176 WILD NEIGHBORS CHAP. 
One of the greatest modern trainers of perform- 
ing horses is the Frenchman Loyal. He makes no 
secret of his methods, which have often been pub- 
lished — latest in that curious and entertaining 
book by Le Roux and Garnier, “Acrobats and 
Mountebanks.” 
The horse, in the opinion of this experienced 
man, is one of the dullest animals created; it has 
but one faculty—-memory. It must be forced to 
learn its tricks, which are imprinted on its mem- 
ory by the whip if it resist, and by presents of 
carrots if it obey. These are associated in its 
mind with certain words or gestures, and it goes 
through the list from fear of punishment on one 
hand, and in hope of reward on the other. This 
is certainly different behavior from the lively in- 
terest taken by horses in racing, fox-hunting and 
cattle-herding, the active obedience and self-dis- 
cipline of war chargers or of the steeds used by 
firemen; but in these and similar instances the 
animal, naturally gregarious and accustomed to 
compete with his fellows, is doing what seems 
natural to him, and his exertions have an object 
and result that he can comprehend. The feats of 
the circus, on the contrary, depend for their popu- 
larity largely in forcing the animal to do what is 
contrary to his nature, such as strutting about on 
his hind legs, poising himself on pedestals where 
there is scarcely room for his feet, lying down to 
be tramped upon by his master or mistress, balanc- 
