148 METHOD OF HORSEMANSHIP. 



exercises have not yet given. The proper 

 placing of the horse's head spreads his 

 forces over the whole of his body ; it is ne- 

 cessary, in order to perform correctly the 

 different exercises at a gallop, and to enable 

 yourself properly to direct the forces in 

 energetic movements, to bring them into a 

 common focus that is, to the centre of 

 gravity of the animal. I am about to ex- 

 plain how this is to be done. 



The use of the spurs. Professors of equi- 

 tation and authors upon this subject have 

 said, that the spurs are to punish the horse 

 when he does not respond to the legs, or 

 when he refuses to approach an object that 

 frightens him. With them, the spur is not 

 an aid, but a means of chastisement. With 

 me it is, on the contrary, a powerful auxil- 

 iary, without which it would be impossible 

 to break any horse perfectly. How ! you 

 exclaim; you attack with the spur horses 



