The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1903-05-30
TRAIN CIRCUS HORSES.
ONLY KINDNESS USED TO TEACH
ANIMALS WHAT TO DO,
A Trainer Must Have an Unlimited
Stock Of Patience-A Horse Is Like a
Child-Teaching Art Of Lying Down.

/
What qualification must a trainer
possess before he can successfully ed
ucate horses to do tricks seen in a cir
Gus? Well, that's rather a leading
question" said a circus horse trainer
Then he gave the secret away in just
two words: >"Kindness and pcrsever
ance."
He must also be a good judge OF
horse nature and possess an unlimit.
ed stock of patience: more patience
than is usually attributed TO nurse
in childrenS home" the trainer con
tinued. "A horse is like child. He
idly learns to love the attendants who
greet him with pleasant words and a
caressing pat on the neck instead Of
with an oath and a blow. From the
time you impress upon a horse the
fact that you are his friend he will
make every possible effort, in his
dumb way, to show his appreciation,
and in nine cases out of ten prove a
willing pupil when you begin TO edu.
cate him.
"A veteran trainer selects his hors-
es with as much care as society
woman plans party gown. The can.
didate for the future applause of the
| circusg going public must be handsome
in color, as near perfect as possible
in conformation and possess an even
l q No 1or
and without trace of viciousness; he
must hold his ears pointed slightly for
| ward, and he must have a sensible
| looking head, broad between the eyes,
Horses that lay back their ears at the
| approach CT man, who nip viciously
plainly show a mean disposition are
discredited. A trainer will not handle
an animal of this kind
"Once candidate is selected, he is
shipped to the winter quarters Of the
circus and assigned to a comfortable
stall in large, clean, well-yentilated
barn tenanted by several hundred
beauties Of his kind. Good hay and
oats are his in abundance, and for sew.
eral days he is allowed to rest and be-
come familiar with his surroundings.
The trainer visits him daily, and, by
speaking kindly and occasionally CIV
ing the animal bit of sugar. gains his
confidence. After time the horse be-
gins to whinny at the approach of the
trainer, and the bond of friendship is
thus quickly cemented.
Then 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 pedestals and
the harness and ropes that will soon
be buckled about his body, and then,
horselike, lies down in the centre of
the ring and enjoys a good roll
Next day he is lead around and
around the ring for several hours and
soon understands that he is expected
to encircle the ring of his own accord. |
Then a 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 a pair
of lines attached to the horses bride
in the other. The animal is told to
get up and after the ring is encircled
a few times the command Whoa is
given. If the horse refuses to obey,
quick pull on the rope draws his legs
from under him and he is forced to
stop. Only few demonstrations of
his kind are necessary to show tho
horse that he must stop when the COM
nand is given.
After these preliminaries, the
equine pupil is taught to kneel first
IN one knee, then the other and finally
IN both. All this is accomplished by
lrawing up the front legs one at a
ime, thus forcing him down. His
lnees are padded to prevent injury,
nd every time ne is forced down the
ommand to kneel is given and the an
NAL is petted and reassured with kind
words, until finally he kneels at the
vord.
1T is in these preliminary lessons that
good performer is made-or spoiled.
he instructor must be firm and reso-
Ute, but kind-always kind. A horse
) like child-you may coax him.
ut you can't force without spelling
is disposition. The animal quickly
Offices any show of i'll temper or
oughness on the part of the instructor
nd resents it by being balky and OBJ
innate. Blows or harshness punish {
lent only make him worse. You fire. ]
uently hear people at circus assert
lat animals are beaten into submis-
ion in teaching them tricks. Those
ho say this never saw the inside of ,
le training quarters CT a modern cir
is. In the older times there was {
reat deal of force used, but it was be- {
ause the owners and trainers didn't $
now better. A horse or any other an 7
nal conquered in this way is never 7
,liable and is apt to spoil perform
Ice by an outbreak of bad temper
.sides being dangerous to handle AS
,on as it was found that the educa- s
on Of a horse may be accomplished
ore quickly and with better results b
. Iii hx,