Horsemanship

For the past month my family and I have been in the throes of moving, (a condition that we’ll be in for a little longer) so I am very happy to have “ an Abstract  by RH from  HORSEMANSHIP  by WALDEMAR SEUNIG ” to share with you. RH is Roger Hanington, Major (retired), late Royal Artillery. He’s a friend and a wonderful horseman who has studied Seunig and McTaggart in depth.  Both of these authors have had a huge impact on horsemanship worldwide and particularly in the U.S. where McTaggart was list on the recommended reading list for the Calvary School. I read Horsemanship by Waldemar Seunig as a youth which was no small feat because it is a translation from German. I would recommend Horsemanship by Waldemar Seunig to any serious student of  horsemanship.

Thank you so much to my friend Major Hannington for this insightful guest blog post. … Continue Reading

Good Horseman According to Harry Chamberlin

by Barbara Ellin Fox

“The correct principles of equitation and horse training are in themselves simple and well defined, and easily within the comprehension of any intelligent mind. Unfortunately, these principles are so difficult to find in the mass of literature on equestrian subjects, and often so intermingled with inaccurate and abstruse statements, that the most earnest student in his search for them is frequently discouraged. … Continue Reading

The Society of the Military Horse

by Barbara Ellin Fox

Being a lover of horsemanship and history, I can visit The Society of the Military Horse and easily lose track of time for hours. I can’t think of another site that has such a huge collection of articles, facts and thoughts on line. The Society has a group of static page articles that paint a picture of horsemanship when the method of riding and training was beginning to develop in the U.S Military thru the time when the school at Fort Riley was the best in the world and good sportsmanship was as important as honor. … Continue Reading

The French Cavalry Manual

A small group of classic works written at the beginning of the 29th century had a huge influence on riding as we see it today. Certainly the Cavalry School’s  3 volume “Horsemanship and Horsemastership”, the works of Harry Chamberlin, and those of Piero Santini belong in this small group.  “The Manual of Equitation of the French Army for 1912” should be included in this group. It was published by the U.S War Department for use in the Mounted Service School. This French Cavalry Manual laid the foundation for the system we use today.

Although you’ll not find the forward seat in the Manual of Equitation of the French Army for 1912, neither will you find extreme collection and carriage or the teaching of “high school” riding. Instead you’ll find guidance for instructors, instruction on co-ordination of the aids, gymnastics and position of the rider, and a system for breaking and training horses. … Continue Reading

Will the Real Cavalry Manual Please Stand Up?

by Barbara Ellin Fox

I have a passion for horse books, especially the older classics. They’re a wealth of information and are unencumbered by commercialism- at least most of them.

Lt. Col. Harry D. Chamberlin

I love to read Lt. Col. Harry D. Chamberlin and I almost enjoy his 1934 “Riding and Schooling Horses” more than his1938 “Training Hunters, Jumpers, and Hacks’. “Riding and Schooling” has a little more to do with the rider and since I teach, I find that more interesting. These are two books I would recommend for anyone’s equestrian library. They are easily understood and the old photos are terrific. Finding them requires a little on line research and some perseverance but it is well worth the investment in time.

… Continue Reading

“American Military Horsemanship” by J. Ottevaere

by Barbara Ellin Fox

If you’re interested in learning more about the history of riding in America, I suggest that you get a copy of James A. Ottevaere’s “American Military Horsemanship“, as it is one of the most informative books on the subject. The topic of the book is the military seat of the U.S. Cavalry.

James Ottevaere covers 150 years of military horsemanship in America from right after the Revolutionary War until the dismounting of the Cavalry in the ’40s. He compares the manuals and training guides that were used and the changes that were made in both the size and existence of the cavalry. J. Ottevaere also goes into no small detail about the equipment that was in use.

J. Ottevaere explains clearly how the balanced seat developed in “American Military Horsemanship” page 63: “The new American military seat would discard the notion of a single or universal position and posture for the rider in all types of military riding, and would instead prescribe adjustments that would accommodate the relative changes in the balance and center of gravity of both the horse and rider while in motion, at various gaits, and over obstacles and jumps. … Continue Reading