Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-05-22
stniun aud Smtriean.
GREAT FRENCH HORSE EXHIBITION

GAMMA, the Paris correspondent Of the
New Orleans Picaytne, gives the following
account Of the great horse exhibition in that
city, last month:
When | first came 10 Paris there were not
10 be seen a dozen tolerable pair of horses in
the Avenue des Champs Elysees. After you
had seen Lord Seymour's Lord Howden's,
Mr.. Corbin's, Mons. Fould's and Baron Oar
ri's equipages, you saw nothing but wretch
ed jades dragging numbering vehicles, which
looked like damned souls doing penance for
the foul crimes done in their days of ma
ture" How changed all this is, those read
ers who have visited Paris recently know.
The Avenue des Champs Elysees is now
thronged with beautiful pairs Of horses.
They are drawn neither from England (it is
true the very best of them are brought
across the channel), nor from Germany, but
from Normandy. This breed of horses has
been 80 improved as TO furnish now as hand
some carriage horses as ever / have seen.
The Emperor draws all his carriage horses
from this province. His Majesty gave or
ders 10 send from Saumer the twelve best
horsemen of that celebrated cavalry school,
and the twelve best riding horses, the twelve
best huntsmen, and the twelve most vicious
horses in its stables. He wished TO see them
20 through their exercises, and show their
skill 10 people here; in fine, he wished to see
the perfection of horsemanship. The exhi-
bition they gave was the exciting show to
which have just retired.
At the appointed day, the Emperor went
to the Palace of Industry, where sort Of
box, surmounted 10y red velvet canopy,
had been built. As he entered, the brass
instruments of the Guides band 1.-THE second
best military band here; the Municipal
Guards band is considered the best
sounded. As soon as he was seated, the
horses which had received prizes were
shown off before him. The immense space
under the glass roof of the Palace of Indus
try was covered with sand and tan bark,
making an excellent circus. The saddle
horses were put through their various gaits,
the carriage horses, dragging barouches,
showed their best points, and then the
space was cleared. A door opened.
Twelve horsemen entered in single file
they came in an easy gallop. They wore a
straightforward coat, buttoned up TO to the
chin, adorned with gold aiguillette, white
buckskin short breeches, fitting tight as can
be, boots reaching above the knee, and
cooked hats. At their head was a com
mandant. They sat easily, finely and quite
up TO the Imperial box, in front of which
they dressed in line, each taking position
next the other as they galloped up. As
soon as the line was formed they slowly
took off their hats, and held them in hand
until the trumpets sounded which was the
signal for the exercises 10 begin. The mo-
ment the first note was heard, the whole
twelve wheeled and galloped of, making
their horses 60 through every motion with
out saying a word or using the whip; II was
all done by the knee and the bride.
They galloped, trotted, paced, walked, now
describing spirals, then circles, presently
moving obliquely, by and by backing, put
ting first the left and then the right foot fore
most going single file double file triple file,
ia platoous Of four, five, six, seven, twelve,
returning to single file and respecting the
movement, presently they were all mixed as
dancers in a quadrille, or they crossed each
other in apparently inextricable confusion,
and the next moment each was in his right
place. Can you imagine a revolving kali
telescope, in which, instead of a colored
glass, they are horses? You have this scene.
When il lasted twenty minutes, and the
horsemcn were at the end of the vast space,
they suddenly turned, and urging their
horses 20 the utmost speed, dashed down the
area, making the sand and tan bark fly az
they Numbered over the ground, and did not
stop until they reached the foot of the inn
perial box, where they halted and altogether,
bringing their horses on their haunchcs.
Again the riders gravely and silently took
off their hats and held them in their hands,
until music announced the close Of the first
act Of the equestrian play, when the horse
men retired. Soldiers placed fences in the
area. As soon as all the fences were up, the
door through which the horsemen had re-
tired again opened and they reappeared, but
they no longer rode the light dainty, sleek,
brilliant horses, with plated name and cock
AIDES Of ribbon near the ears, on which they
At first appeared
They rode hunters during this second act,
stout, well knit animals, harnessed with
heavy saddles and brides, equal TO any
strain. The second act began with no cour-
tesy TO the Emperor; the horses trotted in
with a husiness-like air four abreast and
took the fences at once The front was con
stantly charged from four, it dwindled to
three, and so down TO one, and up again to
two, and then TO three and back TO four.
While these charges of front were incessant
the race of the horses continued to increase
until during the last ten of the twenty min
utes allotted the horses went at the top Of
their speed leaping over fence after fence
so rapidly they seemed to do nothing but
leap. Music again announced a change of
performance, and once more the horsemen
retired When they came forward again
they were mounted on the vicious horses Of
the cavalry school Their names were
plated, their tails rolled back and secured
to the saddle; all the harness was made Of
undressed leather. They were the most
I a., 4
horses TO be found in France They came
forward neighing, snorting, kicking, rearing,
plunging, jumping, shying; at one time this
one would shy and leap completely from the
ground; another would have his mead be-
tween his forelegs, and his hind hoef high
i'm the air; that would be rearing so high it
seemed he would fall backwards.
In fine, imagine horseback exercise I'M
der all conceivable difficulties imagine
twelve horses stung by flies 10 phrenzy; i'm
ayne twelve horses who have heard Mons.
de Button say "Tke horse is mans Hoblest
conquest" and are determined not TO be con-
quered by man-you may conceive this
third act il was TO show how powerful
knowledge is, how skill enables n horseman
10 keep his seat against every devil that may
enter horses brain or iangle a horses nerves.
The battle--it was such-between brute
force and skill, lasted twenty minutes and
ended by the FESTIVE horses advancing ON a
front Of twelve in walk to the front of the
Imperial box. When il was reached the
commandant said enc word and the whole
twelve horses reared until they seemed TO be
but bipcds, and the riders slowly, gravcly |
and silently as at first took of their hats TO
his Majesty, and kept them in their hands |
until music announced the exercises were |
ended. Down the horses came on their feet, |
wheeled and galloped of, plunging, shieing, |
kicking, neighing, snorting rs they had done |
on their first appearance. If you don't |
think this exhibition must have been cx- |
citing. | doom you to live and die bank
runner, whose only horse is his legs, whose |
sole carriage is his shoes and his hearse.
A TRIBUTE TO SUNDAY SCHOoLS.-At |
late annual conference of Sunday school |
teachers, held at one of the interior towns of |
England. Mr.. Bright one of the most dis |
tnguished men of England delivered one |
r l. IN bfgb ba ii N