New-York tribune., 1893-12-24
HORSES AND RIDERS.
AN ADMIRABLE BOOK.
RIDERS OF MANY LANDS. BY Theodore Ayrault
Dodge Brevet Lieutena nj Colonel L. ;. A.,
Svo DID. iS6. Harper * Brothers

$40, PIP. 1856. Harper & Brothers.
II there Is one amiable weakness to which the
masculine portion of humanity Is more subject than
to any other. it is the anectaton of understanding
all about horses. II Is quite the exception to find
n man who does not pretend to know how TO drive
and ride, and there is no topic OF conversation that
| Is such n general favorite as horse talk Indeed
one finds who do not knoT fetiock from
pastern and who have never handled rem IN
| their lives discussing in the most learned manner
| about equine science and there be persons whose
| knowledge Of "man's nobest conquest Is derived
! from the rear view OF worn-out can horses reauy
to give points TO Jockeys and trainers They even
end by talking themselves Into the conviction that
their horse lore is Of much practical value that
It would be rendering n public service to put II
into print for the benefit Of mankind; and the re-
suit is that the literary market Is swamped with
an amazing number OF books on riding ana driving
and on horses generally The majority of them are
rubbish, written by persons whose ignorance OF the
| most elementary principles Of the subject which
| they pretend TO treat cx-cathedra Is as enter
tanning as II Is ridiculous But there are some
exceptions. and among these there stands out pre-
eminent Colonel Dodges "Riders Of Many Lands
II Is volume Of and exceptional interest fhll
OF Information, mOdesty and dlfldently conveyed
written by a man who is only past master OF
his subject but who shows In every line thht ne Is
! possessed o. that nno fceling--;hat sacred fire
which alone create perfect sympathy between
n hiCh-bred gentleman and his equine counterpart
For surely there Is other animal that go nearly
approaches the Ideal of the "gcntllhomme' as the
thoroughbred horse.
II any further Indication OF the authors htnes5
for the task which he he's 80 successfully accom-
plishcd were required. il would be furnished by
tn" absolute freedom from prejudice which ne
manlcosts. Taking his reader round the world. ne
shows him that each corntry possesses somr qndI'
itcs peculiarly it's own with regard TO horseinan'
ship. Ele admits that the hos, sportsman In the
saddle IS the Prton. and that NJ cross-country
rider. polo player. as "A breeder ana rih'r oi
racchorses he is unequaed The German on the
other hand he declares to be superior IN the
military drilling Of bodies of horse. while the
French stand at the head IN all the riceu's of
breaking training aul riding For his OWN
country. the United States he Justly claims super
iori,v I'm the matter of ong-dstance riding. which
is perhaps. the very highes' form Of horseman-
ship Moreover h. furnishes abundant evidence OF
tho fact tina, in all-round ability to breed. train
and ride tho hors" To- the best advantage. the
American IL "prlmus inter parcs"
In q work 50 full II Information as Is this. II Is
dlincult know what - quote. and when quoting.
whore 20 stop Every page T. interesting ana
there ar' fsw which do not convey some useful
lesson and impart some Interesting ar1 often
novel Information Particularly graphic are his de-
scrpions ~ 'broncho busting and express riding
ont on the plains - the west ~ the Mississippi.
and there f. vein of quiet humor which gives
now and inrIscs fresh color into stories which
recognize
friends There Ia ono point - which Colonel Dodge
attaches particular importance. and that Is the
correction ~ the popular impression that prevails
I'm his country. ~ does IN England that the
Frcnchman carno, rii". THIS Colonel Dodge dis
ilnctlv refut"s. and he shows thnt the French
cavalry officer l. vastly the Britpn's superior in
certain respects. such az Nar training and school
riding He insists that tho riding 70; tho French
civilian should no' be taken standard OF
Frcnch horsemanship arl admits that there II
q lack ~ freedom IN hls clultat0n. which Is well
characterized by constant use Of the BIZ
But The French cavalry oilcer. especially when he
happens - have received his training at Sau-
mur. IL entirely different and surpasscs every
Other European IN school ril-c. which. compared
Q, ordinary riding. holds jus' tn Same position
that fencing with tho foils docs 20 the u the
sugle-siick or. Colonel Dodge pu's Il. "'he vi1
In - the banjo" The chapter which the author
dcvotcs 10 school riding VIII throw II light upon
the subject which 20 many people Will De alto
gcih'r new. since there IS disposition 20 regard
{, no, 50 much iu the light % high art. which
Il really ie. as an ordinary circus trick. II is an
art. however. which has been Of lncstmable use
IN the past ani which ia Of great value in the
present day. particularly in s application TO
plain road rllng To n saddle horse. school
methods occupy much the same place uni
vcrsity course docs - young man. that Is 70
say. they adj the finishing touch to his ciuca-
ilon. and enlow him with number Of accomplish
known In school riding as busy walk" enables
you ",o rest your horse frequently without either
or YOU being bored or losing ground by lack OF
speed The tror enables you to change gait
and equally yourself and your steels muscles
t. change lead In the canter saves the forcfret;
for a horse which always leads foot runs
danger OF going lame 10y and bye. II
also saves the houghs The rack IL the
cnslcs; Of all PAGES and IS par excellence hot
weather gait when trot ~ all hut impossible.
ccpt - man In training. To SHIFT the fore
quarters quickly means hardness IN turning and
less danger ~ tripping the horse up and the
applies to the shifting Of the hindluarters More
over. whou, the latter how can YOU place your
horse where you want him 70 open gate
or keep your place In a group Of riders? The utility
Of the rest goes without saying and this IS but
a little of the practical side. white the pleasure
Of IT all ~ harl TO bc explained to man who has
not been through H." Another advantage In school
riding IL that 1t teaches the rider that the spur
should not De used TO punish 10 urge on the horse
but merely to convey certain IDEAS TO him The
rough-rdlng crosscountry man. or the active polo
player have hut li,tle Idea Of the immense value
OF the spur In this particular respect Just little
az they have Of the true value OF the snanle and
the curb BIT There Is no more delicate thing in
the world than horsc's mouth. and a high school
rider works its decacy. feeling HIS horses
mouth at every Instant and talking 10 him through
the BIZ no else ever can. lie likewise speaks
10 him with his legs. the dellcacy OF the Of
which IS only oquallcd by that OF the school riders
hand II Is necessary 10 watch master Of the
art ride 10 gain any Idea as to what height the
delIcacy Of this understanding between man and
beast reach. The French, as stated above.
stand pre-emincnt I'm the art OF school riding. and
I, is to them that both American anl English road
riders are indebted for many Of their sterling
qualities There Is another thing which the French
have done. ana which must never be forgotten.
The first man who showed the world that In
telligent kindness the real secret OF horse
breaking and training the Frcncnman lIaucher
Up To- his day colts had been broken 10y cruel
methods and more than half trained.
The tempcrs OF the majority were irretricvaby
ruined Bauchcr taught entirely new system,
and the whole world has benefited by IT, Even Eng
lsh breakers though they scOrn his higher educi-
tion, unwitingy make use OF the devices he intro
duced
hna hnu f1rG L O.