MME. IBABELLE.] M OD EltN VETE Kl X A li Y rUACTlCE. [mmi:. isuielle. 



ns coultl bo seen. It was upon this animftl — 

 wliioh Madame IsabfUo coiisidtTs ri,i,'litly iiamoil, 

 from tho character abovo given, ami otluT little 

 incidental pleasantries, such as niakiiiji; the 

 *' clack ot* her teeth heard," and "exhibiting 

 her foot in tho air"— that the action of tho 

 "Surfaix Cavalier" was first tried; and the 

 Buccess obtained so proved the excellence of tho 

 system, that the fair " hippodamast" at onco 

 adopted it. In a work which she has pub- 

 lished on tho subject, she says—" I subse- 

 quently applied this action to horses of all ages 

 and of every description, and discovered its 

 infallibility, inasmuch as it succeeded without 

 one single exception ; but as this action was 

 produced by the hand, it became very fatigue- 

 ing, and also could not be produced with abso- 

 lute certainty, because great tact was neces- 

 sary. I then invented the ' Iron Cavalier.' 

 I had well calculated all its desired effects, so 

 as to produce exactly the action of the hand 

 of an accomplished horseman, but with the 

 great superiority arising from its fixed posi- 

 tion, and its direct effects upon tbe salivary 

 glands, the size of which it diminishes consid- 

 erably. Thus with me the * Surfaix Cavalier' 

 solved the problem of brcaking-in." 



The following explanation of this lady's 

 system is slightly altered from a review of it 

 in The Field:— 

 \ The " Surfaix Cavalier," the instrument by 



which Madame Isabelle produces such an 

 effect, is the ordinary surcingle, which is put 

 on over the saddle ; and if the horse is shaped 

 in the usual way — that is, where the loins are 

 neither long nor weak, nor the withers very 

 high — the saddle should be placed four inches 

 behind the shoulder. There is a steel band 

 inserted on either side of the girths, which 

 extends from the near to the off side. The 

 " Iron Cavalier" is a flat iron rod, nearly six- 

 teen inches in length, which is fixed upon the 

 centre of the " surfaix," or surcingle, upright, 

 with a slight inclination forwards. There are 

 four cross-bars on either side of the centre 

 rod, each about four inches long, terminating 

 in circular holes for the insertion of the reins : 

 each pair is nearly four inches apart from 

 the others, the uppermost cross-bars being at 

 the extremity of the central rod, which, as 

 stated before, stands up nearly sixteen inches 

 in height. The cross-bars range across the 



body of tho horao ; tho circular holes aro 

 marked in pairs, 1, 2, !}, 4 ; No. 1 being tho 

 lower pair, No. 4 tho upper. Thero aro four 

 reins, each about eight feet long, and at ono 

 end punched with iioles marked from ono to 

 twenty-four, which aro about If inches apart, 

 giving a range for tight or loose reins. Tho 

 bits are made to bo effective, but not punish- 

 ing, Tho cavessons aro lighter than usual; 

 and, during tho operation of breakiiig-in, tho 

 ordinary bit and snalllo reins are always put 

 on, in addition to those belonging to tho 

 " Surfaix Cavalier." 



These are the instruments used by IMadamo 

 Isabelle; tho "Iron Cavalier" being an im- 

 provement, and a very great one indeed, upon 

 the old "dumb jockey," the effect of which 

 was to act like a stiff and rigid band upon the 

 ribs ; while the action of the " Iron Cavalier" 

 is only felt on tlie steel bands in the girth 

 when the horse draws too tightly on the reins; 

 the movement of these steel bands having the 

 same effect as the rider's legs should have. 

 With these remarks, we proceed to the in- 

 structions laid down by Madame Isabelle for 

 the breaking a saddle-horse in twelve lessons, 

 whether mounted or not. 



There are twenty-seven lessons laid down as 

 necessary for a horse to go through before he 

 can be considered thoroughly broken-in. It 

 will give a clear idea of the routine, to enume- 

 rate these in their order, as they are con- 

 stantly referred to in the practical working out 

 of the object. The first gives directions " to 

 saddle and bridle" a horse, and place the 

 "Surfaix Cavalier." No. 2, "to lift the fore 

 legs; to free tho action of the legs." This 

 forms the important lesson of suppleing a horse, 

 or, as it may be literally termed, it is teach- 

 ing him the use of his legs. No. 3, " to lead 

 a horse to the riding-school." No. 4, "Pas 

 iV <jquilihre decompose, forward and backward." 

 " This movement has for its object, to accustom 

 the horse to the man, and to make him quiet 

 and attentive, two things indispensable to 

 proper breaking; to habituate him to tho 

 support of the bit, and the action of his jaws 

 upon it; to divide his powers equally and 

 regularly ; to ' lead' with the proper foot in all 

 his paces ; to prepare him for tho gallop, and 

 to rein back readily." Nos. 5 and G, "to 

 bring a horse to the knowledge of the whip 



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