THE HACK. 177 



reins, and the horse quickly establishes a connection between 

 these two acts. Ikit if, in place of starting off the moment 

 we adjust the reins, we keep the horse at the walk, he will 

 not contract this bad habit, or he will give it up if he has 

 acquired it. The signal for a fast pace should be given only 

 with the heels. 



With respect to breed, we find in the first line in this 

 book, the cry of my heart : " I break only thorough-breds."* 

 I unhesitatingly put thorough-breds above all others, whether 

 for hacking or for high school riding. They are pre-eminently 

 the best for all kinds of work. Besides, a man who has got 

 into the habit of riding thorough-breds, will not care to ride 

 any other horses. 



For me the ruling qualities of the thorough-bred are the 

 lightness, the elasticity of the fine steel spring which puts 

 them into action, and the suppleness which will be developed 

 by breaking. If we listen from afar off, for the sound of his 

 foot-falls, we shall hardly hear them on account of the light- 



* I wrote this book at the time when I made my debut at the Hippodrome 

 with Germinal and Markir. Remarks were made on the apparent contradiction 

 between my statement that I broke only thorough-breds and the fact that I had 

 carried the breaking of the half-bred Markir as far as with any other horse, no 

 matter what his breed might be. 



The truth is that I bought Alarkir, not only on account of his good points, but 

 also for his strength and activity, which I greatly admired. While breaking him, 

 I often asked myself if he would do all I expected, and I frequently feared that 

 his abilities would not come up to my requirements, which he amply fulfilled to 

 my great surprise, and to such an extent that I determined to find out if the 

 pedigree he had been given was correct. I therefore wrote to my friend Lenoble 

 du Theil at the Haras du Pin, and told him that Markir had been sold to me as 

 being out of the thorough-bred mare Theresine by the Norfolk half-bred 

 Weighton Merrylegs, and I begged him to see if this was right. Imagine my 

 surprise and joy on receiving the following answer: " The thorough-bred mare 

 Theresine was put to Merrylegs, but did not hold, and was covered two months 

 later by Cyrus, which is a thorough-bred Anglo-Arab, and the sire of 

 Markir." 



Markir is therefore thorough-bred. The curious thing about this matter 

 is that it was proved by practical experiment before any investigations had 

 been made. 



12 



