Equitation.

This is coolbert:

Thanks to the CIC page of Professor Al Nofi at StrategyPage we have this amazing item. Place this in the strange but true category?

"Between the world wars, entry to France's École Supérieure de Guerre required first a 27-hour series of written tests in history, geography, military practice, and more, including proficiency tests in either English or German, and then (for the 120 applicants who passed that round) a week of oral exams in various subjects, plus an equitation trial, after which about 80 men were accepted for the two-year course."

The French war college and staff course. A MUST for all French career officers those aspiring to flag rank. AND a MUST if possible for foreign officers also, those having a proficiency and fluency in the French language.

That French army in those years between the wars [the Great War and the Second World War] considered to be the finest in the world.

That selection process for the course most arduous and demanding and INCLUDING AN EQUITATION TRIAL!!

Equitation! Horse riding. Demonstrating an ability as a horseman. The cavalry and the mystique of the cavalry, the chevalier mounted on horseback, the armored man-at-arms still in vogue

"eq·ui·ta·tion - - noun - - the act or art of riding on horseback.

You would have thought a test for vehicle and motor maintenance might be more appropriate but NO!

The French in the years between the two world wars not neglectful of armor, the tank, concepts and doctrine for employing same in battle!

Indeed the French in 1939 having MORE tanks than the German and the French tanks BETTER as well!

NONETHELESS, equitation and the horse first and armor and tanks later. Such was the mentality at the time, the old ways giving way slowly in the military.

OR am I missing something here?

coolbert.