Personally, I share neither the opinion of the German officers nor that of Baucher. The horse ought to be in front of the legs and lightly on the hand. It is always a question of nuances ; at least, when army horses have not been considered, because with them there is something quite different from a nuance, and in this case I differ entirely from Baucher. I even dare to say that the single fact of his stating that horses should be behind the hand, ought to be sufficient to exclude his method from the army. Such an opinion put into practice would only make the horse hesitating ; because the hand directs him. The horse always hesitates when he does not feel the hand, But if he is behind the hand he does not feel the reins. The army horse ought always to go freely up to his bridle (on the hand).

These are the principal points of Baucher's method with which I disagree. Nevertheless, I have a sincere admiration for him.

Baucher was a creator, and every one who rides ought to respect him as a master. He had the great merit of not describing anything which he could not do. Many who have come after him have written at great length on riding, and often with the object of describing magnificent movements which they have never done. Baucher proved the superiority of his theory by putting it into practice.