This feat may be easily accomplished by the application of the plan already described, which we may term the “pistol principle.” After the horse has learned to take hold readily of anything offered to him, which knowledge he will have acquired if he has already learned to perform the tricks heretofore mentioned, the only additional instruction necessary will be to initiate him into the mysteries of turning the handle. When he has taken hold of the handle, gently move his head so as to produce the desired motion. If, when you let go of his head, he ceases the motion, speak sharply to him and put his head again in motion. With almost any horse a few lessons, and judicious rewards when he does what is required, will accomplish the object, and he will soon both be able and willing to grind out Old Dog Tray, or Norma, if not in exact time at least with as much correctness as many performers on this instrument. Some time since there was a horse connected with Franconi’s circus in Paris, whose education had progressed finely until the organ was reached, as it was in due course of time; this appeared to be the stumbling block in his progress.
THE HAND ORGAN PERFORMANCE.
It seems that the horse in question had already, under the lessons of his master, developed an unusual degree of intelligence, his eyes in particular becoming so full of expression that one could hardly doubt that he understood very much of what was said to him. His master had great hopes of him; he had been in training only a year, and he had already learned to lie down and get up as ordered, to enact the dead horse, to fire a pistol, and to give whichever of his fore hoofs was asked for. At length the professor began the task of teaching this promising pupil to turn a barrel organ; but either this particular species of exercise was repugnant to his tastes, or the sound of the organ was disagreeable to his ears. Certain it was that the animal, usually so docile, was resolute in his refusal to touch the handle of the barrel organ. His preceptor labored at this point for a month without being able to vanquish the repugnance of the horse for the object so constantly presented to his attention. Coaxing, caresses, and the whip were employed in turn, and equally without success. On these occasions the horse’s eyes expressed as clearly as though he had spoken it in so many words the absolute determination not to touch the handle of the organ. The trainer, though naturally of a violent temper, was always patient and gentle with his equine pupil. Whenever he felt that the obstinacy of the horse was on the point of getting the better of his apparent calmness, he would leave the stable to give vent to his irritation out of the sight or hearing of the animal. To those who prophesied that the horse would never turn the handle of the organ, he replied, “He shall turn or die.” At length, perceiving that he made no progress in the work of vanquishing the animal’s obstinacy, he caused the windows of the stable to be stuffed with hay and then boarded over, so that not a ray of light was visible, and a couple of men, hired for the purpose, beat a drum incessantly beside the animal’s stall, relieving one another at stated intervals. The struggle was continued for four days and nights, during which the professor returned to the charge once every hour, presenting the handle of the organ to his refractory pupil, renewing his command to the latter to take hold of it.
The neighborhood was beginning to threaten the trainer with a summons before the police court, to answer to the charge of disturbing its slumbers with the perpetual beating of the horrible drum, which the unfortunate horse, comprehending at last that there was no other chance of deliverance left to him, suddenly seized the handle of the organ with his teeth and turned with all the little strength that was left to him. Daylight was at once restored to the stable, the drummers were dismissed, all possible caresses and the finest oats were lavished on the now docile scholar, who never forgot the terrible lesson of his four days struggle, but, whatever may have been the sentiments with which he regarded the operation, never failed vigorously to turn the handle of the barrel organ whenever the word of command was given.
TO FEIGN LAMENESS.
To teach a horse this trick requires a greater decree of labor and perseverance than is necessary to instruct him in almost any other. So wearisome is the task, and so long is the time required in its accomplishment, that in ordinary cases it is not worth attempting. We propose, however, in this little work to tell all that there is to be told about our subject, even though most of our readers should find many things impracticable in their own cases; and it is well worth while to explain all these matters though it be only to gratify the curiosity which is very naturally felt. An uninitiated person would probably be entirely at a loss how to set about accomplishing this feat, and it is doubtful whether he would succeed in discovering the secret of it without assistance. The mystery is not such a very great matter after all, and may be disclosed in a few words.
If you observe a really lame horse—if you haven’t any in your neighborhood just visit New York and you will find some beautiful specimens of the article—you will perceive that there is a constant jerking or bobbing of his head, caused by his lowering it as he treads upon the lame foot and raising it as he raises the foot again. Now the appearance of lameness is caused just as much by the motion of the head as anything else, and a really sound horse, if he bobbed his head as he lowered and raised a particular foot, would appear lame; in fact he would actually go lame with this foot because the motion of his head would compel him to tread more lightly on that than he did on the others, exactly as in the case of the bona fide lameness. This is the secret, and the trainer’s efforts are directed to producing this motion of the head. To make a horse bob his head is a trifling matter, but to make him do so every time he treads on one particular foot, and to do so at the right moment, without hesitation or mistake, requires many weary lessons, and a stock of patience equal to that popularly supposed to have been possessed by the ancient Job.
Commence by taking the horse by the bridle, close to his mouth, and walking him very slowly. Watch the foot with which you desire him to go lame, and each time that it comes that foot’s turn to step, press the horse’s head gently upward as he raises his foot, and downward as he again places it on the ground. Let your motions be simultaneous with the movement of the foot, proceeding so slowly that there is no danger of becoming confused. By-and-by you may release your hold of the bridle and make the motion with your hand, which he will soon obey. You may then accompany the motion by any sound or word of command, and he will learn finally to make the motion on hearing this sound.
A correspondent of an English journal lately described a pony in his possession who in some way had picked up a knowledge of this trick and applied it very acutely to his own advantage. The gentleman thus describes the proceedings of the animal: “Whenever the pony had been turned out to graze and was afterward brought up to be hitched into the carriage, it invariably turned lame after going a few yards—so lame in fact that I frequently turned back, being ashamed to drive an animal in such apparent pain; I say apparent, because no sooner had the pony been relieved of its harness than it used to canter around. The same pony when brought from the stable would go perfectly well as long as it wished, but when I drove it in any direction contrary to its inclination it became lame immediately; as soon as its head was turned homeward the lameness entirely disappeared.”