COMMENTARIES ON BAUCHER. 341 



under the control of his rider that, by the combination of the 

 effects of the legs and hands, our slightest movements suffice 

 to direct the energy of this powerful animal, according to our 

 will." Nothing could be truer. But why does he maintain on 

 page 178 of the same edition, that the only true kind of riding 

 should be done by " legs without hands, and hands without 

 legs " ? How did he not see that these two assertions are 

 contradictory? The office of the legs of the rider is to 

 make the horse energetic in his hind quarters, and that of the 

 hands, to make him " amiable in his mouth." Without the 

 simultaneous co-operation of these two " aids," we may do 

 wonderful tricks, but not good horsemanship. 



The fact that Baucher broke his horses with the two " aids," 

 and afterwards used only one of them, proves that he deceived 

 himself by thinking that he had obtained perfect equilibrium 

 with " legs without hands and hands without legs." But as 

 the legs are necessary for impulsion and the hands for direc- 

 tion, he hastened to go back to the two " aids." 



Under these conditions, why did he abandon an " aid " 

 which he was obliged to use every moment ? Is the proof 

 required ? When working on " two tracks " without the legs, 

 there will be nothing to indicate to the horse that his haunches 

 should move, especially if we want him to do the " two tracks '' 

 at the canter or passage. If we demand the Spanish trot 

 without legs, the horse will raise his fore legs a little without 

 gaining ground, but nothing will give him the impulsion 

 necessary for the trot. Change the " aids," and demand the 

 same work without using the hands. The action of the legs 

 to obtain the elevation and extension of the fore legs will 

 have the result of sending the horse abruptly forward, because 

 there is nothing to restrain him and to raise the fore hand. 

 It will be the same in all other movements. 



I admit, however, that when the education of the school 

 horse has been carried to its highest degree of perfection, he 



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