178 ORDINARY RIDING. 



ness with which he puts his feet on the ground. He skims 

 the ground, which he treads with a delicacy full of energy. 

 The feet of other horses, compared to his, clatter and hammer 

 the ground, and their paces are much heavier. 



On the other hand, there are many excellent half-breds. 

 We sometimes meet with horses which show no signs of 

 breeding, but which develop marvellous qualities in the same 

 way that certain thorough-breds of illustrious pedigrees are 

 mere garrons.* This prompts me to again say that a horse 

 should above all things be hot. I may add that the 

 thorough-bred is incomparable in courage and energy. 



As the thorough-bred has the reputation of being cold, 

 I shall no doubt be asked how I can reconcile my love for 

 him with the superiority which I claim for the hot horse? 

 This contradiction is only apparent, and I find that I have 

 already explained it. There are cold horses and hot horses 

 among thorough -bieds, as there are among other breeds. I 

 will even say that the innate energy of a thorough-bred 

 will more easily make him generous, if he is ridden as he 



* Nothing is more deceptive, even for speed, than pedigrees. Paternal 

 and maternal atavism jumble up everything. Nevertheless, certain sires 

 transmit characteristic points to the majority of their progeny. 



I have ridden four horses sired by Vermouth and broken two of them. 

 All four were sulky and required punishment to make them pass their 

 stable. As long as they were ridden vigorously they went on a little, 

 but no one could make them move freely except when they were playing 

 up. I kept my eye on them for a long time, and found that they all turned 

 jibbers. 



The progeny of Zut are nervous, ticklish and restive. 



The stock of Parmesan and Gantelet are excellent horses, supple, 

 energetic, and good-tempered. 



The stock of Clocher are good, but not handsome ; they can stay and 

 carry weight. The same can be said of the sons and daughters of Bra- 

 connier, which are not so good-tempered as those of Clocher. 



Horses got by Castillon are slugs. 



Flavio sires good, supple and very wiry, though hot-tempered horses. 

 It is clear that observations of this kind, which could be multiplied to 

 infinity, are all the less exact, because the influence of the dam has not 

 been taken into consideration. Nevertheless, they are partly true, and 

 are consequently worthy of mention. 



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