1 8 ON THE VALUE OF BOOKS ON RIDING. 



language. Each new work stimulated public in- 

 terest in the subject; each new work preserved 

 all that was good in its predecessors, and made 

 known the discoveries that were due to this in- 

 creased interest in horsemanship. If it were not 

 for these books, the art would be in much the 

 same condition that it was in Grisone's time, when 

 sticks and stones played a prominent part in the 

 education of the horse. The prejudice against 

 works on riding has been fostered in England, 

 to the disadvantage of every one who rides, by 

 writers in the sporting papers who are ignorant 

 of the first principles of horsemanship. Although 

 but few men on the Continent, as compared 

 with those in England, turn their attention to 

 riding, there is hardly a country in Europe in 

 which there are not more really fine horsemen 

 than in England. Upon the Continent riding is 

 looked upon as an art ; in England every man 

 thinks that he is born a horseman, and scorns 

 instruction. Upon the Continent the test of horse- 

 manship lies in the control of the horse; in Eng- 

 land the test of horsemanship lies in the ability to 

 ride to hounds, a sport into which many condi- 

 tions other than that of mere skill in horsemanship 

 enters. The English are the boldest, and if they 

 understood and followed good methods they would 



