

CHAPTER XIII. 



CIRCUS TRICKS. 



General remarks — " Begging " — Bowing and shaking the head- 

 Circling steadily at liberty — Teaching a horse to follow — 

 Handkerchief work — Jumping over another horse, etc. — Kicking 

 — Kissing — Kneehng down — Laughing — Liberty work — Limping 

 — Lying down — Obeying without reins — Polka, dancing the — 

 Pushing a man out of the ring — Rearing and walking on the hind 

 legs— See-sawing on a plank, etc. — Shaking hands — Waltzing. 



General remarks. — Although circus tricks have little or 

 no connection with horsemanship ; many of them are in- 

 teresting from the fact of their showing how horses can be 

 trained on the principle of association of ideas, which is 

 employed by all successful breakers, however much they 

 may differ from each other as to details. 



In teaching these tricks, it is well to accustom the animal 

 to some invariable and suitable signal, whether manual or 

 vocal, for each separate feat, and to reward his obedience 

 by a piece of carrot, lump of sugar, crust of bread, bite of 

 lucerne, bit of sugar-cane, caress, or other appropriate mark 

 of approval. Having taught the horse one signal, we may, 

 for show purposes, gradually substitute for it another signal 

 which will be less evident to the public. Thus, instead of 

 making a horse bow (see next page) by pointing our hand, 



