"So far from the muscular power being lessened by the repetition of the flexions, is it not increased by having all the advantage of exercise over repose, of work over indolence? Does not the muscular system, in reason, develop itself, physiologically speaking, in proportion to these conditions? Will not address and vigor be the result of these gymnastics? Has the habitual difference between the forces of the right and left arm any other cause than the difference in the daily use of the one to the prejudice of the other?"
Baucher says: "To prove the complete success of my mission to Saumur, I will back, according to my custom, my assertions by positive facts. The officers present at my course of instruction were of the number of seventy-two; of this number sixty-nine have sent in reports favorable to my method. There were but three dissenting voices."
This statement is followed by letters from General Prévost, De Novital, etc., all highly commending the system.
Baucher's method has been reprinted in Belgium and translated into Dutch and German. In the latter language, several different translations have been written, one by M. Ritgen, Lieutenant of the Fourth Regiment of Houlans (Prussian), and the other by M. de Willisen, Lieutenant-Colonel of the Seventh Cuirassiers (Prussian).
The translator will give some extracts from the preface to M. de Willisen's translation, as it shows that some of the difficulties met with by the former were not altogether escaped by his German confrère.
"After the most positive results had proved to me most convincingly that, of all existing methods, that of M. Baucher was the best, I thought that it would be useful to translate it. This translation seemed at first much easier than it proved in the sequel; above all, it was actually impossible for me to render in German, as I wished, such technical French expressions as attaques, acculement, assouplissement, ramener, rassembler, etc., retaining their clearness and conciseness. In German I could only find expressions that were incomplete. On this account I have put all the words for which I could not find a clear equivalent in German in the original French.
"Horses may be broken with much success upon other principles—they have been broken before M. Baucher's time—but no work has thrown so much light upon horse education; no other method has taught such simple and sure means, nor presented a like result with certainty. He who would ride with safety and satisfaction, ought to be completely master of an obedient and correct horse. To obtain this result, M. Baucher gives the surest means and points out the shortest road:
"The exact knowledge of the obstacles that the horse presents to dispose him to obey easily; the simple manner, easy to understand and easy to execute, of making these obstacles disappear, distinguish this method from all preceding ones, and render it of the greatest importance to all riders.
"The close relations that are established between rider and horse give the former such a certainty of hand and legs, and the latter such suppleness and obedience, that a like result has never previously been obtained.
"Until now, no horseman has ever had such clear and sure means for breaking a horse given him, even approximatively, as are contained in this book. The trial will give the most convincing proofs of this when we undertake to apply the principles therein contained; but that can only be considered a trial when made by following strictly what is prescribed in the method. There is no other method that can put the horse so certainly in the hand and in the legs of the rider; no other method succeeds in developing so much address and assurance in horse or rider: the horse feels at his ease, the rider is absolute master of him, and both are at their ease. * * * This new method teaches, further, what is of very great importance, the most certain means of making the rider perfectly in harmony with his horse, so that they can understand and mutually trust one another, in such a way that the horse obeys as punctually as the rider guides him skilfully. In place of being obliged to break every horse after our own particular fashion, we will only, thanks to this method, have to occupy ourselves with one horse, for it teaches us that the same means are applicable to all horses. It is unnecessary to enumerate the advantages the instruction of the rider gains from it, for he escapes the martyrdom of the lessons being given him on awkward, badly-broken horses. Riders will sooner become masters of these managed horses, and will acquire in six weeks a seat that will come of itself, and their touch will be developed much more quickly.