TO TEACH A HORSE TO WALK OVER YOU.
This trick is sometimes exhibited by persons desirous of displaying either their own courage or the docility of their horses. There is a natural aversion felt by horses, and indeed by most animals, to treading on a living object. Few horses will, of their own accord, unless they are under excitement, trample upon a child who may chance to be in the way. Many instances are related of horses lifting infants from their pathway and gently putting them down on one side, where they were out of danger. It is therefore pretty safe to allow your horse to step over you, while you lie upon the ground. To insure against accidents, however, a little preliminary training is advisable. First, let an assistant lead the horse over your legs while you are seated upon the ground with those members extended. Then, after a few repetitions, lie down at full length and let the assistant lead the horse over you in various directions. Very soon the horse may be entrusted to walk over you, merely guided by the snapping of your fingers in the direction you desire him to go.
ORDINARY CIRCUS HORSES.
The common horses ridden by circus performers require some training before they are available in the “circle,” though it is slight compared with the instructions of the “trick” horses. The main thing is to break them to trot evenly and steadily around the ring. They may be taught this in an open field by attaching a line to the nose piece of the halter, which line the trainer holds in his left hand while in his right he has a long whip. Starting the horse, the trainer turns slowly as the horse goes around; the line keeps the horse from going away from the trainer in any direction and so forces him to go in a circle; the whip is used to keep him at the proper distance from the man, and so preserve always the same sized circle. The whip should be held on a level with the horse’s shoulder and should be moved so as to accompany him around. Subsequently the line may be removed and the horse will still follow the circle pointed out by the whip, and increase or abate his speed to correspond with its movements. The horse is then ready for the rehearsals of the rider, and soon learns to preserve his pace unbroken, regardless of the movements of the man upon his back.
BREAKING HORSE FOR THE “CIRCLE.”
CHAPTER V.
THEATRICAL HORSES AND THE HORSE DRAMA.
The exact date at which horses were introduced upon the stage we are unable to state. It is the custom with many writers to trace everything back to the ancient Greeks or Romans and build up their subject from this classic foundation; perhaps we might be able to do likewise were we to try, but we prefer to be excused. Certain it is that for many years such dramas as Mazeppa, Herne the Hunter, Putnam, and others of a certain kind have maintained a steady popularity. At first the characters of the heroes in these pieces were performed by males, and their popularity depended upon the beauty and spirit of the horse, the daring of the rider, and the general excellence of the drama—combats, processions, and startling effects being always taking ingredients. By-and-by, however, an adventurous rider of the other sex entered the lists in competition with the gentlemen. Her success inspired others to follow her example, until a dozen or more actresses were found performing the various rôles of the “horse drama.”
In all these pieces the principal attraction, next to the lady rider, is the performance of the horse, which, with very little variation, is generally the same in all. At the back of the stage, crossing and re-crossing it, and rising higher and higher at quite a steep inclination, is a plank gangway, some two or three feet wide. This is technically termed the “run,” and is supported by stout scaffolding, which is hidden by the scenery. At each turn, which is concealed by the “wings,” is a sort of platform to enable the horse to turn and to get a fair position for making the next rush across. The scenery is usually painted to represent mountains, and the canvas which conceals the run is painted to resemble rocks. Ravines and other results of the skillful scene painter’s talents often add to the seeming danger of the pass. Usually a series of different plays are produced during the engagement of the horse and rider, and the same run serves to represent the mountains of Tartary in Mazeppa, the Yankee hills in Putnam, or the natural elevations of any other portion of the world in which the scenes of any particular play may chance to be located. At the proper moment the horse dashes over precipices, rushing torrents, or fearful mountain gorges, (all canvas of course), with his rider astride his back, or strapped upon the “untamed steed,” as the stage business may require. To enable the horse to climb or descend the run without slipping, small pieces of sharpened steel are screwed into his shoes previous to his coming upon the stage. When it is a man who is strapped upon the horse he is usually merely secured by the waist, he holding the girth firmly with his hands. When a woman performs the part it is customary to secure her ankles as well, mainly for the purpose of keeping her on top of the horse should he by any accident fall. In playing Mazeppa the rider is utterly helpless, and without this precaution serious and even fatal injuries might be received. The gentlemen consider their muscle sufficient to enable them to dispense with this care. Some years ago a popular equestrian actress while performing in a western city met with a fearful accident from having one of her feet free in order that she might tickle the horse with her spur, to make him prance and curvette before the audience. On leaving the stage the horse stumbled over some stray scenery or other obstacle, and fell. Had the rider been lashed according to custom on top of the horse the only danger would have been the risk of striking against some projection, for the horse could not fall upon his back. As it was, her leg slipped under the horse as he fell, and his weight coming suddenly upon it, the thigh was broken. It is said that as she was conveyed to the boat the horse followed with every appearance of sorrow, whinnying softly, as though striving to express his sympathy. Many months after the accident, when the rider mounted him for practice previous to resuming her profession, an eye-witness related that it was really wonderful to see how gentle were all the horse’s movements, and how, of his own accord, he would check himself whenever his motion extorted the slightest cry of pain, almost suppressed though it was, from his rider.
In these plays very little training is required by the horse. After the ordinary breaking he is frequently exercised in going over the run. Owing to the restricted space it is very difficult for the horse to display any degree of speed, and as this is the main thing to be accomplished, he is therefore taught to start instantly at a rate which an ordinary horse could not by any means attain within the prescribed limits. We have seen Mazeppa played where the stage was so small that while the horse’s tail was against the wall of the theater his nose was barely prevented protruding beyond the scenes, previous to his starting to rush before the audience, from an imaginary journey of some score of miles. When he did come before the public it was difficult for them to see the whole of him at one time even with the scenes run back as far as possible. How the poor animal managed to travel over the diminutive run which was provided we cannot imagine, and yet the sight from the body of the theater was quite respectable.