Blog
Review: The Principles of Riding
Reading The Principles of Riding by the German National Equestrian Federation felt like the world’s greatest exam review session. There was not much in the book that was new to me, but it did help bring some concepts together, clarified a few exercises, and confirmed everything I’ve been taught over the years.
Well, the parts on cross-country training fit in concept with how I think training should go, but I can count the number of cross-country jumps I’ve jumped on one hand. I can’t say I’ve practiced everything in the book, but I can say that in concept I agree with much of it. I’m sure the German National Equestrian Federation will be relieved to know that. (GNEF: “Halt Near X? Who? A blogger? Does she actually ride? She does? Has anyone seen this?“)
The book covers a lot of ground, from basic tack and equipment to riding (dressage, jumping, cross-country) to training the horse. Gaits are covered, as are movements such as leg yield, shoulder in, and turn on the haunches. Typically each section will include both the theory behind a movement and practical details, such as images to illustrate the text or sequential aids to ask for a movement.
A couple points I found interesting because they differ from what I’ve been taught:
One variation of the turn on the haunches is taught as starting from the halt. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a turn on the haunches from the halt; I’ve always seen (and ridden) it from the walk. I assume it’s because the turn on the haunches is easier from the walk (the book does say to have beginners take a step or two forward before beginning) and from a halt you run a greater risk of the horse crossing the hind legs instead of pivoting.
The other major difference from my training is that it suggests teaching the leg yield along the wall (e.g. the horse is at an angle to the wall and then moves down the long side maintaining that angle). I have always been taught (and seen beginners taught) the leg yield from the quarter line to the rail and back (or rail to quarterline and back). Their explanation for starting with the leg yield along the wall is that the rider “can concentrate on his sideways-pushing aids and does not need to use his rein aids so much because the wall is there to help him.”
My experience has been that riders new to the leg yield along the wall have a very difficult time maintaining the correct angle, and they and the horse end up perpendicular to the wall and “stuck.” It is true that when you are leg yielding parallel to the wall you often end up losing the straightness, but it is easier, in my experience, to stop the sideways movement, ride straight for a few steps, and start again at that point. When you are leg yielding along the wall, you have to circle to reestablish the correct angle—the whole exercise becomes disrupted.
This is a book everyone riding English disciplines should read, preferably early in their career. A really ambitious instructor could assign segments of the book to students as homework to solidify concepts introduced during a lesson—this would be especially true when a movement (say leg yielding) is first introduced. (All the instructors there ever were: “Just how much time do you think we have in our day?” Me: “Yeah, ok. Maybe not. But in theory it’s a good idea, right?“)
« I did not start blogging yesterday, folks. It’s Friday Night. Do you know where your sanity is? »
Comments
No comments yet.