30 NEAV METHOD OF IIORSEMAXSHIP. 



whole. It would be as difficult for such a subject to 

 leave this natural equilibrium, and take up an improper 

 position for tlie purpose of resistance, as it is at first 

 painful for the badly formed horse to come into that just 

 distribution of forces, without which no regularity of 

 movement can be hoped for. 



It is then only in the education of these last that the 

 real difficulties of horsemanship consist. With the 

 others the breaking ought to be, so to say, instantane- 

 ous, since all the springs being in their places, there is 

 nothing to be done but to put them in motion ; this result 

 is always obtained by my method. Yet the old princi- 

 ples demand two or three years to reach this point, and 

 when by feeling your way without any certainty of 

 success, the horseman gifted with some tact and expe- 

 rience, ends by accustoming the horse to obey the 

 impressions communicated to him, he imagines that he 

 has surmounted great difficulties, and attributes to his 

 skill a state so near that of nature that correct principles 

 would have obtained it in a few days. Then as the 

 animal continues to display in all his movements the 

 grace and lightness natural to his beautiful formation, 

 the rider does not scruple to take all the merit to him- 

 self, thus showing himself as presumptuous in this case 

 as he was unjust when he would make the badly formed 

 horse responsible for the failure of his attempts. 



If we once admit these truths : 



That the education of the horse consists in the com* 

 plete subjection of his powers ; 



That we can only make use of his powers at will by 

 annulling all resistances ; 



And that these resistances have their source in the 

 contractions occasioned by physical defects ; 



The only thing will be to seek out the parts where 



