CHAPTER III 



SUPERIOR EQUITATION 

 EDUCATION OF THE OFFICER 



The superior school of horsemanship is merely the 

 normal development and the exact application of the 

 principles which serve as the basis of all horsemanship. 

 It teaches the officer to preserve even in the midst of 

 the greatest difficulties, a perfect and firm seat, with 

 justice and fineness in the application of his aids, 

 combined with an absolute discretion in their employ- 

 ment. It teaches, in fact, the ease and correctness of 

 position, which proves the control of the rider over 

 himself and the clear free working of his mind. It 

 searches for constant forward impulsion in the horse, 

 calm absolute obedience, and a position rigorously 

 straight and balanced, in the execution of all move- 

 ments. 



Without considering the teaching of the Haute 

 Ecole, the higher education borrows from scientific 

 horsemanship the use of certain of its airs, such as 

 the classical movements to one side, the changing of 

 the leading leg in the canter, and we might add the 

 passage movements wliich show in the horse an extra 

 degree of submission to the aids, whilst at the same 

 time they develop, to the greatest degree, tact and the 



