The French Method for Teaching the Horse to Be Round and On the Bit
Pierre Cousyn - Dressage Today: April 2009 Issue
Q: Is it true that French dressage riders don't drive their horses onto the bit to get them round like I've heard German and other European riders do? What are the French methods for teaching the horse to be round and on the bit?
A: In France, we have two different schools of riding, so it all depends on the school the French rider has chosen. I would answer your first question with a "yes" if you follow the classical school taught at the French Riding Academy in Saumur home of the prestigious Cadre Noir-or are involved in modern competition riding. If you follow the purely Baucher school, I would answer your question with a "no."
The first school is called the "Versailles School," originating in the Renaissance-the time of French masters, such as Pluvinel and de la Gueriniere. These masters taught students to ride the horse from back to front as one unit to put the horse on the bit and establish balance and, subsequently, lightness. In this approach, forwardness-driving the horse forward, sending the energy of the hind legs forward toward the bit-was the first and foremost quality to establish. The rider accepted the fact that the horse might temporarily put more weight in the reins before balance and lightness were established. The German school is founded on this basic idea.
The second French method, the "Baucher School," was developed by Francois Baucher, a French riding master who lived in the 19th century. Unlike the Renaissance masters, who first created forwardness to put the horse on the bit, Baucher wanted lightness in the bridle from the beginning, creating it first at the halt by using flexion exercises for the jaw and polL Only then would he ride forward, never sacrificing lightness for forwardness, making sure the lightness in the bridle was maintained at all times.
Gen. Alexis-Francois L'Hotte combined both of these approaches to create the classical modern French School, which has become the official way of riding in France and the school of thought most commonly taught in France today.
At Saumur, we are taught to practice mostly the Versailles School and Gen. L'Hotte's synthesis. We only learn in theory about the Baucher School, since it can have severe pitfalls if riders practice it incorrectly. While we are encouraged to send the horse forward into the bridle, we do spend a lot of time at the walk to relax the horse, using lateral exercises, such as shoulder-in, leg yield, turns on the forehand and haunches and half pass, in addition to in-hand work.
In Germany, tradition generally calls for more work at the trot and canter in a forward motion, which generally requires more use of the half halt to balance the horse and, at times, a stronger rein contact-and less abundant use of the walk.
Summing up, the French commonly look for a light contact from the beginning at all times, even when employing forwardness as a main principle. The descente de main and descente de jambes stopping any aids are an important tool in this approach, as we leave the horse alone in the movement, letting him express himself as often and as long as possible. Also, instead of using pushing & restraining aids simultaneously, we generally use the aids separately. The hands without legs and legs without hands , a principle developed by Baucher in his second method, which produces brilliant results.
Q: Is it true that French dressage riders don't drive their horses onto the bit to get them round like I've heard German and other European riders do? What are the French methods for teaching the horse to be round and on the bit?
A: In France, we have two different schools of riding, so it all depends on the school the French rider has chosen. I would answer your first question with a "yes" if you follow the classical school taught at the French Riding Academy in Saumur home of the prestigious Cadre Noir-or are involved in modern competition riding. If you follow the purely Baucher school, I would answer your question with a "no."
The first school is called the "Versailles School," originating in the Renaissance-the time of French masters, such as Pluvinel and de la Gueriniere. These masters taught students to ride the horse from back to front as one unit to put the horse on the bit and establish balance and, subsequently, lightness. In this approach, forwardness-driving the horse forward, sending the energy of the hind legs forward toward the bit-was the first and foremost quality to establish. The rider accepted the fact that the horse might temporarily put more weight in the reins before balance and lightness were established. The German school is founded on this basic idea.
The second French method, the "Baucher School," was developed by Francois Baucher, a French riding master who lived in the 19th century. Unlike the Renaissance masters, who first created forwardness to put the horse on the bit, Baucher wanted lightness in the bridle from the beginning, creating it first at the halt by using flexion exercises for the jaw and polL Only then would he ride forward, never sacrificing lightness for forwardness, making sure the lightness in the bridle was maintained at all times.
Gen. Alexis-Francois L'Hotte combined both of these approaches to create the classical modern French School, which has become the official way of riding in France and the school of thought most commonly taught in France today.
At Saumur, we are taught to practice mostly the Versailles School and Gen. L'Hotte's synthesis. We only learn in theory about the Baucher School, since it can have severe pitfalls if riders practice it incorrectly. While we are encouraged to send the horse forward into the bridle, we do spend a lot of time at the walk to relax the horse, using lateral exercises, such as shoulder-in, leg yield, turns on the forehand and haunches and half pass, in addition to in-hand work.
In Germany, tradition generally calls for more work at the trot and canter in a forward motion, which generally requires more use of the half halt to balance the horse and, at times, a stronger rein contact-and less abundant use of the walk.
Summing up, the French commonly look for a light contact from the beginning at all times, even when employing forwardness as a main principle. The descente de main and descente de jambes stopping any aids are an important tool in this approach, as we leave the horse alone in the movement, letting him express himself as often and as long as possible. Also, instead of using pushing & restraining aids simultaneously, we generally use the aids separately. The hands without legs and legs without hands , a principle developed by Baucher in his second method, which produces brilliant results.
