FIRING OFF THE PISTOL.
In performing this trick the pistol (unloaded) should be firmly secured to a post or some other convenient support, as high as the horse can conveniently reach. To the trigger attach a small wisp of hay by a string, so arranged that by pulling at the hay the pistol will go off. Lead the horse up to this, that the savory morsel may attract his attention. He will probably pull at the hay, and in his efforts to get it, will pull the trigger. Let him eat the hay, and repeat the operation several times, patting and speaking kindly to him each time. Now attach a piece of rag to the trigger instead of the hay; show it to him and induce him to take hold of it. Every time he pulls at it, and makes the hammer click, reward him with a piece of apple. When he has become used to pulling the rag when it is shown him, the pistol may be capped. The explosion of the cap may startle him somewhat at first; but gentle treatment and a little encouragement will soon banish his fears, especially if the noise of the explosion be only slight, which would be desirable. When he will snap caps without hesitation a small charge of powder may be tried. A heavy charge only makes a nuisance of the trick, and should only be used when displaying before an audience; even then the desirableness of such a proceeding is very questionable.
TO TEACH A HORSE TO DANCE.
A horse may be taught to dance thus: Fasten the animal with two side-reins between the posts supporting the leaping bar. Take a whip, and, as the music plays, gently touch him with it, using the “jik, jik,” of the groom as you go on. The horse being tied to the posts can move neither backward nor forward, but he will be induced to lift his legs and thereby gain the rudimentary movement of his lesson. After a while the teacher must mount on his back; the horse being fastened by the side reins. Just when he is to raise his leg, a gentle pull must be given to the rein at the proper side to help the movement. In course of time the reins must be loosened, and the horse, if tolerably ready, will soon learn to mark time, quick or slow, in answer merely to a slight jerk of the bridle. The rider must then dismount, and coming before the horse, teach him to dance, or keep time, with a wave of the hand, or by a pat on the foot which he is wanted to lift.
It may be remarked here that, though the dancing horses at the circuses appear to keep time with the music of the band, it is really, in most cases, the band that accommodates its music to the movements of the horse.
TO EAT AT TABLE.
An amusing scene often enacted in the ring is to have a horse seated on his haunches before a table, while the clown obsequiously serves him. A bell is attached to the table, so arranged that the horse can ring it by pulling at a bit of rag, and as the horse is almost continually ringing the bell, and the clown makes apparently frantic efforts to answer this summons each time, while bringing in plates, etc., a vast amount of laughter is usually created. The same instructions which we have given in previous pages relative to sitting down, firing off the pistol, etc., will apply to this trick. It is usual, when the table is finally set, for the clown to seat himself opposite the horse and pretend to share his meal. As the food commonly consists of hay pies, with brown paper crusts, the actual eating, we presume, is generally confined to the horse, but the fun is much increased by the clown taking a huge mouthful of hay, as though intensely hungry, and the horse then snatching it from his mouth, and devouring it himself. This latter feat is a mere modification of the kissing trick, where he takes the piece of apple from the trainer’s mouth.
AN EQUESTRIAN EPICURE.