MALCONFORMATION. 355 



cise, it is onlj on condition that we da not demand any thino- 

 more of them ; for tliej would soon find energy to resist any 

 farther attempts. The rider can make them go along at ditfer- 

 ent 23aces, to be sure ; but how disconnected, how stiff, how 

 ungraceful in their movements, and how ridiculous such steeds 

 make their unfortunate riders look, as they toss them about at 

 will, instead of being guided by them ? This state of things is 

 natural and necessary, unless we first remove the cause of it ; 

 the improim' distribution of their forces^ and the rigidity caused 

 hy a had conformation. 



But it may be objected, allowing that these difficulties are 

 caused by the formation of the horse, how is it possible to remedy 

 them? You do not surely- pretend to change the structure of 

 the animal, and reform the work of nature ? Undoubtedly not ; 

 but while I confess that it is impossible to give more breadth to 

 a narrow chest, to lengthen a short neck, to lower a high croup, 

 to shorten and fill out long, weak, narrow loins, I do not the less 

 insist that, if I prevent the different muscular contractions re- 

 sulting from these physical defects, if I supple the muscles, if I 

 make myself master of the forces so as to use them at will, it 

 will be easy for me to conquer these resistances, to give more 

 action to the weak parts, and to subdue the excess of those 

 which are too vigorous, and thus to make up for the deficiencies 

 of nature. 



Such results, I do not hesitate to say, were and still are im- 

 possible under the old methods. But if the science of those, 

 who follow the old beaten track, find so constant an obstacle in 

 the great number of horses of defective formation, there are, un- 

 fortunately, some horses who, by the perfection of their organi- 

 zation, and the consequent facility of their education, contribute 

 greatly to perpetuate the impotent routines that have been so 

 unfavorable to the progress of horsemanship. A well consti- 

 tuted horse is one, all tlie parts of wliich being regularlj' harmo- 

 nized, induce the perfect equilibrium of the whole. It would be 

 as difficult for such a subject to depart from this natural equili- 

 brium, and take np an improper position, for the purpose of 

 resistance, as it is at first painful to the badly formed horse to 

 be brought into that just distribution of forces, without which no 

 regularity of movement can be hoped. 



