Dressage Book- An Influential Horse Riding Book

Dressage Book
An Influential Horse Riding Book

A dressage book published as long ago as 1733 influences dressage riding even today. The classical principles it describes are still used by The Spanish Riding School of Vienna and the Cadre Noir of Saumur in France.

Its French title is “Ecole de Cavalerie” or “School of Horsemanship,” written by François Robichon de la Guérinière.

The Man

Guérinière was born around 1688 and during his lifetime riding was an essential part of every nobleman’s education. Unlike the beginner to horseback riding today, who rides for pleasure, court members had to ride well for both social and military purposes.

After mastering the basics, they then went on to learn advanced riding at a nobleman’s academy. This included such difficult movements as the piaffe and passage, which today are only for the highest level dressage rider.

Guérinière opened his own riding academy in Paris when he was granted the title of Ecuyer in 1715. The translation of this title is ‘equerry’ meaning a member of the royal household entrusted with the care of the monarch’s horses. In those days this was a very coveted position.

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Guérinière’s reputation as a horseman grew, and he was made director of the Académie des Tuileries in Paris in 1730. His fame continued to spread throughout Europe thanks to his book.

The Dressage Book

Guérinière was a strong believer in humane training practices. He advocated the use of gentleness, following the ideals of Xenophon (430-354 BC) and of another famous French horseman, Antoine de Pluvinel (1555-1620).

He dedicated himself to introducing the ideals of intelligence and kindness to classical dressage, and he achieved this through the wide circulation of his horse dressage book.

Some Methods and Terms


It’s interesting to note that Guérinière talks about holding the reins in one or two hands, which is now a big distinction between English and Western riding. However, riding with one hand would have been necessary to keep the sword hand free.

Although the parts of the bridle are the same as today, there are some interesting bit types mentioned. For example, the pigeon-throat, trumpet cannon and ass-step.

He mentions that to fatten a thin horse one must give him ‘green meat.’ Since meat is poisonous to horses, it’s good to know this refers to newly cut grass or fresh produce such as carrots and apples! Although, these days we avoid giving horses newly cut grass.

‘School of Horsemanship’ gives a fascinating insight into the life of the horse during the centuries when that noble animal was so vital to everyday existence, and still contains useful information for today’s rider.

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Novice Dressage - Eventing for the Beginner Horse Rider

Novice Dressage
Eventing for the Beginner Rider

Over time riding in the sand arena can get stale for the novice to horseback riding. Once the rider has adequate control over the horse, it may be time to consider eventing.

Eventing comprises the three basic areas of English riding: dressage, show-jumping and cross-country jumping.

The top competitions - Rolex in Lexington, Kentucky or Badminton Horse Trials in Gloucestershire, England - will probably come to mind when you think of this sport. But those are the ultimate ‘three-day events.’

There are many opportunities for the novice rider to experience the fun of ‘one-day events’ at much lower levels.

The Novice Dressage Phase

If you’re going to event, you must be able to comfortably canter your horse, because of the jumping phases. But the introductory levels of eventing are geared to beginner horseback riding and only require walk and trot movements in the dressage test.

The judge is looking for nothing fancy: just smoothness of transition from walk to trot and back, and from walk to trot. Ribbons are awarded in the dressage class, regardless of how well the other phases go for you.

Jumping Phases

You may worry about height when you think of the jumping phases of an eventing competition. But there’s no need for concern as entry level classes have really low jumps, including the ‘tadpole’ classes with 18 inch fences.

Stadium phase: you ride over a set of pole jumps in an enclosed arena.

Cross-country phase: the obstacles are rustic, fixed fences, such as log piles or wooden gates, spread over a wide area of undulating grass terrain with plenty of room between them.

Number of Jumps

You’ll have between 6 and 8 obstacles in each of your jumping phases, and they’ll be very inviting to you and your horse.

Lower level cross-country phases are not timed, so you can trot your horse quietly over the fences at your own pace.

Fitness

Even the least strenuous one-day-event demands a reasonable level of fitness in your horse and yourself.

Since you’ll be completing all three phases in one day, you must have a horse in good physical shape. Read a horse riding book on conditioning a horse for competitions and you’ll find that the goal of getting your horse fit will increase your riding enjoyment.

When you’ve completed your first one-day event, you and your horse will have developed a deeper trust in each other, and you’ll be fired up for that next competition!

Novice Dressage
Eventing for the Beginner Rider

Over time riding in the sand arena can get stale for the beginner to horseback riding. Once the rider has adequate control over the horse, it may be time to consider eventing.

UNDERSTAND Novice Dressage - Eventing for the Beginner Rider - Horse Training
Like you Never have before

Eventing comprises the three basic areas of English riding: dressage, show-jumping and cross-country jumping.

The top competitions - Rolex in Lexington, Kentucky or Badminton Horse Trials in Gloucestershire, England - will probably come to mind when you think of this sport. But those are the ultimate ‘three-day events.’

There are many opportunities for the beginner rider to experience the fun of ‘one-day events’ at much lower levels.

The Dressage Phase

If you’re going to event, you must be able to comfortably canter your horse, because of the jumping phases. But the introductory levels of eventing are geared to beginner horseback riding and only require walk and trot movements in the dressage test.

The judge is looking for nothing fancy: just smoothness of transition from walk to trot and back, and from walk to trot. Ribbons are awarded in the dressage class, regardless of how well the other phases go for you.

Jumping Phases

You may worry about height when you think of the jumping phases of an eventing competition. But there’s no need for concern as entry level classes have really low jumps, including the ‘tadpole’ classes with 18 inch fences.

Stadium phase: you ride over a set of pole jumps in an enclosed arena.

Cross-country phase: the obstacles are rustic, fixed fences, such as log piles or wooden gates, spread over a wide area of undulating grass terrain with plenty of room between them.

Number of Jumps

You’ll have between 6 and 8 obstacles in each of your jumping phases, and they’ll be very inviting to you and your horse.

Lower level cross-country phases are not timed, so you can trot your horse quietly over the fences at your own pace.

Fitness

Even the least strenuous one-day-event demands a reasonable level of fitness in your horse and yourself.

Since you’ll be completing all three phases in one day, you must have a horse in good physical shape. Read a dressage book on conditioning a horse for competitions and you’ll find that the goal of getting your horse fit will increase your riding enjoyment.

When you’ve completed your first one-day event, you and your horse will have developed a deeper trust in each other, and you’ll be fired up for that next competition!

UNDERSTAND Novice Dressage - Eventing for the Beginner Rider - Horse Training
Like you Never have before

How To Train A Horse

Image via Wikipedia

How To Train A Horse


Dressage isn't just some moves with difficult to utter names. Each time you train your horses to carry out with more ease, and respond to subtle training aids,you are training them in basic dressage. Dressage is teaching a horse to be supple, good balanced and overly responsive.Horse training are quite similar to religion, meaning that even those who hold to the same philosophy don't always agree on every little detail.

People can get quite passionate on their beliefs. Just for the record and in case you're interested, here are a few of my beliefs and practices. That is the best way to train a horse and. That will work on every single horse, every time. What may work well on one horse may have little to no effect on another.

Horse training are those qualities that cannot be completely measured and involve such attributes as a sense of a willing attitude, cooperation and trust, and a sense of respect. Definite goals always involve performance of specific maneuvers and tasks such as cantering on the correct lead, clearing a 4 foot fence, or standing still when you mount.

The best plan is to begin lead training with your horse when he is still a foal. Don't leave it too late to begin teaching ground manners – a young horse doesn't necessarily need to know about saddles and riding yet, so you have time to focus on these very important basics. Cooperation will still be needed from the young horse during vet or farrier visits, as well as for other people he may come into contact with.

Lead training is made easier if the dam is with you as the foal will automatically mirror the behaviors of it's mother. Even if the dam is not on site, the foal will copy any other horse with which he spends time. Young horses naturally learn from the older ones in the herd. For example, you don't need to teach a horse in the pasture how to graze or go to the water and drink.

Firstly you need to look at the reasons why horses can be difficult when handling their feet. Horses first line of defense is to run away, this is difficult if we have hold of a foot! He feels vulnerable.The horse has not been taught properly how to lift his feet.Maybe he has been mishandled in the past when having his feet lifted.

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Slowly associate leg commands with the corresponding rein commands by asking for both simultaneously. When you try to put pressure on your left rein to turn your horse left, nudge your horse gently with your right calf.Decide which commands to use or should mean what. If you would want your horse to stop when you apply pressure with your heels (common in many western disciplines), apply this in a consistent manner to prevent confusion.Remove pressure in your leg when your horse starts to know commands. If you try to give him leg and he walks forward, urgently remove the leg pressure to effectively communicate that he's done what you asked.

Start with the front legs: To begin with stroke the horse on the neck and slowly make your way down to the shoulder, if he is happy and hasn’t moved away, stop and take your hand away. Then gradually work your way down the front leg, taking your hand away each time you go a little further, to reward him, giving him a good stroke is also nice. Working like this you will be able to touch all the way down the leg to the hoof, with the horse remaining completely relaxed. Once you find that you can just get to the knee during the initial sessions, that’s just fine, finish on a nice note and attempt to get further down the leg in the subsequent session.

When working on the back legs: use the same technique, but with the false arm. If the horse kicks out or steps away, try to keep the arm on, or at least near, the leg. Whenever the horse stops, take the arm away to reward the horse for doing the right thing (in this case stopping kicking or moving away). Whilst doing this work keep yourself calm and relaxed, as this will also help the horse. As with the front legs it will not be long before you are able to touch all the way down the back legs and around the fetlock area with the false arm.

As with the back legs, using the padded walking stick,gently stroke down the leg and hook the curved handle around the fetlock, you may use a rope. Slowly pull forward, whenever the horse lifts his foot immediately put it down and remove the walking stick. Repeat this a few times, gradually increasing the time you have the foot lifted. When you are happy with how the horse is dealing with this, lift his foot with your hand, but do, at this stage, lift it by pulling forward as you did with the walking stick.Once the horse is happy having his feet lifted and held up you can start to get him used to having them held as the farrier would hold them. So do take note of the positions that the farrier uses.

Tips & Warnings


*Don't ever kick your horse or jerk on the horse's reins to emphasize a command.HORSE Training takes time, and won't be achieved through fear.

*If someone else would want to ride your horse,see to it they know the commands you've been using.

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INFORMATION ON How To Train A Horse

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