"…(The training exercises should) all follow one another in such a way that the preceding exercises always constitutes a secure basis for the next one. Violation of this rule will always exert payment later on; not only by a triple loss of time but very frequently by resistances, which for a long time if not forever interfere with the relationship between horse and rider. The Gymnasium of the Horse-Gustav Steinbrecht (1808-1885)

No stride should be allowed in which the hindquarters are not acting energetically. Gustav Steinbrecht

Truly accomplished riders are those who use their excellent judgment to avoid those situations where they might have to quickly make use of all their acquired skills. Jim Reilly

"It is ironic that so many of the people who have never studied the literature of riding...simply can't spare the time to do so. That they should cherish time is reasonable enough, for after all, time is life; but the only way in which we can truly save time lies in borrowing from the experience (which is to say, the time) of others. Nothing is more wasteful than the tedious search for a solution to a problem which others have long since solved." William Steinkraus

"Besides a knowledge of the physiology and psychology of the horse, the rider must have a clear notion of the theory of movement and balance. The former means an exact knowledge of the sequence of the steps; the latter, a knowledge of how the steps should be executed and what form a horse should adopt to be able to move in balance." Alois Podhajsky

"Horses will immediately take advantage of any inattention on the part of the rider, which is why riding, probably more than any other sport, entirely absorbs the mental and physical abilities." Alois Podhajsky

"The position a rider assumes on a horse for the sake of position alone without flexibility, is no position at all. In other words, sitting on a horse looking good is not the same as sitting a horse well." Jim Reilly

"For the rider, Feel is the most elusive of the traits needed to eventually ride with unstressed elegance. It is akin to a musician and his instrument. He can understand how it is built and how it works; know how to play it with great technique and perhaps even perform with it on a professional basis. But unless his ear has been developed to 'hear' the instrument and bring out its beauty and 'brilliance' when playing, he will always just be a performer but never an artist. And so, the rider who performs with great technical competence but without feel will never be able to bring out the beauty and 'brilliance' of the horse or become an equestrian artist." Jim Reilly

"The aid of the spurs is produced by bringing them gently to touch the 'hair of the belly', without pushing or resting them with sufficient force to touch the underlying skin…The prick of the spurs should be given at the belly, about a hands breadth behind the girth". Robichon de la Guérinière (1733)

"Practice without true principles is nothing other than routine, the fruit of which is a strained and unsure execution, a false diamond which dazzles semi-connoisseurs often more impressed by the accomplishments of the horse than by the merit of the horseman. From this comes the reason for the small number of well-trained horses, and the paucity of ability one sees at present in the majority of those who call themselves horsemen. This death of principles renders pupils unable to distinguish shortcomings from perfection. They have no other recourse but imitation and unfortunately it is easier by far to fall into bad practices than it is to acquire good ones". Robichon de la Guérinière (1733): (Already in the 18th century we have comments on the lack of skilled horsemen. JR)

"In the past there were persons given charge of working with colts upon their being brought in from pasture, when they were still completely without training. These men were called 'Cavalcadours de Bardelle'; they were chosen from among those with the greatest amount of patience, industry, spirit and diligence, the perfection of these qualities being not so necessary in work with horses which have already been ridden. They accustomed young horses at being approached in the stable, to having their feet lifted up, to being touched with the hand, fitted with the bridle, the saddle and the girth, etc… They reassured them and made them easy to mount. They never used either sternness of force before they had tried to most gentle means at their disposal; and by this great patience they rendered a young horse familiar with, and rendered it well-behaved and obedient to the first lessons; If the conduct of these past lovers of the horse were imitated today, there would be fewer horses crippled, ruined, intractable, stiff and vicious". Robichon de la Guérinière (1733) (Were these the ancestors of Tom Dorrance, Ray Hunt, Buck Brannaman, et al.? What was old is new again! JR)

More Food for thought...