FEATS OF HORSEMANSHIP 213 



the style of Louis XV. with small three-cornered 

 hats with ostrich plumes, green and gold coats, 

 white leather breeches, and black boots, mounted on 

 well-bred horses. They commenced by drawing up 

 in a line, at foot-pace passaging (moving sideways) 

 in front of the Emperor's box, each man as he passed 

 saluting by raising his plumed hat; the horses 

 keeping an exact line, every foot rising along the 

 line at the same moment a performance I had 

 often seen attempted at professional hippodromes, 

 but never with horses so fine or men so admirably 

 trained. Other feats followed, the least successful 

 of which was the leaping of low hurdles. After this 

 very pretty exhibition, the troop retired, and pre- 

 sently returned, mounted on fat Norman horses, 

 with buckskin demi-piqued saddles, without stirrups, 

 their manes plaited with ribbons, their tails plaited 

 and tied on one side ; in a word, an exact reproduc- 

 tion of the horses and pupils of the Marquis of 

 Newcastle. After saluting the Emperor they pro- 

 ceeded to execute ballotades, caprioles, and other 

 tricks. In a ballotade the horse jumps off the 

 ground bending both knees and houghs, and showing 

 his hind shoes without kicking out. In the capriole 

 the horse does the same, and kicks out with both 

 hind-legs.' 



Hunting-men of course have not, as a general 

 rule, been through military schools; nevertheless 

 they can, on occasion, make a very pretty display of 



