116 NEW METHOD OF HORSEMANSHIP. 



Q. Is it to the rider or to the horse that we ought to 

 impute the fault of bad execution ? 



A. To the rider, and always to the rider. As it 

 depends upon him to supple and place the horse in the 

 way of the movement, and as with these two conditions 

 faithfully fulfilled, everything becomes regular, it is then 

 to the rider that the merit or blame ought to belong. 



Q. What kind of bit is suitable for a horse ? 



A. An easy bit. 



Q. Why is an easy bit necessary for all horses, what- 

 ever may be their resistance ? 



A. Because the effect of a severe bit is to constrain 

 and surprise a horse, while it ought to prevent him from 

 doing wrong and enable him to do well. Now, we can- 

 not obtain these results except by the aid of an easy bit, 

 and above all, of a skillful hand ; for the bit is the hand, 

 and a good hand is the whole of the rider. 



Q. Are there any other inconveniences connected with 

 the instruments of torture called severe bits ? 



A. Certainly there are, for the horse soon learns to 

 avoid the painful infliction of them by forcing the rider's 

 legs, the power of which can never be equal to that of 

 this barbarous bit. He succeeds in this by yielding 

 with his body, and resisting with his neck and jaw, 

 which misses altogether the aim proposed. 



Q. How is it that nearly all the horsemen of renown 

 have invented a particular kind of bit ? 



A. Because being wanting in personal science, they 

 sought to replace their own insufficiency by aids or 

 strange machines. 



Q. Can the horse, perfectly in hand, defend himself ? 



A. No; for the just distribution of weight that this 

 position gives supposes a great regularity of movement, 

 and it would be necessary to overturn this order that 



