Thursday, February 16, 2012
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A Blog designed for discussion of topics related to, but not limited to, Circus, Zoos, Animal Training, and Animal Welfare/Husbandry. Sometimes opening up the dialog is the best starting point of all. And if for nothing else when people who agree and don't agree, get together and start discussing it, it will open up a lot of peoples minds. Debate and discussion even amongst themselves opens a window where there wasn't one before.
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4 comments:
I note in cat training that the animals look toward the trainer to "oblique". Now I see why you trained the Lake Geneva horses that-a-way. With horses we ytrain to look the other way. Its easier cause you can suggest them over with the whip, whereas you have to beg them I guess. tanglefoot
Looks good from sarasota..how about some more big cat pictures.
Orr,
You and Herriott are sure a couple of bossy old coot's. Nobody tells Buckles how to run his deal, but John Milton with his "screw the parade saddles" and you with the "how about some more big cat pictures" enjoy busting my stones!!!! Enjoy today's postings and find something else to keep busy with and quit picking one me, pal.
Wade
John Milton Herriott,
When I agreed to do the gig for Dana, I had no intention of staying beyond the end of the season. It was the first time I was away from my boy's for more then a day or two and it was quite painful for me, although they visited in the summer. At the end of the "run" Dana was trying to decide who she would have present the act the next year, the girl who sold tickets, because she was cute and could moonlight at the Sugar Shack, or the girl who sold corn in the petting zoo, because she had animal experience. :) I told Dana there was only one person who could do the act justice, and that was Col. Herriott. When she confirmed that you would be the guy, I put the left oblique on instead of a right oblique to f**k with you. LOL I copied exactly the Welsh pony act I was privileged to assist you with a couple of years prior, and didn't want it to be too easy for you.
I realize in addition to horses, elephants are trained to right oblique as it is easier to "push" them into it, then to "pull" them into it. I first heard the term "oblique" when I worked for Lou as his elephant act "obliqued" at the end of the act. It seemed odd to me to "oblique" right as in studying Calvary history, I understood the Commanding Officer, the viewing platform and the American flag were always situated on the parade grounds to the left of the entrance, and upon entering and passing the CO and the color's, the troops saluted with their right hand and "obliqued" left as a sign of respect. As I interpreted an "oblique left" to be a sign of respect, it always made more sense to have the animal "oblique left" towards me, instead of away in an "oblique right," and nobody respected anybody. With felines, I discovered also that by training the oblique to the left, I could then take them out of the oblique into a wheel because we were already "headed" in a counterclockwise direction like a liberty act, which I am attempting with this new act. As difficult as laying them down every other color is, as I stand them up and prepare for the wheel, I am attempting to send the gold tigers to the outside, and pulling the white's to the inside, so that when we finish 3 turns of the wheel they will be laying down in a all golds to the left and all whites to the right, opposite of the side's they sit on, from there finishing with a sit up.
One more thought on an oblique with felines to the left, to get the oblique you have to get the animals to turn their whole body or lay on their sides. With horses and elephants you only need the head, neck and shoulder to "turn" not so much the whole body. I should also think "pushing" a felines head away from you would make it harder to control any fighting that may erupt, as opposed to having the heads looking at you.
Good question John Milton, thanks for bringing it up. Folks interested in the art of animal training learned something new today.
I hope you are healthy and well,
Wade
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