 You remember a few days ago he asked me if you could put Splendor through some tricks. Yeah. Well how about it now? If you haven't anything better to do. Can I? Don't see why not. Go get him. All right. You know it's not too early for him to learn a little something. We might just as well get him used to his saddle and see if we can get a bit in his mouth. Haven't you tried that yet? No. I thought I'd wait for you to give me a hand with him. It might be that he'll listen to you better than he will me. Yeah, he sure likes me I guess. Let's just take him out here in the back. There's a lot of open space out there on the lot. What's the first thing we have to do? Well I'd like to get him used to his saddle if we can do it the first day. Can you hear that Splendor? Now you'll be a good little horse. Come on Splendor. You seem to find out how good you are. Golly you've got a saddle in bridal form already. Yes sir. We'll start on him right now. Whoa Splendor. Let's put this blanket on him first. There we are. Whoa Splendor. Easy there. Now let's see if you'll go for this saddle. Up we go. It's easy now. We're not going to hurt you. Whoa whoa whoa. Now get a shorter hole in that rope right close to his neck. Now hold it tight. I'm going to try to get this cinch strap under him. It doesn't like it very well Whitey. Oh easy. Hold him tight Jerry. I'm holding him. There we are. Now if I can just put that strap a little. Good. You got it on. Now let loose of him. Let him go Jerry. He'll run away. Let him go. Let him run around a little. He has to get used to that saddle. Here he goes then. Ha ha ha. Look at him go. Running right around in a big circle. Oh a true circus pony if there ever was one. Charlie you're trying to shake that saddle off. Yeah. Why do you get tired of that soon enough though. He's slowing down already. I'll grab him now Jerry. I got him. Take it easy squander. Now do you think you want to take a chance and get up on him now. You think you'll let me. I don't know Jerry. Maybe we better see if we can get that bridal on first. Then you'll have a way of holding him back. You may take a notion to run away with you. If we can get that bit in his mouth as easy as it was to get the saddle on him. It'll be all right. It sure surprised me how easy we got him dressed up in the saddle. Hold him tight. I've got a good hold on it. All right. Here we go. I'll throw this over his head and quit. Oh look how white he is. Oh golly white. I'm sorry. Good holding me. He just jerked the rope right out of my hand. That's all right Jerry. That's all right. I expected that. Jerry comes back again. Shall I catch him. Yeah. Yeah. Get him if you can. I got him. Fine. Fine. Now we'll try it again. I won't want to hurt you. Here we go. Whoa. Whoa boy. Hold tight Jerry. I've got it on. Just a second. I'll get this fast. There we are. Good for you. There now. Is that so bad? Now for the worst part. I don't think getting his bit in his mouth will be quite so easy. Better let me over there in front of him. Okay. Come on. Be a good pony now. You're going to get used to this sometime. It might as well be now. Come on. Open up your mouth. Nice. Nice. Whoa. Come on now. Let's not play. You almost got it in. That's not so bad. Is it splendid. He's getting better now. Here we go now. Open up. That's the fella. Good. You did it. Now. Let's fasten this strap. Yeah. There it is. Now. What do you think of that? He doesn't like it very well. No. He won't for some time. It takes a while to get a horse used to a bit in his mouth. You want to climb up on him now? Do you think he'll let me? You just have to try it, Jerry. Come on. I'll help you up. You'll have to be quick about it. That's right. Put your foot in the stirrup. Now. Up you go. Whoa. Whoa. Splendid. Hold him down, Jerry. Hold him down. Easy, Splendid. Try and get him over here, Jerry. Well, I think that's enough for the first time out. Here. I'll get a hold of him. Come on. Get down. I thought he'd shake me to pieces. It was all I could do to stay in the saddle. You sure look like a canoe in a rough sea being bounced around up there. Aren't you ashamed of yourself, Splendid? You're giving me a wild ride like that. We'd better hurry up now and get that bridal in the saddle off. Is that all the longer you're going to leave it on? Well, sure, Jerry. That's plenty long for the first time. I never thought we'd get that far with him. We did wonder. And I think it's because he thinks so much of you that we did. Here, Jerry. Give me a hand with his saddle. Okay. Now the bridal. As soon as they take it off, you get that rope hold around his neck again. All right. I'm ready. There we are. That wasn't so awful for the first time. Now was it, Splendid? When can we do this again, huh? Oh, we'll have to keep it up now that we've started. It won't be half as hard getting him rigged up the next time. Because he knows now that it isn't so bad, huh? That's just it, yes. Well, come on now. Let's lead him back into the tent. You got the saddle and bridal? Yeah, I got it. When can we start teaching him some tricks? Well, now, just as soon as he feels a little more at home with the saddle on. It won't be long before we can see what kind of a jumper he's going to be. That's right. You said his mother was a jumper, didn't you? One of the best. Here you go, Splendor. Just tie him up there, Jerry. There you are, Splendor. Now, wasn't that fun? And you didn't want that saddle on. Well, thanks, Whitey, for letting me help. Well, now, thank you, Jerry. I feel pretty sure I'd have had an awful time with that youngster if you hadn't helped. I guess I'll be going back over to the wagon now. Bumps is probably waiting for me. OK, Jerry. Run along. See you later. Bye. Goodbye, Jerry. Goodbye. Hey, kid. Was that you out in that pony a while ago? Yeah. You look like a whole Wild West show all by yourself. It's a cowboy kid. Keep it up. Thanks. I'm glad you like my riding. Riding or bouncing, it was all right. Well, Rags, old fella. You're going to meet me, aren't you? Look at you, Rags. You just missed it. Yes, you'd have seen me riding Splendor. Yes, I was. I was riding him just like a real cowboy. Hello, Jerry. I'm waiting for you. Hiya, Carlos. What do you want? I've got the tight wire set up here. I thought you wanted to be a tight wire walker like the Great Bendinis. You mean you want me to practice today? Sure you have to practice today. I've got the wire set up higher, too. It is three feet off the ground. Oh, well, that's too high for me. I can't walk on it good enough yet. Oh, yes, you can. I've got a pair of comment shoes for you. You will see it is easy. Here, put on these shoes. Okay, I'll try it. Good boy. That is the spirit. I bet you you will be one very good tight wire walker very soon now. Maybe you join the Bendinis act, yes? You're fooling me. What? You think Carlos Bendini would play jokes? Everything I say is the truth. I mean it. You're starting young and you will learn fast. Okay, I'm ready. These shoes fit me keen. All right. Here is your balancing pole. Get up on the wire now. Yeah, that's the way. Golly, it's... It's... Hey, what's the matter? It wobbles so. Yeah, the wire is all right. It is you, Jerry. Be careful. Oh, God. Oh, no. See you fall down. Golly. Quick now. Get up on the wire again. You have to keep trying. You only took three steps at a time. This time he must take many more. Okay, I'll try it again. But the wire seems to shake so much. I think you were better the first time you tried. Did you forget? No, I'm doing everything you told me the other day. I kept my eye on the end of the wire. All right, all right. Take it slow now. That's right. Four steps. Five steps. Six steps. Oh. No, no, no, no, no. This will never do. I think you are like the young animals. I have to give you rewards so you will walk all the way across the wire. What are you going to give me? I'll tell you, Jerry. I think I'll give you big ice cream soda. All right. I'll do it. See, the reward system works. So soon you get to the other side of the wire, I take you right into town and buy you fine soda. This wire sways so much. It's awful hard to keep my balance. Don't pay attention to rags. You just keep your eyes on the wire. It's only barking because your sister's carman is coming. Be careful, Jerry. Keep your eyes on the wire. Oh. There you have it. Oh, it falls down. He falls down many times, Carmen. Carlos said he'd buy me an ice cream soda if I could walk all the way across the wire. He did, eh? You are very generous, brother. I think you will learn quicker if I give him rewards. Come here, Jerry. I will tell you the secret of walking the wire so you will get this soda from Carlos. You go away, Carlos. I do not want you to hear what I say to Jerry. All right. You tell him how the great Carmen can walk the wire. What's the secret, Carmen? My brother, he's playing joke with you. He think I did not notice he has got the wire very loose. Even himself, he could not walk on such a loose wire. I thought the wire was swaying too much. Certainly. It is too loose. Now I tell you what you do. I call Carlos away to the other side of the wagon where he cannot see you. And then you make the wire tight. Do you know how? Sure, I know how to do it. All right then. Carlos. How do you like that, Rags? He was playing a trick on me all the time. I bet I can walk across now and you'll have to buy me a soda. Now it's good and tight. Golly, no wonder I couldn't take more than five steps. Hey, I'm ready now. Here I go. Go ahead, Jerry. We are watching you. You think the secret Carmen told you will work? I think so. Here I go. Two steps, three steps, four, five, six, seven, eight. Good boy, Jerry. She's wonderful. I can hardly believe my eyes. I did it. I got across. You see, Carlos, you played jokes on Little Boys and now you must pay. You owe me a soda, Carlos. All right, all right. But if Carmen did not tell you the secret, you could not walk on the wire. The jokes on you, Carlos. You're the loser. For shame on you, Carlos. I was only having fun. Jerry is not angry with me, are you? No. You see, Carmen, the first thing I want Jerry to learn and learn by himself is that you have to have the wire good and tight. I know. You just like to play tricks all the time. But remember, Jerry can play tricks, too. And someday you will get even. Yes, Jerry? And be ready, everybody. A lion's load. One of Jason's lions lose. Colleen didn't hear that. Quick, quick, quick. Jerry. Wait, get in here.