Some interesting horse facts - there is nothing new in equitation!

The principles of training a horse have not changed for thousands of years. As we have researched and studied the development of current horse training methods, we have uncovered all sorts of interesting horse facts, some of which we thought may be of interest to you...

Horse facts about 'natural horse training'

Xenophon, the ancient Greek historian and writer, recommends in his book The Art of Horsemanship

"If a horse is shy of something, and does not want to go near it, one should teach it, that there is no reason to be afraid of the thing, either, which is best, with a stouthearted horse, or oneself has to touch that, what seems so terrible and frightening to the horse and then lead the horse close with gentle treatment"

and

"The one best rule and practice in dealing with a horse is never to approach him in anger; for anger is a reckless thing, so that it often makes a man do what he must regret"

The ancient Greeks' approach to the schooling of the horse is that it should be "gentle and enlightened"

In 1658, William Cavendish (The Duke of Newcastle) wrote in his book A General System of Horsemanship

"a boy is a long time before he knows his alphabet, longer before he learns to spell, and several years before he can read distinctly - and yet there are some people who, as soon as they have got upon a horse, entirely undressed or untaught, fancy that by beating and spurring they will make him a dressed horse, in one morning only.

I would fain to ask such stupid people whether by beating a boy, they could teach him to read without showing him the alphabet. Surely they would beat the boy to death before they would teach him to read"

Some interesting horse facts about 'natural horsemanship'

When the Normans landed in Ireland they found the Irish horseman;

"did not use saddles and their horses wore a bitless bridle"

and

"they guided their horses by means of a stick used on the neck"

In the time of Hannibal the highly skilled, valued and feared cavalry were the Numidians;

"they rode in a natural style, bareback and without a bridle"

and

Western riding in the States came from the Spanish Conquistador in the 16th Century, who learnt this manner of riding from the Moors, who in turn inherited it from the Saracens

Facts about the history of the riding school

One of the earliest examples of "school riding" (riding carried out in an enclosure) is that of the Neapolitan School in the early 16th Century, and is closely associated with the Tilting in the 'Tilt Yard' (the training ground for the Medieval Joust)

In The Complete Training of Horse and Rider, Alois Podhajsky talks about the history of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna

The School was named during the Austrian Empire in 1572. A wooden riding arena was first commissioned in 1565 and in 1729 Emperor Charles VI commissioned the architect Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach to build the white Winter Riding Hall, still used today for the public performances and training of the Lipizzan stallions

If you are experiencing horse training problems, we have some helpful advice and tips here to support you

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