300 HIGH-SCHOOL RIDING. 



do this or that work, if he is only told how, and at what 

 moment or place he should touch certain parts of the animal's 

 body. 



The riding masters of the new school take good care not to 

 break thorough-breds, because they know by experience that 

 wiry, energetic and strong horses will not let themselves be 

 tortured. In order to excuse themselves, they maintain that 

 thorough-breds are wanting in suppleness ; the fact being that 

 thorough-breds are the most supple of all horses, but the least 

 patient under pain. 



Besides, we owe to this new school all those ladies who, not 

 being able or not wishing to ride, find it much more easy to 

 buy a machine-made horse and work him by touching him 

 with a cutting whip on the legs, head, croup, and a little 

 everywhere else, in a most ungraceful manner. 



True lovers of horsemanship would not engage in this kind 

 of equitation, which is made up of contortions, and which con- 

 sists almost always of making the horse drag himself on his 

 knees, stretch out his head on the ground like a calf which 

 is waiting to have its throat cut, walk on balustrades, etc. 



The public, knowing little of equitation, applauds in any 

 case, but it is sad that the art of equitation should have 

 fallen so low. 



In order to know if the rider really possesses horse know- 

 ledge, it is enough to look at the horse. If the animal is 

 light, well placed, full of impulsion, and does all his move- 

 ments with so much spirit that he appears to work with 

 pleasure, we may be certain that he is not a pupil of the 

 new school, and is still less a machine-made horse, to which 

 I have already alluded. 



I may add that a man should ride without a whip, and 

 that a lady should use it only to supply the want of the 

 right leg ; that is to say, to strike on the right side and 

 only a little behind the girths. 



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