284 STAG-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 



pellations and questions to anybody he happened to encounter. 

 It is true he never waited for an answer, but this always 

 looks business-like, and I dare say he lost nothing. 



There were very few people out, but within an hour or 

 so we were joined by a contingent of officers in smart un- 

 dress uniform, riding flippant horses in plain saddles and 

 bridles. Several ladies graced the scene, and I was pleased 

 to recognise a well-preserved specimen of the ' Princesse ' 

 habit of my youth, thought by some to be extinct. 



Fontainebleau is a large garrison and school of military 

 instruction. A great deal has been done in late years to 

 encourage unprofessional riding in the French army. ' Le 

 dresseur le plus sage instruit en amusant,' and the French 

 authorities are of that opinion. Our late Military Attache in 

 Paris, General the Hon. E. Talbot, who now commands the 

 Cavalry Brigade at Aldershot, writes to me in this connection : 

 ' The old haute ecole seat, as practised in France, has given 

 way to a hunting seat modelled upon the English style of 

 riding in the hunting-field. The man sits back on his horse, 

 rides with a shorter stirrup, and with a bent instead of a 

 straight leg. Instead of riding upon the bit with a tight 

 curb, men are instructed to use both bit and snaffle, the 

 former being less severe, with a comparatively loose curb. 

 The man who made a revolution in French riding was 

 General L'Hotte, who introduced the hunting seat and made 

 jumping and riding across country take the place of the 

 manege and haute ecole style of riding. He was backed up 

 by General de Gallifet and all the best cavalry officers in 

 France. He altered the whole system of instruction at the 

 Cavalry School of Saumur, which is now as good a military 

 school of riding as can be imagined. There are about four to 

 five hundred thoroughbred horses kept specially for teaching 

 young officers to ride. Every cavalry officer has to spend 

 twelve months at Saumur after being a year with his regiment. 



