OF LEAPING. 95 



every horse the energy and vigor necessary to clear a 

 ditch or a bar, there are, nevertheless,. principles by the 

 aid of which we will succeed in partly supplying the 

 deficiencies in the natural formation of the animal. By 

 giving a good direction to the forces, we will facilitate 

 the rise and freedom of the bound. I do not pretend by 

 this, to say, that a horse of ordinary capabilities will 

 attain the same height and elegance in this movement 

 as one that is well constituted, but be will, at least, be 

 able to display in it all the resources of his organization 

 to more purpose. 



The great thing is to bring the horse to attempt this 

 performance with good will. If all the processes pre- 

 scribed by me for mastering the instinctive forces of the 

 animal, and putting him under the influence of ours, have 

 been punctually followed, the utility of this progression 

 will be recognized by the facility we have of making the 

 horse clear all the objects that are encountered in his 

 way. For the rest, recourse must never be had, in case 

 of a contest, to violent means, such as a whip in the 

 hands of a second person ; nor should we seek to excite 

 the animal by cries ; this could only produce a moral 

 effect calculated to frighten him. It is by physical 

 means that we should before all bring him to obedience, 

 since they alone will enable him to understand and exe- 

 cute. We should then carry on the contest calmly, and 

 seek to surmount the forces that lead him to refuse, by 

 acting directly on them. To make the horse leap, we 

 will wait till he responds freely to the legs and spur, in 

 order to have always a sure means of government. 



The bar will remain on the ground until the horse goes 

 over it without hesitation ; it will then be raised some 

 inches, progressively increasing the height until the ani- 

 mal will be just able to clear it without too violent an 



