Circus horses have entertained audiences since humans have been able to train them to rear on command. Learn the secrets behind the magic - and the things that happen behind the big top’s striped curtains!
Trick and Treat
Circus horses are trained for years to perform a series of complicated tricks. Horses must be able to stand on their hind legs, dance, and neigh on command. To learn these stunts, horses are bribed with treats. So with patience, understanding, and a whole lot of carrots, a normal horse becomes a circus animal. These horses perform either with a handler holding their reins, or completely unattached. Acts where a horse is controlling itself are known as “liberty acts” because the horse is “at liberty”. The fact that the horse is uncontrolled and could to anything adds to the circus’s atmosphere of danger and magic.
Pick a Horse, Any Horse
Barnum and Bailey’s Circus, there are more horses than any other animal – in fact, there are 650 horses in their show. They use five breeds of horses: Arabians for their beauty and stamina, Miniature horses for their intelligence and small size, Standardbreds for their long lines and speed while pulling carts, and Quarter horses for their quick turns and flashy nature. Friesians are also used because they are the oldest and most traditional circus horses, mainly because they all look similar, but also due to their long, curly manes and tails that the audience loved.
Birds of a Feather: Circus horses are usually chosen to all be around the same height, color, and body type so they look uniform when they perform together.
Vaulting
Modern circus has grown from its first premier that grew from 18th century riding schools. Trick horses and riders formed the first circus acts, and to this day the horses continue to be one of the most important circus acts. Riders and acrobats do gymnastic moves on horseback. This is called vaulting. Vaulters don’t wear any safety gear. They don’t even wear a helmet or boots. Vaulters perform their stunts in nothing but slippers and a unitard.
This information is taken from the article Behind the Scenes: Circus Horses from the Spring 2013 issue.