The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1906-11-02
THE CAVALRY Of FRANCE
Scenes at the School for Nom
Commissioned Officers.
STUNTS MEN PERFORM.
Every OFFICER Becomes Skilled In.
structor In nship-Horses
Actions Controlled BY Various
Msnipulations Of the Rens-Spe-
claI Harness Provided.

The large proportion of cavalry in
the French army requires an unusual
complement of commissioned and nom
commissioned officers. The Captains
and Lieutenants are educated at St
Cyr-the West Point of France. AS
Saumur turns out the bulk of the nom
commissioned officers, it's attendance
ranges in the thousands.
While some of the drills at the
American schools are merely given for
exhibition purposes and are not in
tended to be executed in actual war
fare, the French cavalry officer is ex-
pected to be able to put his horse on
the battlefield through all the PAGES
that he does in the riding hall or on
the practice field. Next to the Italians,
the French cavalry officers are prob
ably the best equestrians in Europe
on account of the instructions they
receive.
The first lessons given the novice
are In knowledge of his mount He
becomes SO experienced that he can
detect the slightest sense of vicious
ness in the animal Thus, when riding
a horse for the first time he is on the
alert for any tricks which the animal
may try to play upon him.
To acquire seat he is first put on a
horse thoroughly broken in all the
gaits and gentle animal, using an
ordinary single b. and blanket in
lieu of saddle. This is the course
followed at some of the American
schools in order that the rider may
get the proper grip with the knees and
balance himself to the motions of the
horse; but it is only one chapter in
the management of horse at Sau-
mur.
The expert cavalry officer is expect
ed 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 buck. Frequently thor
Oughbreds are selected for this pur-
pose, as they are especially mettle-
some.
A twitch Of the rein on one side
causes him to kick with his forefeet,
while twitch of the opposite side
makes him kick out behind
The horse is generally placed be-
tween two posts padded with leather,
so that neither animal nor rider may
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 headgear,
so that it Is impossible for him to
break loose. @ -..ea
He IS then put through course Of
stunts which seldom fail to dismount
the rider who is unaccustomed to
these movements, no matter how pro-
ficient heSmay be in riding horse
trotting, Looping OF even going over
hurdles, While he may be thrown
sidewise from the saddle or backward,
he is apt to be pitched over the ami
mails head aud into the arms of the
men waiting to break his fall.
Going through a daily Lesson of this
sort under the eye of a drill sergeant,
she rider by degrees gets such a firm
seat that it takes a vicious bucker or
&alker to throw him. Then he is put
on free horse and tries him in the
riding hall or on the field.
Practice of this kind forms the
final course of instruction, and upon
its conclusion he is ready to be as
signed to the squadron. Tho instruc-
tion includes jumping Of all kinds,
from taking simple hurdle to going
over a ditch and hedge.
In short, the French subaltern Off
cers are as expert in cross country
riding as many of the crack fox hunt
ers in this country and Great Britain,
As an exhibition of their skill 1t is a
common thing for the riders at Sau-
mur to jump their horses over dinner
tables without touching dishes or
food
If one happens to be riding along
q highway and a wagon obstructs his
course he puts the spurs to his horse
and makes flying leap over it. When
a squadron Is on a practice march 1t
is a common thing to take fences five
feet in height and over.
But, as already stated, the French
men do not go through these perform
Rncos merely for exhibition. 1t is a
part of their ordinary drill, and ii
their riders practice high jumps, teach
their horses to stand erect on their
hind Legs and to go ever a dinner ta-
Die or cart, these exercises are in
dulged in not for the pleasure they
give the riders, but to accustom them
TO unusual conditions and to train
their horses to unusual acts.
As result Of this training every
officer graduated at Saumur becomes
a skilled instructor In horsemanship
and the troopers of the squadron to
which he is attached get the benefit
Of il.
The men at the school give perform
ances from time to time during the
year TO illustrate their skill In horse