Horses for courses
I will be continuously updating this collection of quotes as I find new ones. The quotes I have gathered already range from the ancient words of Xenephon (albeit in translation) to those of modern trainers of today such as Charles de Kunffy. One of my absolute favourite sources of quotes is Franz Mairinger's excellent book - Horses are made to be horses.
Are you ready to be inspired?
Quotes from Sally Swift
The key to why Sally Swift's work is so instrumental is not just because it is easy to read and implement, it is also because of her emphasis on encouraging riders to be self-aware whenever they are in the saddle. If the rider can feel exactly what their body is doing at all times, then they are much more likely to be able to correct it for themselves.
Here are just a few of my favourite quotes from Centered Riding:
Riding this way is like playing a finely tuned instrument, at times delicate, at other times powerful... The true artist can play with equal dexterity a soft ballad or a crashing march.
Increased body awareness gives you a greater awareness of your inner self as well as your surroundings. Changing your habits will cultivate an ability to make clearer choices: A balanced body permits a balanced state of mind.
Remember, the conversation between you and your horse must never be dull or inert. It should be, "Ask, receive, give. Ask, receive, give." Ask with your body and legs; receive through your body into your hands; give primarily with the hands, but also with your body and legs, so that you can ask all over again, receive again and give again. The give is your thanks. If you don't give, you must ask harder the next time, and even harder after that, until you end up with a dead or resistant horse.
Centered Riding (A Trafalgar Square Farm Book)
Amazon Price: $11.98 (as of 02/15/2012)
The book Centered Riding is available from Amazon.
If you're interested in more from Sally Swift
Quotes from Franz Mairinger
students in putting this book together from his lectures and demonstrations.
Franz Mairinger was an instructor at the Spanish Riding School, and trained six Australian Olympic Eventing teams for including the Gold Medal winning team that took on the world in 1960 at the Rome games.
It is difficult to select my favourite quotes, so I have included two that I am focussing on at the moment:
Preserve his natural gaits. Preserve his personality. Preserve his instinct to go forward. Do this and you must be successful because you are respecting nature's wisdom.
TTheoretically, if we could sit perfectly and never move, we could break him in today and in six months he could do Grand Prix. It's hard to believe, but if we could sit still and never move, that's how quickly we could progress. But we do move, and we realise that we have moved. And at the same time as the movement, comes the realisation that we have lost the horse. That we have lost the flexion, that we have lost impulsion, that we have lost the type of movement that we were doing at the time. Concentrate on position; this is a most important thing. It is just common sense - you are the load and if you are not still then the horse cannot do it.
Equestrian Art
For what the horse does under compulsion, as Simon also observes, is done without understanding; and there is no beauty in it either, any more than if one should whip and spur a dancer. There would be a great deal more ungracefulness than beauty in either a horse or a man that was so treated. No, he should show off all his finest and most brilliant performances willingly and at a mere sign.
Nuno Oliveira:
Equestrian art is the perfect understanding and harmony between horse and rider.
Anonymous:
Ask me to show you poetry in motion, and I will show you a horse
"A horse is the projection of peoples' dreams about themselves - strong, powerful, beautiful - and it has the capability of giving us escape from our mundane existence"
~ Pam Brown
The Joy of Horse Riding
A canter is the cure for every evil.
Winston Churchill:
No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle
Ralph Waldo Emerson:
Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of Solitaire. It is a grand passion.
An original artwork from the Equine Inspiration Art Gallery
On Horsemanship
A horse will never tire of a rider who possesses both tact and sensitivity because he will never be pushed beyond his possibilities.
~ Nuno Oliveira
Horsemanship is not merely a matter of bodily skills, but is based on scholarship and, therefore is a matter of the mind and intellect. Good horsemansip is based on proper character development and, therefore, is also a matter of mentality and spirit. Without the correct attitudes and insights, there cannot be the right sport.
~ Charles de Kunffy
Brutality begins where skill ends.
~ Egon von Neindorff
A fantastic display of horsemanship... at the beach!
Dressage Quotes
Competitive riding should be classical riding at its best.
~ Charles de Kunffy
Poll flexion is not Pull flexion.
~ Dr. Thomas Ritter
Quotable Books!
Non-Horsey Quotes?
Some quotes weren't meant to be about horse training, but they can inspire horse people all the same!
~ Will Rogers
Vote for your favourite horse quotes!
I've added a few quotes to get things started, but feel free to add your own favourites to the list! Don't forget to refresh the page and vote for them!
Arabian Proverb
The wind of heaven is that which blows between a h more...1 point
Nuno Oliveira
A horse will never tire of a rider who possesses b more...0 points
Winston Churchill
There is something about the outside of a horse th more...0 points
Guestbook
Have you got a favourite quote to share?
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marydixon
Nov 11, 2011 @ 8:53 pm | delete
- Love, love, love the video - and a real fine lens.
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Claire x
Nov 4, 2011 @ 11:59 am | delete
- i was told in a training session the hand should recieve what teh leg creates! and "the halt should settle like a snow flake! .. both hel[pful quotes which have stayed with me for over 10 years and still going strong!
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Hannah
Jan 27, 2011 @ 5:53 pm | delete
- "No heaven can be heaven if my horse isn't there to greet me."
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Megs
Dec 18, 2010 @ 8:04 pm | delete
- i love my old horse! i miss u carrot!!
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Phillyfreeze69
Nov 21, 2010 @ 8:41 am | delete
- It so fitting that the United States government has set aside thousands of acres in western states that allow Mustangs run free. There can be no greater homage paid to the importance of horses when the very expensive Bugatti Veyron sports car still uses(as all other auto manufacturers) the term HORSEPOWER in describing their respective engine displacements. Go Colts!...Go Broncos!
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