182 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



September, 1905 



The Training of Cavalry Officers in France 



By D. A. Willey 



I HE military strength of France is repre- 

 sented by an army of six hundred thou- 

 sand, of whom thirty thousand are of- 

 ficers. To educate the officers in the 

 infantry, artillery, cavalry and engi- 

 neering branches twenty-three schools 

 have been established in various sections of the republic. 

 Of these the infantry and cavalry school at St. Cyr is 

 perhaps the best known outside of France. The engineer 

 and artillery officers are trained principally at Fontaine- 

 bleau. At Saumur, however, the great majority of 

 subaltern cavalry officers receive their education, enter- 

 ing the institution as cadets. Saumur is the largest of 

 the series of schools, and such is the system pursued that 

 it differs radically from those of any other country. 

 Possibly Fort Riley is the nearest approach; but only 

 non-commissioned officers and troopers are taught 

 horsemanship in Kansas, while many of the graduates 

 of Saumur hold the rank of lieutenant. 



It is needless to say that the cavalry arm of the French 

 service is one of the most important. Each of the various 

 regiments is composed of five squadrons, making a total 

 strength of twenty-five 

 officers and seven hun- 

 dred men. Consequently 

 special facilities are re- 

 quired to train the of- 

 ficers, as upon them rests 

 the responsibility for the 

 efficiency of their com- 

 mands. The course pur- 

 sued at Saumur, how- 

 ever, is sufficiently rigor- 

 ous to convert a man into 

 a veteran horseman so 

 far as mere skill is con- 

 cerned. It embraces not 

 only the ordinary in- 

 struction in riding, but 

 performances in the 

 saddle which are on a 

 par with the feats of the Rough Riders, the Western ranch- 

 men, and far excel the achievements of the average circus 

 performer. Next to the Italians, the French cavalry officers 



Lieutenant de Kies Leaping a Dinner Table 



Over the Bar with a Good Seat 



are probably the best equestrians in Europe on account of 

 the instruction they receive at the institution referred to. 



The first lessons given 

 the novice are in knowl- 

 edge of his mount. He 

 becomes so experienced 

 that he can detect the 

 slightest sense of vicious- 

 ness in the animal. Thus 

 when riding him for the 

 first time he is on the alert 

 for any tricks which the 

 animal may try to play 

 upon him. To acquire a 

 seat, he is first given a 

 horse thoroughly broken 

 in all the gaits and a 

 gentle animal, using an 

 ordinary single bit, but a 

 blanket in lieu of a sad- 

 dle. This is the course 

 followed at some of the American cadet schools, in order 

 that the rider may get the proper grip with the knees and 

 balance himself to the motions of the horse; but this is only 

 one chapter in the management of a horse at Saumur. 

 The expert cavalry officer is expected to be able to keep 

 a firm seat on any sort of mount, no matter how frac- 

 tious or vicious, and to perfect him horses are trained 

 purposely to kick, balk, rear and even " buck " like the 

 Western broncos. Frequently thoroughbreds are se- 

 lected for this purpose, as they are far more mettlesome. 

 In some cases the horse is provided with a special har- 

 ness. By various manipulations of the reins attached to 

 the harness his movements are controlled. For example, 

 a twitch of the rein on one side causes him to kick with 

 his fore feet, while a twitch of the opposite rein makes 

 him kick out behind. 



Taking his seat in the saddle, the novice assumes the 

 usual positions. The horse is generally placed between 

 two posts padded with leather, so that neither animal 

 nor rider will be injured by coming in contact with 

 them. The horse is hitched between the posts with 

 broad straps of leather or canvas attached to the head- 

 gear, so that it is impossible for him to break loose. 



