The Facets of Equuality - Classical Dressage

In which I summarize the principles of classical training, why they are so seldom taught, and how they are redefining modern horsemanship.

There are principles that underlie the art of horsemanship that can be traced back as far as history itself: calmness, communication, lightness, self-carriage, grace, and the value of the natural movement of the horse to name just a few.

A little over two hundred years ago the French populace did something that nearly destroyed this art form: they overthrew the aristocracy, formed a republic, and in so doing changed the way you ride to this very day - and likely not for the better.

A Brief History of Equitation or: How we all Learned to Ride like Uneducated Peasants

From at least the age of the Greek horse master Xenophon (431-350 BCE) until the French Revolution (1789-1799 CE), equitation was a true art form.

In fact, to be a successful member of the nobility, a man (we're definitely pre-suffrage here) needed to be able to write, draw, dance, play one or more instruments, and ride a horse with at least the air of mastery about him. These skills (not to mention the time needed to develop them) were a large part of what define him as a member of the noble class.

By the mid 18th century, the French were arguably the masters of horsemanship. The masters of the French school were all about principles: calmness, lightness, descent of the aids, education of the horse, clarity of communication, just to name a few. Some call this period the "Golden Age of Equitation."

All that changed in 1789 when the French populace, with liberty waving her flag, began chopping off the heads of nobles as quickly as they could put them on the guillotine. Within a decade, nearly everyone who knew anything about the art of riding was either dead or in exile.

Those masters that were left might have revived the art to its former status if not for a little someone you may have heard of named Napoleon. When that pint-sized dictator started following his Costco-scale plan to conquer everything in sight, he needed cavalry and he needed them fast. He began training every Jean, Paul, and Jaques to ride a horse just well enough to keep it pointed in the general direction of the enemy.

Suddenly, a "trained rider" had thirty days of boot-camp instead of years of artful education. Thus, the birth of "modern" riding and the methods with which the vast majority of riders are taught today.

So Old it's New Again

In the last Century, another major event occurred that changed the face of equitation forever: the invention of the internal combustion engine. Suddenly, horses were no longer needed to perform work or prosecute wars. The modern equus is purely a source of pleasure and recreation.

This shift has totally changed the way we view the horse. Again, we live in an age when many people have the time and the passion needed to pursue horsemanship as an art form. Thanks to the work of scholars like Craig Stevens and Mary Anne Campbell at the National School of Academic Equitation(NSAE), we are gaining access to classical texts that contain invaluable teachings about this art. As a culture, we have the opportunity and the means to relearn the principles of lightness, calmness, and true unity.

My Practice

I have been lucky enough to have been exposed to the principles and methods of classical dressage nearly from the time I first became truly interested in the art of riding. I learned early on the value of developing calmness, self carriage, and education to the aids on a time frame that works to the best benefit of both horse and rider. Additionally, due to the nature of my initial focus on Agility and other ground work, I had the space in my own practice to learn at a pace that allowed me to integrate all of this information.

Today, I am not only engaged in the pursuit of my own continuing equitation education, but also in the process of sharing that information with everyone I can.

Your Practice

If you've primarily been taught how to ride in a post-revolution military fashion ("supporting" the horse, driving with the seat, holding with the reins, etc), perhaps it is time to broaden your horizons by beginning to learn the principles and methods of Classical Equitation.

Perhaps you've been lucky enough to learn your equitation skills from a teacher who understand the classical principles and methods. If so, maybe it's time to go one step further and really dig into the works of Baucher, de la Gueriniere, L'Hotte or the other classical masters.

In either case, I'd be happy to share what I know with you at an Equuality Experience, or you might enjoy learning from my friends at the NSAE or another classical school (beware though, true classical horsemanship teachers are still quite hard to find).

No matter where you are in your journey, I think you will find additional study of classical dressage to be invaluable in your horsemanship practice.

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