English Horsemanship. 79 



underrate the horsemanship of England. I do 

 not suppose that the excellence and universality 

 of the equestrianism of Englishmen has any more 

 sincere admirer than myself. But it is true that 

 equitation as an art exists only among the mili- 

 tary experts of the Old Country, and that the 

 training of English horses is not carried beyond 

 bare mediocrity among civilians for road-work. 

 For racing or hunting, the English system is per- 

 fect. The burden of my song is that we Amer- 

 icans shall not too closely imitate one single 

 English style for all purposes. If we will truly 

 imitate the best English methods, each in its 

 appropriate place, and not pattern ourselves solely 

 on the fox-hunting type, we shall do well enough ; 

 though in riding, as in all the arts, it is wisest, as 

 well as most American, to look for models in 

 every direction, and select the best to follow. 

 What I wish to protest against is the dragging 

 of the hunting-field into the park, and what I 

 wish to urge is the higher education of — horses. 

 One has only to go back to the thirties in Eng- 

 land to find all the niceties of the Haute Ecole in 

 full bloom. Not only the young swells, but the 

 old politicians and the celebrated generals, used 

 used to go " titupping " down the Row, pas- 

 saging, traversing, and piaffing to the admiration 

 of all beholders. But the age which, in the race 

 for the greatest good to the greatest number, has 



