The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1906-01-25

TWO THAT PERFORM REGULAR
LIZ BEFORE AUDIENCES.
Animals Seem to Enjoy the Fun as
Much as the People Who Witness
the Performonce--variet
of Equine Tricks.

Of Equine Tricks.
The intelligence displayed by many
OF our animals, both wild and domes-
tic, is surprising. Dogs and horses. es-
pecially. from their long association
with man, and because Of their natural
temperament, can be taught q great
many interesting and beautiful tricks,
says St. Nicholas. We have all seen
dogs carrying bundles. papers, or bas
kets along the street, and know how
faithful they are In their charges
neither stopping TO play with others Of
their kind, nor allowing any one but
their master to relieve them Of their bur
den. Other feats that these faithful
creatures often perform are: BEG.
ging." rolling over" walking and dane
ing on their hind legs. and jumping over
sticks or through the arms. Horses. be.
sides performing many feats which are
taught them. often show considerable
intelligence in unfastening gates or let
ting down bars SO that they may escape
from the pasture
One of the most beautiful feats that
have ever seen performed by horses Is
the high diving by king" and Queen. ="
These two beautiful animals were raised
on western American farm. They are
both snowy white and perfectly formed
King has dark. lustrous eyes. while his
mate has light-blue ones: both have
rinkish muzzles. aud both are kept i'm
maculately clean and carefully
groomed, as such valuable animals
should be.
II is said that they we're both kept in
pastures on the opposite sides Of river
the bank on the side on which King was
kept being high and overhanging the
water. Both animals had always shown
fondness for the water. and one would
often make the plunge into the river
and swim across to Join its mate. From
watching this performance was con.
ceived the idea of training them to ey Z.
hibit in public. an idea which was car
ried out with the greatest success.
A knock down" staging was con-
structed. and is carried about with the
horses and used at every performance:
II has an incline of about 30 degrees. and
the top is about 30 feet above the water
about two feet below the top platform
Is a small one, on which the horses
place their feet just before making
the plunge: This is so that their bodies
may take a more vertical position. and
that they may strike The water with the
least resistance.
They require about 10 feet of water
In which to make their dive. They are
most often shown at places where
there Is a natural body of water for the
purpose but frequently pit is dug. and
the bottom is covered with canvas
which is filled with water. and in this
improvised tank they do their stunt"
twice daily-in the afternoon and even.
ing.
The two horses are stationed at the
point where they are to leave the wa.
ter, and one of them usually Queen first.
is led to the foot OF the incline. with a
toss of her head. she quickly runs to the
top of the staging. looks over to see IL
the course is clear. then without hesita-
tion drops her fore feet to the small plat.
form and makes the leap. They strike
the water with their fore feet extended
and the head thrown back on the shoul
ders. so that the shock is not unduly
great. They are under water from three
to six seconds; then with a shake of the
head to clear the eyes. each makes for
the spot where the mate Is standing
King is apparently prouder and more
deliberate than Queen; he goes up the in
cline slowly, and pauses at the top to
look about at the crowd of people below.
often whinnying apparently to attract
attention to himself He makes the
more graceful dive OF the two. keeping
his fore feet straight. while Queen has
hers doubled when in the air. AS soon
rubbed dry. covered with blankets, and
let to the stable. where they are careful
ly groomed.
Occasionally we find some one who
thinks IL is cruel to make" horses dive
from such a height: but the fact is that
they do not appear to dislike It at all.
and they certainly like to be In the
water How much more fortunate are
they than many of their kind that have
to do the hardest sort of work from
morning until night, and often
upon scanty or insufficient rations!
These horses have the best Of care. the
best OF food. and plenty of exercise, and
apparently are in the best Of health and
humor. They have been exhibited from
the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean and In