211 baucher's method. 



tion of the wish of his master, and without being whipped 

 he will come forward at the first touch of the reins ; it will be 

 gratifying to the trainer, and useful to the horse to repeat the 

 foregoing operation once or twice before each lesson during 

 the subsequent training. Occasionally during the exer- 

 cises the hand may be borne down, so as to depress the 

 head, to teach the horse more ready submission to the in- 

 structions which are to follow. When a horse will come 

 freely forward at the least gesture, his progress may be 

 slightly checked by the hand, which will cause him to 

 arch his neck, and draw in his chin, approaching to the 

 perpendicular position of the face, which Baucher so 

 strongly recommends. 



If the horse be very unruly, it may be necessary, in rare 

 cases, to use the cavesson, (a nose-band of iron, supported 

 by an arrangement similar to the common halter) ; but 

 such aids should be eschewed as far as possible. 



The following exercises are, like the calisthenic exer- 

 cises of schools, intended to give strength and pliability 

 to the muscles, and grace to the movements. They are 

 not immediately useful, but they render the horse much 

 more serviceable to his rider than he would be in a state 

 of nature, because they enable him to perform smoothly 

 many movements which, naturally, he would perform but 

 awkwardly ; and to respond more readily to the indica- 

 tions of the hand or leg. 



It is one of the first principles of M. Baucher's system, 

 that all the resistances of the young horse originate in a phys- 

 ical cause, and that they have a moral cjiuse only when the 

 horse has been perplexed, and made resentful, by the un- 

 skilfulness, ignorance, or brutality of the rider. 



It is often remarked that horses which are considered in- 

 domitable are those which develop the greatest energy 

 and vigor, as soon as we know how to remedy their phvs- 



