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The Spanish Riding School in Vienna has for centuries been the home of classical horsemanship where the art has been taught and perfumed at the highest level.  In this celebrated book Colonel Alois Podhajsky, the Director of the Riding School for more than a quarter of a century, sets out in a clear and precise way the principles of classical riding as practised at the School in its training programmes.

‘The object of the classical art of riding’ writes Colonel Podhajsky, ‘is to train a horse not only to be brilliant in the movements and exercises of the haute ecole but also to be quiet, supple and obedient, and by his smooth moments to make riding a true pleasure.’

The walk, trot, canter, the halt and half-halt, lateral work and at a more advance level, the piaffe, passage and pirouette are explained in detail. The rider is later taken through all the exercises necessary to provide the physical and mental proficiency required in making a perfect partnership with the horse.

Hardback.