Part 1 (2/2)

”4th. M. Baucher, Jr., will repair to the camp at Luneville and sojourn there during the months of June, July and August. The captain-instructors and one lieutenant from the troops of horse stationed in the neighborhood of Paris will be ordered to Luneville during those months to study the Baucher system.

”5th. M. Baucher, Jr., will receive an indemnity of five hundred francs a month.

”6th. Each of the bodies of troops of horse and establishments of unbroken horses will receive two copies of the work ent.i.tled 'A New Method of Horsemans.h.i.+p, by M. Baucher.'”

Extract from the report of the Chef d'Escadrons Grenier, appointed to the command of the officers detached to Paris, by ministerial decision of the 20th of May, 1842, to study the method of horsemans.h.i.+p of M.

Baucher:

”The officers detached to Paris were of the number of twenty-two, the captain-instructor and a lieutenant from each regiment. * * * They exercised for thirty-nine days. * * * These officers did not all arrive at Paris with the belief that they could be taught anything. One-half were captain-instructors, the rest, lieutenants, intended to become the same. Thus, in the beginning, there was very little confidence, on the part of the officers, in their new professor, sometimes even opposition, but always zeal and good will.

”Little by little, confidence came, opposition disappeared; but only at the end of the first month, after about twenty-five lessons, did all the officers, without exception, understand the method and recognize the superiority of M. Baucher's principles over those previously known.

”Before leaving, they all approved of the new method, and desired its application in their regiments.

”The method of horsemans.h.i.+p of M. Baucher is positive and rational; it is easy to understand, especially when studied under the direction of some one who knows it. It is attractive to the rider, gives him a taste for horses and horsemans.h.i.+p, tends to develop the horse's qualities, especially that of lightness, which is so delightful to discover in a saddle-horse. * * Applied to the breaking of young horses, it develops their instinct, makes them find the domination of the rider easy and pleasant; it preserves them from the premature ruin that an improper breaking often brings with it; it may shorten the time devoted to the education of the horse; and it interests the riders employed in it.”

M. Desondes, Lieutenant of the Ninth Cuira.s.siers, winds up a long and highly favorable report upon the breaking of young horses for the army with the words, ”To Baucher the cavalry is grateful.”

Extracts from the sixth and last report upon the trials of the new method of horsemans.h.i.+p of M. Baucher:

”The first trials are concluded. The princ.i.p.al movements of the platoon-drill on horseback, the running at the head and charging, have completed the exercises. Thus, thirty-five lessons have sufficed to perfect the instruction of the tractable as well as the intractable horses confided to me. The first rough work with the horse--that is to say, the exercises with the snaffle prescribed by the orders--used to take up as much time as this, and then we scarcely dared to touch the curb-rein. In this view, the new system is of great utility for cavalry.

”But the promptness with which we can put new horses in the ranks is not the only advantage the new method presents; it guarantees, besides, the preservation of the horse; it develops his faculties and his powers; these increase by the harmony and proper application of the forces among themselves and by their rational and opportune use. It is not the immoderate employment of force which conquers a rebellious horse, but the well-combined use of an ordinary force. The Baucher system ought to be considered eminently preservative, since the breaking, being well graduated and well combined, cannot have an injurious influence upon the horse's _physique_; and his forces being at the disposition of the rider, it is he, the absolute dispenser of these forces, who is responsible for their duration or premature destruction. * * * I repeat it, that the new method would be a great benefit, an indisputable improvement for cavalry. * * * I pray then for its adoption, and ardently desire its prompt introduction into the cavalry.

(Signed) DE NOVITAL.”

Extract from the _Spectateur Militaire_:

”Pa.s.sionately fond of a science that, from his childhood, has been the object of studies as productive as they were persevering, M. Baucher, after having obtained from the horse a submission almost magical, has not been willing to be the only one to profit by his meditations; he has put them cleverly together, and his written method is now in the hands of all those who occupy themselves with horsemans.h.i.+p. * * * The division of dragoons, and the instructors of the different bodies of troops of horse that composed a part of the camp of Luneville, intended to execute, after the principles of the new method, and in the presence of their royal highnesses, the Dukes of Orleans and Nemours, equestrian exercises that would have had thousands of spectators. The mournful event that deprived France of the prince royal did not allow of this performance having the _eclat_ that was intended. Nevertheless, M. the Duke de Nemours, wis.h.i.+ng to judge for himself of the results, has had part of these exercises performed in his presence.”

The death of the Duke of Orleans, and the indifference and afterwards opposition of the Duke de Nemours, were the princ.i.p.al causes of the system of M. Baucher not being adopted for the whole cavalry of the French army. The former was an ardent admirer of the system, while the latter was an equally ardent admirer of a rival professor of horsemans.h.i.+p.

Extract from a letter of M. de Gouy, Colonel of the First Hussars, to M.

Baucher:

”So far from the muscular power being lessened by the repet.i.tion 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 a.s.sertions 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 Prevost, 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 Cuira.s.siers (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 _confrere_.

”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_, _a.s.soupliss.e.m.e.nt_, _ramener_, _ra.s.sembler_, 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.

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