78 Books on Equitation. 



So far as the belief goes that what are called 

 the High School airs are unessential, it is easy to 

 agree with the English opinion ; but it is clear 

 that the saddle horse should have far more train- 

 ing than he generally receives in England, and 

 certainly than he receives here. It would seem 

 that the better position lies midway between the 

 Haute Ecole of the Continent and the half and 

 half training of Great Britain. 



I do not mean to imply that there are not 

 many beautifully trained saddle beasts in Eng- 

 land. You see in Rotten Row, among a vast lot 

 of brutes, probably more fine mounts than you 

 will find in any other known resort of fashion, 

 more than anywhere in the world outside of cav- 

 alry barracks. But the ordinary run of English 

 hacks are taught to trot and canter, and there 

 their training ceases. And so entirely is the ed- 

 ucation of horses left to grooms and riding-mas- 

 ters, that even the most elaborate English works 

 on equitation, while they say that a horse should 

 be taught to do thus and so, and give excellent 

 instructions for riding a trained horse, afford no 

 clue to the means of training. On the other 

 hand, the High School manuals go far beyond 

 what most men have patience to follow or a de- 

 sire to learn, excellent as such an education may 

 be for both horse and rider. 



I should be sorry indeed to be understood to 



