The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-10-04
TRAINING OF HORSES.

A trainer must possess two quail
fcationS before he can successfully
educate horse to do tie tricks seen
in circus-he must possess kindness
and perseverance, says an exchange.
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 temperament.
His eyes must be large and devoid Of
the least trace of viciousness, he must
hold his ears pointed slightly forward,
and he must have a sensible looking
head, broad between the eyes. Horses
that lay back their ears ar the ap-
proach of man, who nip viciously
at every passerby and whose eyes
plainly demonstrate mean disposi-
ton are discarded. A trainer will
handle no animal of this kind.
"Once the candidate is selected he
is shipped to the winter quarters of
the circus and assigned to a conlforta-
bic stall in large, clean, we'll venti-
lated barn tenanted by several hun
dred beauties of his kind. Good hay
and oats are his in abundance, and for
several days he is allowed to rest and
become familiar with his surround
ings. The trainer visits him daily
and by speaking kindly and occasion
ally giving the animal bit of sugar
gains his confidence. After a time
the horse begins to whinny at the ap-
proach Of the trainer, and the bond of
friendship is thus quickly cemented.
Then comes the first lesson. The
candidate is introduced to the train
ing ring constructed near the barn
and allowed to wander about at will.
He smells the sawdust, the pedestals
and the harness and ropes that will
soon be buckled about his body and
then, horselike, lies down in the GEN.
ter of the ring and enjoys a good
roll.
Next day he is led around and
around the ring for several hours and
soon understands that he is expected
to encircle the ring of his own accord.
Then strap is placed around his
right foreleg, and from this strap
rope is run through harness fastened
around his body. The trainer grasps
the free end of the rope in one hand
and pair of lines attached to the
horses bride in the other. The an
imal is told to get up, and after the
ring is encircled few times the COM
mand whoa is given. If the horse
refuses to obey, quick pull on the
rope draws his leg from under him,
and he is forced to stop. Only few
demonstrations of this kind are neces-
sary to show the horse that he must
stop when the command is given.
After these preliminaries are sat-
isfactorily accomplished the equine
pupil is taught to kneel first on one
knee, then on the other and finally on
both. All this is accomplished by
drawing up the front legs, one at
time, thus forcing him down. His
knees are padding to prevent injury,
and every time he is forced down the
command to kneel is given, and the
animal is petted and reassured with
kind words until finally he kneels at
the word.
''It is in these preliminary lessons
that a good performer is made or
spoiled. The instructor must be firm
and resolute, but kind, always kind.
A horse is like child you may coax
him, but you can't force him without
spelling his disposition. The animal
quickly notices any show of i'll temper
or roughness on the part of the in
structor and resents it by becoming
balky and obstinate. Blows or harsh
punishment only make him worse.
You frequently hear people assert
that animals are beaten into submis-
sion in teaching them tricks. People
who say this never saw the inside of
the training quarters of modern
circus. A horse or any other animal
conquered in this way is never relia-
bic and is apt to spoil performance
by an outbreak of bad temper, besides
being dangerous to handle.
"The next lesson for the horse is
the art of lying down and remaining
motionless until the word is given to