around
! his body. The trainer grasps the free
end of the rope I'm one hand and n pair
/ of lines attached 10 the horses bride
I'm the other. The animal is told TO
/ get up and after the ring is encircled
/ few times the command whoa is
given. If the horse refuses 20 obey, a
quick pull on the rope draws his leg
I from under him, and he is forced TO
stop. Only n few demonstrations OF
this kind are necessary 10 show the
horse that he must stop when the COM
mand is given.
After these preliminarics are salts
factorily accomplished the equine pupil
Is taught 20 knecl first on one knee,
then on the other and finally on both.
All this is accomplished 10y drawing
up the front legs, one at time. thus
forcing him down. His knees are
padded 10 prevent injury, and every
time he is forced down the command
TO kncel Is given. and the animal is
petted and rcassured with kind words
until finally ne knccls at the word.
at Is I'm these preliminary lessons
that n good performer Is made or
spoiled. The instructor must he firm
and resolute. but kind. always kind. A
horse is like n child; you may coax
him. but you can't force without spoil
ing his disposition. The animal quick
ly notices any show Of ill temper or
roughness on the part Of the instructor
and rcsents Il 10y becoming balky and
obstinate Blows or harsh punishment
only make him worse. You frequently
hear people assert that animals are
beaten into submission I'm teaching
them tricks. People who say this never
saw the inside Of the training quarters
Of n modern circus. A horse or any 9th
CT animal conquered in this way is
never reliable aud is apt TO SPOIL a per-