370 CIRCl/S TRICKS. 



applied to the muzzle. The horse thus learns, on the 

 signal being given, to turn up his upper lip, and show his 

 teeth. 



Liberty work. — In a circus, horses are said to work "at 

 liberty " when they perform their "turns " loose in the ring 

 and without 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 of command (see page 367) ; to come up 

 to us (see page 367) ; to turn round ; to rear (see page 373) ; 

 to kick (see page 369) ; to kneel down (see page 371 ) ; to lie 

 down (see page 371) ; to pick up a handkerchief, or to 

 remove a handkerchief from any leg on which it has been 

 tied (see page 368) ; to limp on any required leg (see 

 next paragraph) ; to fire off a gun (see page ^^6^) ; and 

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

 the whip, or in memory of the carrot which on previous 

 occasions had 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 



