Suppling tJie Horse. 107 



Now consider which of these two plans you 

 prefer. Three months will give you a perfect 

 horse upon M. Baucher's system pure and 

 simple ; but they will be three months of strict 

 seclusion and solitary drudgery. The horse 

 must divide his existence between the stable 

 and the riding-school, until you have taught 

 him all you can. Six months at least will be 

 required to give you an equally perfect horse 

 upon the system which I have ventured to re- 

 commend ; but they will be six months of 

 pleasurable exercise or of profitable service. 

 They will not subtract a single hour from 

 your enjoyment, or from your horse's utility. 

 Which plan will be intrinsically the better I 

 have very little doubt ; but I have as little 

 which plan you are the more likely to perse- 

 vere in fulfilling. 



I am perhaps presumptuous in assuming 

 that there will be little or no difference, in 

 point of ultimate success, between these two 

 courses of similar instruction. But my reason 

 for doing so is my implicit confidence in the 

 principles which M. Baucher has himself laid 

 down. Once make your horse feel that you 

 are his master that he must go forward when 

 you drive him, and that he cannot go forward 



