Classic first known text on "Equids" is inscribed in stone. It was written in the 8th century BC by Assyrians and refers to Onagers rather than horses. Onagers were large members of the ass family that were used as draft animals in Middle East countries. It seems that there was general agreement that they were not either reliable, or enjoyable to ride - they had a universal reputation as kickers! The next known horse text was written in the 4th Century BC by Simon of Athens. Little of it has survived but many references are made to it in Greek writings.Xenophon (see right), one of his pupils, became a distinguished general and historian. His book "Perri Hippikes", probably written for his soldiers, on choosing, training and riding a horse, is the base of every other book on classical riding. Modern dressage is the direct descent of Xenophon's teaching. Of the methods described in it, only the jumping seat has changed. The forward seat, now in common use, was introduced by the Italian cavalry officer Caprilli just over a hundred years ago.

Xenophon was the first to say "no foot no horse". He also stressed quiet handling, no anger or blame. The horse should love its rider and he understood the importance of eye contact when working from the ground. Sylvia Stanier, daughter of brigadier Sir Alex Stanier, and authoress of several classic books on training horses, told me that they used it in the British Cavalry schools in her father's day. It is still recommended reading for aspiring young riders and part of the BHS training course.

The roman poet Virgil who wrote the Aeneid lived about fifty years BC. He was actually a Celt who wrote a lot on Celtic horsemanship and training methods. These are two of over fifty Greek and Roman authors who are named in the bibliography of Ann Hyland's fascinating book "Equus The Horse in the Roman World".

In the years following the fall of the Roman Empire, the so called Dark Ages and Medieval times, horses were used in growing numbers, but writing was mostly confined to monks and traders so there is little mention of them of any technical interest. During those years only the high born or wealthy could afford the right type of horses and the armour knights needed so they were few in their numbers but valuable in battles. That was until the 14th century when the lonbow, and so on after, gunpowder made them vulnerable to attack. Small numbers of heavy cavalry became valueless, although for transport of men, artillery and baggage, horses and mules remained the most used form of transport up to and during the first World War, and even in a few isolated situations in the 1939-1945 war. Althought they were no longer the "big guns" of armies they were sill needed by the cavalry not only for transport but also for cermonials and recreation.

One can only speculate how in the 14th century Frederico Grisone of Naples came across Xenophon's "On Horsemanship". He wrote a book of his own, lavishly quoting from it, but unfortunately the part her missed was the necessity of calm and gentle handling of horses, he advocated the use of whip, spurs and force in general to "break the horse's resistance". Copycat versions of this book were soon circulating in other European countries. Fortunately not everyone followed these ideas and gradually more humane methods advocated by his best pupil Pignarelli and his pupil Pluvinel, gained acceptance in most of Europe. By this time High Schools riding became a major pastime, and in some cases an obsession of many nobles and royals. Pluvinel who was also French later became Riding Master to Louis XIII.

Francois de la Gueriniere another French master in the 17th century was perhaps the greatest of them all. He was undoubtedly the most influential of founding fathers of present day dressage. His methods based on Pluvinal's, were adopted and spread by the Spanish School of Vienna. Together with Bauchier, who was also French, he brought Xenophon's classical teaching into modern life.

Most of these books are available in modern issues. In some cases there are however perfect first editions in private collections. Such a collection was made by Einar Schmit Jensen. I have had the priviledge of seeing them, and his collection of China stauettes of famous Viennese School riders, in his home near Dublin, Ireland, which together with his remaining horses, were left on his death in the care of his long time pupil and friend Betty Kenny.

From the end of the 19th century there has been a growing flow of "How to..." books covering the areas of horse care, training and riding. At first most of these teaching books were the work of highly trained horse devotees, either in, or retired from cavalry of various countries. These classics are mostly clear, well written and comprehensive, and extremely helpful, but by today's standards, old fashioned and need too much studying.

"Veterinary Notes for Horse Owners" by Captain Horace Hayes, first published in 1877 must be one of the best selling and more used of all the horse books ever written. The latest updated version, edited by Peter Rossdale of Newmarket, a very well known British horse specialist, was issued in 1987, and so far has not been bettered as a reference book.

The current fashion is for shorter booklets on a single subject, written by someone most people have never heard of but nevertheless highly qualified. Everything has lots of coloured photos and clever diagrams. Occasionally, however a book of exceptional value is added to the list . It fitting to end these thoughts on horse books with mention of the latest addition to the classic directly descending from Xenophon.

Following "The Art of Lunging" and "The Art of Long Reining", Sylvia Stanier's third book in this comprehensive series, "The Art of Schooling for Dressage", has just been published. Hopefully it will remain available to the future generations so that they can return from time to the pure classical teaching which began with Xenophon.

By kind permission of the author Hazel Fitzgerald from El Periodico de Sotogrande.