Thursday, June 08, 2017

#11 Ring Stock


5 comments:

Roger Smith said...

Mabel Stark in the rear-and-lay-back. She was assigned the equestrian acts during her contract years to John Ringling, when he cut the Big Cage from 1925 through 1927. She honored her "Generally Useful" clause, but 40 years later still cussed "Those damned three wasted years". She has this photo in her personal albums.

Chic Silber said...


I've also heard it titled

as "Waltz And Rear"

Patricia said...

I guess I'm not good with the idea of being upside down in general. To me, this looks so scary. Mr. Miller asked me to do this with one of the group of Andalusians he'd gotten in. He was a lovely horse, but I politely declined. I was happy to work the liberty act with those horses; but this? No thanks.

Roger Smith said...

"Waltz and rear" could well apply if the horse was so schooled. On the Barnes show, Robert Thornton broke Mabel in on the great steed Black Knight. Mabel told us of taking backward tumbles to the sawdust before Black Knight gave her time to hook her leg in that special saddle horn. This looks more like the Ringling show, and I'm not sure this is Black Knight.

Patricia said...

That special hook is a traditional side saddle. Very very difficult to arrange your balance; or maybe I'm just a clutz. But I found it uncomfortable and insecure, my hats off to all those British ladies who took fences while joining in on a fox hunt on a side saddle back in the olden days. Again, no thanks.