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CHAPTER XL 



WITH BELGIAN OFFICERS. 



I WAS giving performances at Brussels, when Count 

 d'Oultremont asked me to give an exhibition with my horses 

 at the Royal Circle of which he was president. 



He expressed the desire that this performance would be 

 accompanied by explanatory remarks, " Your ' aids ' are so 

 delicate," he said to me, " that we do not always see the 

 precise means you arrive at a result which we witness. We 

 wish to know how you obtain so much with such a small 

 effort. Give us explanations." 



The exhibition took place one afternoon in the month of 

 December, 1890. All the superior officers who were members 

 ■of the Circle were present. I worked my horses, but not as in 

 a public show. Sometimes placing my mount in a good 

 position to obtain the desired result under correct conditions ; 

 sometimes placing him in a bad position, in order to show its 

 fallacy by making a mistake ; I accompanied each part of the 

 work by explanations, which were practically confirmed on the 

 spot. 



After the performance, the officers of the second regiment 

 of Guides asked me, through Commandant Five, to be good 

 enough to make out a course of instruction for their use. I 

 accepted with great pleasure, and the riding school of the 

 2nd Guides was placed at my disposal every day from ten 



