New Method of Horsemanship / Including the Breaking and Training of Horses, with Instructions for Obtaining a Good Seat.

Translated from the Ninth Paris Edition.
Mr. BAUCHER upon Partisan.

The author's introduction to his Method of Horsemanship is omitted in this edition, because containing much that would be uninteresting to the American reader. It mentions the great difficulties he had in attracting the attention of the public to his system, and the complete success with which it was crowned when once this attention was attracted. One paragraph from it, which contains the principle upon which his whole method is founded, is here given:
However favored by nature the horse may be, he requires a preparatory exercise to enable his forces to afford each other mutual assistance; without this everything becomes mechanical and hazardous, as well on his part as on that of the rider.
What musician could draw melodious sounds from an instrument without having exercised his fingers in handling it? He would certainly, if he attempted such a thing, produce only false discordant sounds; and the same thing occurs in horsemanship when we undertake to make a horse execute movements for which he has not been prepared.
M. Baucher presents the official documents upon the subject of the introduction of his method into the French army with the following introductory remarks:
Fifty horses, some from the troop, and others belonging to officers, which had not yet commenced their education, or which were considered difficult to manage, or vicious, were subjected to the experiment, which commenced on the 21st March, 1842. The demands of the service of the garrison of Paris permitting only a small number of cuirassiers, municipal guards, and first-class lancers to be put at the disposition of the commission, nearly all the horses were intrusted to riders who were by no means intelligent, or else whose education was not very much advanced. The riders themselves exercised their horses. On the 9th of April—that is to say, after fifteen lessons—Field-Marshal the Minister of War wished to witness the results of the system he had ordered to be tried. His Excellency was accompanied by the members of the committee of cavalry, and many other general officers. The men being completely armed and equipped, and the horses caparisoned, they executed, individually and in troop, at all the paces, movements that, up to this time, had only been required of horses that had been exercised for five or six months under experienced riders. The Minister of War followed all the trials with the greatest interest, and before retiring expressed his complete satisfaction, and announced his intention of having a general application of it made in the army.