EQUITATION AND HORSE TRAINING. 15 



The example of the Germans was followed by the 

 French cavalry. At the end of Louis XV's reign, the 

 Duke of Choiseul, minister of war, had the King sign a 

 decree, in 1764, creating ^Ye cavalry schools — at Douai, 

 Metz, Besancon, La Fleche, and Cambrai. A central 

 school at Paris was to receive the best pupils from the 

 elementary schools after they had passed through a 

 fixed period of instruction. This decree of 1764 was 

 never completely carried out. 



In 1770 regimental riding schools were established in 

 nearly all cavalry garrisons. Among these schools the 

 most celebrated were those at St. Germain, Versailles, and 

 Saumur. The one at Saumur, which had been organized 

 in 1763 by the regiment of carbineers, was transformed in 

 1771 into a cavalry school to which every colonel was 

 directed to send four officers and four noncommissioned 

 officers annually. 



Period from 1789 to 1815. — The Revolution suppressed 

 all cavalry schools. However, in 1798, the school at Ver- 

 sailles was reestablished and took the name of National 

 School of Instruction for Mounted Troops. In this new 

 school the instructors did not attempt equitation, but 

 simply endeavored to teach the horse to carry his rider 

 and to travel at marching gaits. 



In 1799 two new schools were created, one at Luneville 

 and one at Angers, having the same object and the same 

 organization. The Versailles school was the only one left 

 in 1808, when an imperial decree replaced it by the school 

 at St. Germain, intended to complete the instruction of 

 cavalry second lieutenants after the course at St. Cyr. 



Restoration. — Upon the return to power of the Bour- 

 bons the Versailles riding school was reestablished and 

 placed under the direction of M. d' Abzac, who was assisted 

 by Messrs. de Goursac and Charrette de Boisfoucaud. 



The most noted riding masters of that school were the 

 Viscount O'Hegerty, de Vendiere, de Millange, and de 

 Vaugiro. The Versailles school lasted until 1830. 



