A loving animal rescue and her special bonds
“The Last Diving Horse in America,” by Cynthia A. Branigan (Pantheon)
What an amazing coincidence that Cynthia Branigan, who couldn’t imagine a life without animals, met Cleveland Amory, fervent animal lover and founder of numerous animal protection foundations. She attended one of his lectures, was spellbound, then started volunteering at his company: The Fund for Animals, in New York City.
In time Amory hired her to run the show when he traveled out of state and lectured. Eventually he charged her with buying Gamal, the last of the high-diving horses, and cared for him on a farm with many other animals. What a lot you will learn about the emotions of horses. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
It was in 1929 that “America’s Favorite Playground,” Atlantic City’s Steel Pier in
New Jersey, proudly presented, four times a day, seven days a week, the spectacle of a horse, climbing up a ramp onto a small platform, forty feet in the air and swan diving into a 10-foot tank of water in all kinds of weather with a girl riding him bareback Crowds cheered and were amazed.
It didn’t dawn on them that this was animal cruelty until 50 years had passed. In fact, they were trained as the ads said, “With Sugar and Kindness. Treated as Companions and Friends.” The horses were never beaten or whipped to get them to jump, according to the author. On the top of the small platform, they had no choice but to jump down. So jump they did.
But the times were changing. The event was shut down in 1980. Gamal was on the auction block, which is when Branigan bought him for $2,600, with Amory’s blessing. Much of the story describes how she cared for him in his older years. Initially she knew nothing about horses.
“The Last Diving Horse in America: Rescuing Gamal and Other Animals – Lessons in Living and Loving” is about far more than horses. As a side dish, Branigan brings to life memories of her “horrid” boarding school. She has deftly woven this into the story to describe her love for all creatures. She wanted to bring up a tiny mouse in her dorm room. However, the housemistress discovers the child was keeping company with this creature and flushes it down the toilet.
Many years later Gamal, and best friend Cairo, a burrow, went berserk right in the middle of New York City when they were invited to be part of the Blessing of the Animals at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
Author Branigan thought Gamal, a polished showman, would enjoy being the center of attention. The problem was an African elephant, who spooked Gamal to no end. He ran wild around the church grounds, much to the thrill of photographers and press. “And if the other animals sensed danger, the anxiety could become contagious.” Gamal’s panic stopped in one minute, when Cairo saved the potential catastrophe in a flash by letting out the most incredible ear-splitting bray one can imagine.
Entertaining and filled with information on Cleveland Amory, who founded the animal protection movement, this book is a pleasure to read. It’s quite a story.