Читать книгу Haney's Art of Training Animals онлайн

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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.