Habits of long standing have accustomed horsemen to apply, often quite unknown to themselves, certain aids to which their horse answers. They are often incorrect, slovenly, or not to the best advantage of horse or man, but their owners are satisfied, and often with a very inadequate repertoire. But when it is a question of fighting on horseback, we want to get a lightning-like system of aids, so that we may get where the adversary least expects us, or wishes us to be, and kill him. The man with experience in riding, a quick eye, a blood-horse under him, which he himself has trained, can “play with” one or two, or even three, adversaries who have not these advantages. Undoubtedly since 1902 steps have been made towards an improvement in the training of the squadron horse. There are fewer “shooting stars,” that is, horses who bolt out of the ranks, and fewer horses who refuse to leave the ranks; the horses go better across country, and are, generally speaking, suited for campaign riding. Under the old Canterbury system much time was spent with a view to showing up a good ride of _haute école_ animals, whilst the new system aims at training a horse which will go well in the ranks, and will be generally useful on a campaign, either in single combat or for a scout’s riding, or for work in the ranks. The horse is now trained a great deal in the open, whereas under the old system it was trained almost entirely in a school or manège, and not in the open. Whilst by no means underrating the value and convenience of a riding-school, there is little doubt that the old system made the horse a stupid animal and quite unable to look after himself or his rider in a rough country.[95] Under the new system the limited intelligence of the horse is exploited to a considerable degree. Whilst officers of continental cavalry spend considerably more time than English officers in the training of their remounts, this is to some extent counterbalanced by the opportunities which the latter have of riding to hounds over difficult country, pig-sticking, and playing polo. For the mêlée the latter is a splendid training, whilst the two former give an officer an eye for country, and a decision in crossing it, unobtainable in any other fashion. After estimating the instruction and advantages gained by cavalry officers taking part in these and other sports, which are really a preparation for and the “image of war,” it may be reasonably asserted that the British Government by no means gets the worst of the bargain.[96]