DPIFECTS OF THE MILITARY SCHOOE. 1)27 



and the right hand guide him, by being used the 

 strongest ; in turning to the left, both legs should urge 

 him, and the left guide him by being pressed the 

 strongest. 



" Don't turn into the contrary extreme, slackening 

 the left rein, and hauling the horse's head round to the 

 right." 



The same rules should be observed for making a 

 horse canter with the right leg, but the right rein should 

 be only drawn enough to develop his right nostril. But 

 the art of leading a horse off on either leg — well worth 

 learning — requires a master. There is a good deal taught 

 in the best militaTy schools, well worth time and study, 

 which, with practice in horse-taming, would fill up the 

 idle_ time of that numerous class who never read and 

 find time heavy on their hands, when out of town life, 

 and not occupied by field sports or making money. 



Eiding at the ring is a more gentlemanly amusement 

 than rat-hunting, and training a colt rather better than 

 dog-fighting. This as a hint to city swells and military 

 in country quarters. 



" But a military riding-school," says Colonel Green- 

 w^ood, " is too apt to teach you to sit on your horse as 

 stiff as a statue, to let your right hand hang down as 

 useless as if God had never gifted you with one, to 

 stick your left hand out, with a stiff straight wrist like a 

 boltsprit, and to turn your horse invariably on the 

 wrong rein." I should not venture to say so much on 

 my own authority, but Captain Nolan says further, speak- 

 ing of the effect of the foreign school (not Baucher's), 

 on horses and men, "The result of this long monotonous 

 course of study is, that on the uninitiated the school 

 rider makes a pleasing impression, his horse turns, 

 prances, and caracoles without any visible aid, or with- 



