THE ARMY HORSE. 233 



In reality, an army horse is taken up when he is five 

 years old, and a year is spent at his breaking, which is 

 regarded as imperfect by competent men ; the reason being 

 that he is put into movement before he is given equilibrium, 

 which is the mainspring of correct and useful propulsion. 

 This was the fault that Baucher found with old-time equita- 

 tion, which knocked up horses by movement, whatever it was. 

 Its teachers tried to obtain equilibrium, whatever it might be 

 worth, by putting the horses into movement, so that they 

 might get it for themselves. The actual change made by 

 Baucher was to secure equilibrium at first, in order to obtain 

 from it correct and useful movements. The only fault of the 

 great riding master was wishing to perfect and refine this 

 equilibrium, by rendering it unstable, before requiring forward 

 movement. Although I disagree with him, in that I work my 

 horses during pyopidsmt, I do not the less begin, like he does, 

 by getting my horse into equilibrium before putting him into 

 movement, as previously explained. The difference between 

 us is that, in place of demanding efforts from the horse while 

 he is in a confined equilibrium, which is akin to immobility 

 and getting behind the bit, I try from the first to make him 

 obedient to the aids while he is in an equilibrium which is 

 maintained during propulsion.* 



Persons who trot and canter horses before teaching them 

 to start with their weight equally distributed on all four legs, 

 follow antiquated methods which spoil the breaking. 



We cannot advantageously modify a horse's equilibrium by 

 keeping up or increasing his speed at fast paces. Such a 

 proceeding would accentuate his defects and would knock him 

 up, without teaching him anything. 



The great majority of horses are heavy in front, particularly 



* The horse which is on his shoulders can move forward, but will drag his 

 hind legs ; and he has no power of propulsion, which results from the hind 

 legs being well under the body, in which case the necessary equilibrium is 

 obtained. 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



