8 



exception, understand the method and recognize the supe- 

 riority of M. Baucher's principles over those previously 

 known. 



" Before leaving, they all approved of the new method, 

 and desired its application in their regiments. 



" The method of horsemanship of M. Baucher is posi- 

 tive and rational ; it is easy to understand, especially 

 when studied under the direction of some one who knows 

 it. It is attractive to the rider, gives him a taste for 

 horses and horsemanship, tends to develop the horse's 

 qualities, especially that of lightness, which is so 

 delightful to discover in a saddle-horse. * * Applied 

 to the breaking of young horses, it develops their instinct, 

 makes them find the domination of the rider easy and 

 pleasant ; it preserves them from the premature ruin 

 that an improper breaking often brings with it ; it may 

 shorten the time devoted to the education of the horse ; 

 and it interests the riders employed in it." 



M. Desondes, Lieutenant of the Ninth Cuirassiers, 

 winds up a long and highly favorable report upon the 

 breaking of young horses for the army with the words, 

 " To Baucher the cavalry is grateful." 



Extracts from the sixth and last report upon the trials 

 of the new method of horsemanship of M. Baucher : 



" The first trials are concluded. The principal move- 

 ments of tiie platoon-drill on horseback, the running at the 

 head and charging, have completed the exercises. Thus, 

 thirty-five lessons have sufficed to perfect the instruction 

 of the tractable as well as the intractable horses con- 

 fided to me. The first rough work with the horse — that 

 is to say, the exercises with the snaffle prescribed by 

 the orders — used to take up as much time as this, and 

 then we scarcely dared to touch the curb-rein. In this 

 view, the new system is of great utility for cavalry. 



