THE TROT. 151 



thus fatigue the loins and hocks. To make a horse trot well, 

 we should simply try to get him to lean on the hand. No 

 doubt, in a flat race, as at the trot, the rider to some extent 

 carries the head and neck of his horse ; but he should take 

 care to carry it upwards and not backwards, by doing which 

 he would infallibly check the power of the loins and hocks. 



To study the exact conditions of trotting races, I once went 

 and lived at Dozule, which is a small village in Normandy. I 

 had previously ridden on the flat and across country, and as 1 

 had also broken three or four school horses, I thought I was 

 going to astonish the Norman lads by my science. I admit, 

 in all humility, that the most surprised one was your humble 

 servant. 



At Dozule there was a brave boy called Pascal, who was 

 very well up in everything about horses, and especially about 

 trotters. I had known him for a long time, and we had 

 previously arranged together the plan of my sojourn at 

 Dozule. 



Pascal had charge of the training of two remarkable 

 trotters, which belonged, if I remember rightly, to the 

 Marquis of Croix. This was about the end of 1864. 



On the morning after my arrival, we were in the saddle, 

 and at first we walked on the trotting track, which was a mile 

 and a quarter in length. Then we began to trot, and Pascal 

 beat me easily. I took my defeat with a smile, because I 

 thought that his horse was faster than mine. On the follow- 

 ing day we changed horses, and Pascal again beat me. I 

 admit that I was all the more annoyed, because the same 

 result was reproduced the following fifteen days, on each one 

 of which Pascal rode the horse on which I was beaten by 

 him the previous day. 



He pulled with all his might at the reins and jerked them, 

 which he called " ringing " his horse. I told him that his way 

 of riding was not rational ; but he replied that it was the only 



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