In December, Christian Welsh trainer is attacked by three tigers, and thereby seriously injured.Wochenlang lag er im Koma. For weeks he lay in a coma. The tension was great when he appeared on Saturday in Wolfratshausen for the first time since his accident again with his tigers.
Six Tigers turn their powerful rounds in the fenced arena. Still stiffly Christian Welsh enters the lattice cage. It is the first appearance of the lion-tamer Königsbrunner since his terrible accident in December.
At a dinner show in Hamburg, had three of his tiger pounced on him after he was tripped: They mangled his left hand, biting into his torso and his head and shattered his pelvis. Seven and a half hours, the doctors fought for his life.
But all this is forgotten in this moment: Welsh Christian must now again be the alpha animal to the powerful animals in the control and confidence. "I can not show weakness in front of the tigers," says the 29-year-old. With a smile, he greeted his audience. Each of the animals takes its place.
Tiger "Carren" refuses to put its paw on the podium. He snarls, puts on his ears. Wallis speaks imploringly at him. The Tiger draws back again snarls. As part of the show - what's not? The audience holds its breath.
The alpha animal wins. Carren puts his paw on a pedestal. Wallis and smiles.
The three Tigers who have hurt him in December so hard can not be seen in the ring too. Also the training currently accounts for them. Wallis wants to wait until he can grasp with his left hand properly again and make a fist.
In twelve weeks will that be, he estimates. "The pain will be reduced more and more," said the gaunt man who eats own statements after being primarily of coffee, pills and cigarettes.
After the accident is the "youngest animal trainer in Germany" has become better known. "I have since been prominent, and now wants to make the most of it," said Welsh. He had lost through the break a lot of time and money. Around a dozen journalists have been his first appearance after the tragic accident.
Many audience members - mostly children with parents or grandparents - are, however, unaware of the events in December. For her first appearance Welshman is the same as for himself: "A very normal working day at the circus as everyone else."
____________________________________________________________________Congratulations and my hat is off to young Christian. I am sure some of the seasoned pros who read the blog will agree with me when I say it takes immense "stones" to do what Christian is doing. Going in the cage is candy ass compared to going back in after a horrific attack and mauling. I wish him the best and continued safety.
On a lighter note, I bet Clyde Beatty would gag, if he heard the "Steel Bound Den of Fury" is now referred to as the "lattice cage" in the translation. LOL
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7 comments:
Good news. he was plannong on returning at the satrt of March, so I'm glad that he made it.
Wade,
Coming back into the ring after being attacked, what would be the most likely way a trainer would establish himself as the leader in the ring.
Given that Christian was attacked by 3 animals, would he likely work with each animal individually for a time to solidify his postion, or would you go in with all the animals as if nothing had occurred, but obviously paying attention to the attackers.
I know there is no "set way" to do this but would be interested to read you comments.
I'm certainly glad to see this trainer in good health, back on the job and wish him good luck.
Vincent/San Diego
Vincent/San Diego,
Each person deals with their "demons" differently. Like falling off a horse, what has worked for me over the years is to get right back on, with as little delay as possible. In the case of my last feline attack, that meant surgery at midnight, reviving at 7:00am, and back in the arena at 1:30 with the same animal as part of the group. My son currently has the same animal in his act. In Christian's case, because it was a "gang attack",(which is common with animals raised together) I should think it would be best to go in with the three individually, starting with the one who initiated the attack to see what he is about, and then resume the group situation. The single most important thing to remember in an animal attack is "DO NOT GO DOWN" or lose your footing and fall. In the incident I alluded to above, the tiger Sparticus knocked me to my knee's and tore the whip and stick out of my hands, with the power, force, and majesty of his attack. What saved me,(Josip Marcan has a brilliant video of the incident) was the fact that I was back on my feet with the whip back in my hand, in less then a second. As Sparticus made his second rush at me, I was able to stop him. Like an elephant attack, or any other animal for that matter larger then you, DO NOT, and I repeat DO NOT become frozen with fear. MOVE, MOVE, MOVE. Stay or get back on your feet instantly, and MOVE. When it is over, if you have survived, and your head has not exploded with a rush of adrenaline, you can bet it is dripping out your ears. It is an incredible amazing feeling that I get to experience each time I get on a new horse for the first time, and I hold my breath as I throw my leg over his back. That exact, very moment, when you may either live or die. If you have done your homework and prepared him for that moment, all goes well. If you haven't, and you rushed or took a short cut, he explodes into a raging fury. I relish and look forward to each of those exacting moments. It excites me to wake up in the morning, and think, "will I live or die today?" If you have done your studies well, you will have your answer by day's end.
Wade
Enjoyed your insight Wade, so parallel with my line of work except no claws but then hooves are good too. Just recently had my hackles up when a long line horse turned and could have gone either way, at me or away, didn't look like away and I had to make that decision instantly and change my approach. My knees were weak afterwords and I had a new respect for this sneaky fellow. He's a newly arrived older badly spoiled/trained stallion owned by an amateur who thinks he's her baby. Keeps you young I think but also afterwords lets the air out of your tires real fast. LOL
Dianne,
Treat them as gentle as they will let you, and as tough as they want you to.
I just sent an incredibly beautiful 4 year old bay colt to a show farm to be shown as a western pleasure Jr. horse. Extremely spoiled and truly did not think his shit stunk at all. I had 30 day's to get him bitted and under saddle and he progressed nicely. The 4th day I was riding him, he sulled up as I was attempting to teach him to two track to the left and even the Garcia 12 point rowel's wouldn't free up his hip. No wanting a fight with him, I got off to "reshow" him from the ground with my fingers. The instant I touched him, Saber wheeled around, ripped the sleeve off of my shirt, and bit me as hard on the forearm as I have ever been bit by any animal. Actually "compressed" the muscle's in my arm so hard that there is still a golf ball sized welt today a month later. As you know a horse biting you is an act of war, and Saber just declared war on me at that moment. I was so stunned I couldn't react for a second, and unless you react in the first three seconds, just forget it and wait for the next time. There is no place in animal training for revenge. After the first second of "I can't believe you did that" I drove him backwards across the round pen, with the reins across his chest as hard as I could. When his rump hit the wall on the opposite side, I waited a moment, then reached up to straighten out his forelock. Guess what? The snot bit me again. Now was the time to convince him that his shit stunk as much as any horse's does, and that he needed to be scared to death, in essence shown that he just did something that almost cost him his life. I tied up one foot and instead of him laying down, he wheeled, tried to bit me a third time, and in his rage, threw himself over backwards. The look in his eye's as he laid there looking up at me looking down at him conveyed, "I give up. I am sufficiently scared." This magnificent creature and I had a kind of "armed truce" from then on. The rule was, "I can touch you, but you can't touch me." If he even turned his head while I was saddling him, I made him look ahead. It was hard because after a real good ride, so many times I wanted to hug on him, and give him candy and "woogy woggy's". But I knew in my heart if I did, he would have bit my cheek off. I was the only one who could get him out of his stall, as he would lunge at anybody else. When the trainer from the farm where I sent him came to get him, she said, "I see you have managed to convince him not to bit any more." To which I replied, "No, I just managed to convince him not to bite ME any more. I'm confident he is not convinced that he can't bite you, so be cautious." Two day's after he left she called and informed me that I owed her a new Cinch shirt, as he had ripped her's off at the shoulder. Some are like that and you just have to take them as they come. But he is going to be a Champion, and I am grateful he allowed me to be a part of his life, and I look forward to his return next year for breeding season.
Be safe, Madame Col.
P.S.
Gareth Selwood from Selwood Park in Lake Geneva has relocated his operation down to Florida about 50 miles from here. I am going to the open house next week, and should see some fine, fine Andulusian's. None as fine as a great Arabian, but fine none the less.
Wade
That sounds horrific, but also have had one of those, as yours he was the best looking and colored horse ever. You are quite correct, they only agree not to bite you anyone else is fair game. THis stallion I knew as a new born and was the first one in to handle him so this reaction was not from abuse. I have a question, did not the trainer that sent him tell you of his little problem?
Dianne,
He was born at the farm, and had only been gone for 4 months as a two year old, when he was shown as a halter stallion. The owners "grudging" admitted they may have caused his problem, as he was "so cute and loved to bite their clothes, when he was a weanling." When I came, and he was "entrusted" to me, I found that he had a whole "arsenal" of learned behavior at his disposal. Two of the barn men used to take him outside, each on a long stud line, as he would rear and paw the lead out of their hands. I fixed that the first day, the kicking a week later when he kicked the surcingle out of my hands. He never attempted to bite me at first, instead fooled me into thinking I had won him over. He saved that "cute and charming" behavior for the right moment, when I was confidently unaware. My mistake, but a lesson I learned well. One time, boo on you. Two times, boo on me. His pedigree is full of international champion genetics. Grandson of Ali Jammal, great grandson of Ruminaja Ali and El Shaklan on his sire side. Grandson of Menes, great grandson of Nabeg and Muscat on his dam side. If his babies are as good as the paper say's they should be, he will have been well worth the effort.
Wade
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