High School Riding. 307 



commc une revolution ncfaste! When we saw Fillis, as I shall 

 describe later on, we were better able to judge of the correct- 

 ness of these statements than when we were in Paris. This 

 criticism was possibly inspired by Fillis having remarked in 

 his Principes de Dressage et d Equitation that certain French 

 drcsseurs broke their horses in a manner similar to that 

 adopted with performing poodles. 



I may explain to those of my readers who are not well 

 acquainted with the training of horses for circus or high 

 school work, that a high degree of obedience can be obtained 

 from the horse, only by lessons, the number of repetitions of 

 which depend for their efficacy on the effect produced. 

 Hence, when the greatest possible excellence is required, the 

 lessons have not alone to be numerous ; but have to be con- 

 ducted with severity. To the instructed I need hardly say 

 that horses, like ourselves, are so fond of having their own 

 way that fear of punishment, which should be judiciously 

 applied, is the best means for making them submit uncondi- 

 tionally to man. Vanity or love of admiration, which I have 

 not found developed in the horse to any profitable extent, 

 can be largely utilised in the teaching of tricks to the dog, 

 in whose character there are many human traits ; but not in 

 the education of horses. We read in Baron de Vaux's work, 

 to which I have previously referred, that ' The horses 

 trained by Laurent Franconi had arrived at such a degree of 

 excellence, that during the school evolutions which he made 

 them perform, his seat remained unaltered, and the use of 

 his aids were imperceptible. It was this fineness in the 

 employment of the aids, to which Gueriniere alluded when 

 recalling the delicate feeling {pincer) of the spur. 



' This delicate touch completed the perfect accord which 

 existed between the rider and his pupil, the latter obeying 

 the slightest indication of the hand and legs, as I have 

 already said. School work under these conditions enabled 

 the rider to maintain his academic seat on horseback.' The 

 public, no doubt, put down the proficiency of the horses to 



