176 ORDINARY RIDING. 



gratify this caprice. If we wish to go fast, and quiet means 

 are not sufficient, we should use the spurs or whip. When 

 the sluggish horse defends himself, he does so with all the 

 more spite, because he has kept back all his energy to oppose 

 the will of the rider. There is a great difference between the 

 two, because the impetuous animal gives all his strength for 

 the advantage of the rider ; and the sluggish horse, for the 

 detriment of the man in the saddle.* 



A cold horse does not take us into his confidence, because 

 when riding him we are obliged to vigorously use the " aids," 

 which are a punishment to him. 



A liot horse which gives himself up wholly to his rider, gets 

 only pats on the neck, and appreciates all the slight differ- 

 ences in the indications of the " aids." There is neither fear 

 nor distrust between the two. 



Many riders find fault with hot horses, because they are 

 impatient, and start off at a quick pace immediately the 

 reins are touched. The fault is on their side. In fact, when- 

 ever we wish to go rather fast, we begin by shortening the 



kicking, etc. If we take the trouble to make the horse return at a slow pace, 

 during a certain time, we shall succeed in being able to regulate his paces as we 

 wish for the entire period of the ride, and we shall thus prevent him pulling or 

 starting off at a canter the moment his head is turned home. 



I also advise that the horse should not be turned sharply round to come back 

 to his stable by the road he came out. Such a habit would prompt him to pull 

 immediately he was turned. 



*In 1857, at Chalon-sur-Saone, two horses were brought into the riding school 

 to be broken. One was so skittish and lively that I found it extremely difficult 

 to put my foot into the stirrup. After having made several unsuccessful attempts, 

 they took me by the seat of the trousers and threw me into the saddle. When I 

 got there, the horse did nothing wrong, and went forward well in hand as soon as 

 I stopped holding him back. 



As the other horse held his head down, did not move, and looked like a sheep, 

 the master of the riding school thought he was quiet, and mounted him without 

 any trouble, but he did not remain in the saddle long, because this supposed cold- 

 tempered horse bucked him off at the first attempt, but the hot horse carried 

 me gaily round the school. The conclusion which I draw from this, is that we 

 should distrust a horse which looks too quiet, and that we should not be afraid of 

 an impetuous animal. 



