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English Authors

I was in discussion with Frederico Schiappa Pietra Saramago the other day and we discussed many things, but one of the subjects that astonished him, was how few British people know about or have read the works of our greatest past masters. I also notice that when I mention William Cavendish (The Duke of Newcastle) or James Fillis many people have a blank expression on their faces. This is a sad situation as these two people contributed such a large amount in knowledge and development towards the understanding of horse training.

Although William Cavendish fled England during the civil war, to end up having his riding school in Antwerp, at the house that Rubens had resided in. It gave him time to develop his work on horses and allowed him to publish his work “Méthode et invention nouvelle de dresser les chevaux” or “A General System of Horsemanship” as is available in English. His method advanced the techniques used then and which still influence today’s training. He has been rewarded with the title of the father of Shoulder In, of which is still one of the most influential tool in the hands of any trainer

James Fillis developed a huge reputation throughout Europe and Russia by displaying his mastery and easily understood training methods. This being a blog and not a book I invite you all to look him up and discover his exploits. His method of equitation consisted, in his own words, of: “distribution of weight by the height of the neck, bent at the poll, and not at the withers; propulsion by means of the hocks being brought under the body; and lightness by loosening of the lower jaw”. This was a development from François Baucher method who he had trained under. If only this was understood and practised today! How many people who use the ordinary stirrup to ride in, know that it was designed by him and was known as the Fillis safety stirrup. His work “Principes de dressage et d’équitation” or “Breaking and riding” as it’s known in England should be the handbook of all who want to take their understanding of equitation to a level of greater clarity, and like the idea of lightness.

If you know these works you know where I come from with this post, if you don’t please give a little of your time to take in what these masters spent their lives working on to help us.

By Richard

My family has lived in the New Forest, near Southampton since 1972 which is a most beautiful part of England, where native ponies roam wild, but we have to go back to when I was 14 to discover what kindled my love of horses. We, as in my family moved from Portsmouth to the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, due to my father getting a posting in the prison service. My younger sister wanted to ride on the weekends at the local riding school, so my parents tasked me, as older brother to escort my sister to the stables so she could ride. Whilst my sister rode out, I would stay behind and help the gentleman who owned the establishment sort and train the other horses, and as a reward for my help he would privately teach me riding. He showed me a lot, and was of a very encouraging nature which planted the seed in me for my life's relationship with horses. If he knew what his encouragement has nurtured, I would like to think he would be proud.

I joined the Army as a mechanical engineer REME in 1972, and was subsequently attached to cavalry units where people owned polo ponies and eventers, so when time allowed I was down at the stables with them. I consider it was the army that instilled in me to approach training in a way that it must be understood. In 1981 I married Bobbie and after leaving the Army moved to the New Forest where our shared passion for horses soon had us back in the saddle. After several years competing, I was very lucky to meet and ride with the eminent Portuguese horse master Joao Oliveira, the son of the legendary Nuno Oliveira. This man turned on the light bulb for me and from this meeting I truly started to understand how training was structured; that riding was from the mind and body, not the hands and heels. The years of hard practice that followed, allowed me eventually to perform many entertaining displays throughout the UK. Through my performing and travels I have been very lucky to meet and ride with many of the greatest masters of European horsemanship; I hold their friendship most dear for they are today’s key holders of the art. I have spent considerable time discussing the finer points of equitation with these eminent horsemen, which has allowed me to appreciate how they approached training, and there personal techniques.

My passion for understanding, has led to many hours studying the great literary works of the past masters, I would not like to consider how much time I've spent with my head in a book. Appreciating the history and the development of horse training may not make a better rider, but it allows the rider when facing a problem to consider other routes, that may be easier for the horse to understand; correspondingly this has allowed me to assist others in how to approach their training and understanding. Being able to explain how movements developed through history, from where they originated and their purpose brings structure to movements, which then helps in creating clearer guidance towards training. I have been told that I have become renowned for my way of clearly explaining how training and riding works and progresses, coupling this with a logical process, linked with a psychological approach, allows all to understand. My calm nature shows how thought is the most powerful tool for the rider and education is imperative, which leads riders to see there is no magical processes or amazing quirky methods, and that basic tack is best, with no need for gadgetry.

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