e
an accurate description it must appear an exaggeration, having met with
several Englishmen who with myself have declared they never could have
believed, had they not had ocular demonstration, that a horse could have
been taught to do that which the animal in question has nightly
exhibited at Franconi's. When the owner did return, he claimed the half
of the value the horse had fetched, but the riding-master pleaded that
the contract was annulled by his not making his claim at the time agreed
upon between them; the other persisting in his demand, the affair was
referred to a Court of Justice, and decided in favour of the
riding-master, and it is said that Franconi has since refused 40,000
francs for the horse.

There is one peculiarity in the English style of riding which is
remarked all over the Continent, and that is, the rising in the saddle,
or what is termed, adopting one's own motion, instead of that of the
horse, which is certainly much rougher and not so agreeable, and for my
own part I have found it a great relief when upon a long journey; of
course it is never adopted by our cavalry, and the French contend that
to sit as close as possible, partaking of the motion of the horse, as
soon as the rider is accustomed to it he will travel farther, and with
less fatigue than by what is termed the English method. M. de Fitte
however thinks differently from his countrymen in that respect. It is
also considered that in both our riding and driving we rein in our
horses far too much, the consequence being that the animal, accustomed
to be held up by the rider or driver, depends upon it, as what is called
his fifth leg, and if there be any negligence in thus sustaining him, he
immediately trips and often comes to the ground; whereas the horse who
is habituated to a looser rein goes more boldly, depending on the powers
nature has given him, and carries his head lower, and of course sees his
ground better, avoiding that which might occasion a false step; and
certainly the horses in France very seldom fall, except in frost or
snow, when strange to say the French have never had the wit to have them
rough-shod.

Notwithstanding all that is said upon the subject I have found the
advantage of keeping a tighter rein upon my horse than they are in the
habit of practising in Turkey, as although in a journey which I had of
seven hundred miles on horseback in that country they found great fault
with my riding, yet I kept my seat, and