Jules Janin, A Summer in Paris, 1843, pp.137-141

From 1838 to 1848, Baucher presented a horse show, which was the talk of all Paris, to the public at the Cirque des Champs-Elysées.

 "I had the pleasure of seeing M. Baucher ride his beautiful Partisan. This M. Baucher is a very clever horseman, who has taught the most unruly steed ever brought from England, to execute quadrilles and steps of which even M. Vestris — the great Vestris passed away this year, amid a public indifference that would have surprised him – poor man! — would be very jealous. According to Baucher's system, the horse has no longer will, intelligence, nor memory. It is no more than a machine, or, if you prefer, a force obeying the slightest movements sent by the rider without any possible resistance. Thus Partisan was mastered, at once. The very first day, thus mounted, the terrible horse became immediately a quiet, docile animal. All that is asked of him, he does, without trouble, and without effort. He goes, he comes, he stops, he rears, he leaps, he flies, he walks, he turns upon one leg, then upon the other, he gallops with his hind legs, he beats time like M. Habeneck; you have no idea of his ease, his grace, his elegance, his lightness. Is it a man? Is it a horse? How is it? No one knows. The cavalier is as calm as the animal he rides. He is in the saddle, and with all your attention, you cannot tell how, the one bearing the other, they can execute all these feats of strength, which yet are not feats of strength! In fact, you neither see the hands nor the legs of the cavalier move; you would say, that the horse acts of himself, and because it is his good pleasure. When Partisan stops, with his two fore feet fixed upon the ground, whilst he makes plain marks with the hind foot; or else when he stands upon his hind feet, and moves his fore feet in correct time, the vulgar are tempted to exclaim, It is a miracle! The miracle is, that there is no miracle, it is the most simple thing in the world; this beautiful effect is the result of equilibrium, and depends upon the weight of the horseman being properly balanced, from the front to the back, or from the back to the front. But what precision is necessary, for instance, when the horse ought to move only the two diagonal legs! With what exactness must he burden or relieve, such or such a part of the animal! But then a horse thus mounted is the beau ideal of the horse genus and the cavalier genus. Until the present time, in point of horses rode in public, you have seen only actors; Partisan is a true horse!"

Image
Baucher and his horse Partisan.

Cadre noir in Saumur