different horses, in giving them that
sort of motion which he thinks proper, which is principally produced by
operating upon the animal with the muscles of the calves of the legs, of
which the French avail themselves much more in the management of a horse
than the English.

It appears quite a new era in the annals of horsemanship that an
approved English riding-master should come over to France to place
himself for two years under a French riding-master, yet such I know to
be the case. Mr. F.W., the person to whom I allude, had long been
accustomed to mount horses of all descriptions, with the full confidence
of always being able to keep his seat; but when at Paris he met with a
master who could not only defy any horse to throw him, but under all
circumstances could always preserve a graceful position, even while
baffling every attempt of a horse to floor him. In order to try the
capabilities of Mr. W., the French master placed him on all kinds of
horses, and amongst the rest those which had been taught all sorts of
tricks to fling their riders, but W. resisted all their attempts, but it
was by keeping his seat in his own way, which he knew had an awkward
air, when compared to the graceful mien the Frenchman preserved
throughout the same evolutions.

Another art he strove also to acquire from his master, that of
dominating the most vicious horse to a degree that shall render it so
docile that any moderate horseman may mount it in safety. This was
effected by the French riding-master (with whom W. placed himself),
under the most extraordinary circumstances; a horse was offered him of
extreme beauty, but so totally unmanageable that it had been given up by
three rough riders of regiments in England, and was almost considered as
worthless, as no one could be found to ride it; the Frenchman undertook
in one year so to tame its restive spirit as to render it a valuable
horse for any rider. The owner quitted France, but agreed to return in a
twelvemonth, when they were to divide the amount of what the horse might
sell for; but it so happened that the owner did not return for eighteen
months, and when the twelvemonth had expired the riding-master
considered the horse his own and sold it to Franconi for 20,000 francs
(800_l._), having so completely taught the horse to obey its master, as
to make it dance to music, to bear upon which leg he chose to dictate,
and in fact to do more than I shall venture to state, as were I to giv