It is a cornerstone of classical riding philosophy that the relationship with the horse is based on trust, not fear. As Pluvinel wrote: "You can never rely on a horse that is educated by fear. There will always be something that he fears more than you. But, when he trusts you, he will ask you, [...]
Classical riding scholars and masters frequently repeat that the art is based on only natural movements, but is that true? Where do we see horses perform a half-pass or shoulder-in in nature? Or airs above the ground? Surely these are just things that humans have fabricated? The fascinating thing is all of the classical exercises [...]
When we ride, we use the term "aids" a lot to describe the ways we communicate with the horse. We have leg aids, rein aids, seat aids, and "unnatural" aids like voice (debated whether that's natural or unnatural), whip, spur, etc. But why do we use the term "aids" instead of "cues" or "commands?" I [...]
This is a massive ethics question that is raised not infrequently. Those who are against horses being ridden equate these majestic creatures to slaves of human will. But is that always the case? Can horses actually enjoy and seek out being ridden? In my experience, the answer is yes. I have had a few that [...]
All riders would agree that there is something primal and ancient about the horse. They've long been a fascination for humanity, from the ancient cave paintings at Lascaux and Chauvet to the modern fascination with Mustangs, Brumbies, and even their more ancient cousins, the Przewalski's horses and Sorraia horses. Yet that wild nature persists through [...]
The classical riding community loves the term "lightness," and the term is used often when talking about a horse that has been well trained or as part of the pursuit within training. Others scoff at the term as being a misnomer or even being deceptive, as horses "should have" contact when truly on the bit, [...]
Some day... we hope to make this vision a reality: Horses dance across an arena, ridden in a ballet of harmony between two species. Lipizzans, Lusitanos, and other breeds (maybe Sorraias, maybe Black Forest Horses, maybe Mustangs, most certainly Kerry Bog Ponies) make up the dancers, with local musicians accompanying them, playing classical music this [...]
Here's an ever-growing list of books for the classical riding enthusiast! More will be named soon. We're focusing on books that are currently translated at this point in this list, but we'll likely add some that have yet to be translated into English in a separate section. By the Old Masters pre-1900 (from less difficulty [...]
One lesson type that confuses people when it comes to riding is theory lessons. What kind of theory is there to learn about riding? How could a theory lesson be helpful? Why pay for a theory lesson and take an hour for one when they can pay for a ride? There's actually many benefits to [...]
Are you a therapeutic riding facility? This is a question we get a lot when we tell people we’re a horsey nonprofit. The answer to this is no. While therapeutic riding is awesome, that is not what we do. Therapeutic riding focuses on riders with mental or physical disabilities, sometimes quite significant disabilities, and helps [...]
