Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-04-30
CIRCUS HORSES.

CIRCUS HORSES.
How They Are Trained to Perform In
the Ring.
In purchasing an animal for circus
ring -bareback-intuition in the
purchaser is perhaps more impor-
tant factor than mere technical knowl-
edge, but both are important. How
ever, beyond such intuition. the points
to be looked for are broad breast.
straight, broad back; short-coupled
body, and a broad, intelligent fore
head. He must be young and, Of
course, sound and well marked. After
he and the trainer come to know each
other, the latter gets on him for trot
around the ring, giving the animal his
own gait for a while, then bringing
him into a lope, Next he is given a
little spur-always pointless, and usu-
ally q ten-cent piece with the milling
worn down so that it does not cut the
skin-and the knees Of the rider are
pressed in gradually until the ami
NAL comes to canter. This Is contin-
ued patiently and with many encour-
aging words until the horse gets his
right leg out-the left leg out Is what
is known as false gallop." The wise
trainer acts on the theory that all
horses, candidates for the ring, are
from the Iron Mountain state-must
be shown, not whipped and when once
the animal gets the idea that his train
er's motives are Of the kindliest. 1t is
surprising how quickly he responds
in kind.
After the horse has been broken in
to proper gait, large pieces Of paper
are scattered about the ring, sacks
thrown up before his head, dummy
figures cast on and of his back, pis-
tolls fired into the air and under the
feet, drums beaten on his back and
under and around him, to accustom
him to all sorts Of intimidating noises
and sights. To be a nervous animal
this is trying experience. and conf
dence in his master, who continually
soothes him with reassuring words, Is
all that keeps the pupil from going to
pieces. But even then some are panic
stricken, and the trainers motto Is:
Take time--have patience" He then
works the novice around the ring with
an experienced animal, allows him to
smell Of the saddle and other objects
used, and bite them II he wants to.
But sometimes, even after all this, the
subject is found to be too nervous to
stand the strain, and he Is turned out
for a few days, week or months. or
longer, as may seem best.
Early in his training the horse Is
handled all over, until he becomes so
used to It that he will not finch. After
he has been broken to gait and noises
a dummy rider Is put up In such a
manner that 1t will flop pretty much
all over his back. When he has got
used. to this real rider takes the
place of the dummy. However, even
after the circus horse has been
through all these experiences he will
sometimes sulk. In that event the
trainer gives him "one-two" across
the front legs with whip. and there
Is no more sulking after that, for the
impression of this, his first real pun
ishment is a lasting one. An "Ah. an
therei, usually is sufficient thereafter
to correct him.
Some horses will break In two weeks
but put a new rider up and the ami
NAL seems possessed, throwing the
equestrian the moment he essays
stand, but this generally is found to
be the fault Of the rider. Some. with
feet at horse, standing In one place
too long, will get an anipal ticklish
after a while, causing him to kick and
squeal, thus running an otherwise ar
tistic performance, and then the rider
has to be requested to move about
more on the horses back. The feet
of an experienced rider, you will OBJ
serve II you take notice, are never In
one spot for more than instant; they
are constantly on the move, working
much as a ballet dancers do. For
bareback work the animal Is taught
to spread" by the pushing Of the feet
of the rider, attacking with the reins
and heel at the same time.
One difficulty hard to overcome Is
the speed of young horses. Imbued
with the spirit Of the moment In
spired by the music Of bands, the
crack of the ringmaster's whip and
the cries of the rider. they go faster
and faster. until, by and by, the eques-
trian, unable to maintain his poise'
takes an inglorious tumble. Therefore
the older the horse the better fitted
he is for bareback work, because he
is so slow and sure. There are, In all
Of the big circus organizations, horses
that have been in the ring for twen-
ty-five years and more-faitnful'
steady, lazy old fellows, plump, sleek
and wise, and highly valued by their
owners. Many performers train ana
own their own stock, the show paying
for the keep, or rather furnishing IT,
l-Leslie's Weekly.
CHINESE TIME STICKS.