346 CIRCUS TRICKS. 



a rider. Side reins are generally employed in order to 

 obtain the desired control. I need hardly say that 

 the various feats look much more effective if side reins are 

 not put on. As a rule, the only indications which such 

 horses obey are those of the whip ; although the ring- 

 master will often make them appear to carry out his verbal 

 orders. For ordinary work at liberty we want to make 

 the horse go round the ring at the walk, trot, canter or 

 to halt at word 1 of command (see page 343) ; to come up 

 to us (see page 343) ; to turn round ; to rear (see page 349) ; 

 to kick (see page 345) ; to kneel down (see page 345) ; to 

 lie down (see below) ; to pick up a handkerchief, or to 

 remove a handkerchief from any leg on which it has been 

 tied (see page 343) ; to limp on any required leg (see 

 next paragraph) ; to fire off a gun (see page 344) ; and 

 other kindred acts, all of which are done in obedience to 

 the whip, and possibly in memory of the carrot which 

 on previous occasions has been given as a reward. 



LIMPING. 



A horse can be taught to go lame on any particular 

 leg when at liberty by making him keep it off the ground 

 by tapping it with a whip, and continuing to do so when 

 he is in movement. After a time, the animal will obey 

 the signal of merely pointing the whip in the direction 

 of the limb which the operator wishes the horse to 

 favour. 



LYING DOWN. 



Make the horse lie down in the manner described on 

 page 144. When he does so, without offering any resist- 

 ance, let down the strapped-up leg, and repeat the 

 lesson, until perfect obedience is obtained. We may 

 then take off the throwing gear, and make him lie down 



