THE OLD METHODS. 29 



The rider can then make them go along at different paces 

 to be sure ; but how disconnected, how stiff, how 

 ungraceful in their movements, and how ridiculous such 

 steeds make their -unfortunate riders look, as they tos:» 

 them about at will, instead of being guided by them! 

 This state of things is all perfectly natural, unless we 

 destroy the first cause of it: tJie bad distribution of their 

 forces, and the stiffness caused by a bad conformation. 



But, it is objected, since you allow that these difficul- 

 ties are caused by the formation of the horse, how is it 

 possible to remedy them ? You do not possibly pretend 

 to change the structure of the animal and reform the 

 work of nature ? Undoubtedly not ; but while I confess 

 that it is impossible to give more breadth to a narrow 

 chest, to lengthen tco short a neck, to lower too high a 

 croup, to shorten and fill out long, weak, narrow loins, I 

 do not the less insist that if I prevent the different con- 

 tractions occasioned by these physical defects, if I supply 

 the muscles, if I make myself master of the forces so as 

 to use them at will, it will be easy for me to prevent 

 these resistances, to give more action to the weak parts, 

 and to moderate those that are too vigorous, and thus 

 make up for the deficiencies of nature. 



Such results, I do not hesitate to say, were and still 

 are forever denied to the old methods. But if the 

 science of those who follow the old beaten track finds so 

 constant an obstacle in the great number of horses of 

 defective formation, there are, unfortunately, some horses 

 who, by the perfection of their organization, and the 

 consequent facility of their education, contribute greatly 

 to perpetuate the impotent routines that have been so 

 unfavorable to the progress of horsemanship. A well 

 constituted horse is one, all of whose parts being regu- 

 larly harmonized, induce the perfect equilibrium of the 



