

14 TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. 



which contains the principle upon which his 

 whole method is founded, is here given : 



" However favored by nature the horse 

 may be, he requires a preparatory exercise 

 to enable his forces to afford eah other mu- 

 tual assistance ; without this, everything be- 

 comes mechanical and hazardous, as well on 

 his part as on that of the rider. 



" What musician could draw melodious 

 sounds from an instrument without having 

 exercised his fingers in handling it? He 

 would certainly, if he attempted such a 

 thing, produce only false, discordant sounds ; 

 and the same thing occurs in horsemanship, 

 when we undertake to make a horse exe- 

 cute movements for which he has not been 

 prepared." 



M. Baucher presents the official docu- 

 ments upon the subject of the introduction 

 of his method into the French army, with 

 the following introductory remarks : 



