In 1730, Prince Charles de Lorraine, Grand Riding Master, gives François Robichon de La Guérinière (1688-1751) the management of the former royal indoor school of the Tuileries, abandoned since the King’s stables were transferred to Versailles. This academy was very famous. Published in 1733, the École de cavalerie is an imprint of an era in the history of equitation. Everything seems to be aiming at grace, and even given up for grace.
" Grace is such a great decoration for a Rider and at the same time such a long path to science, that all those who aspire to become Horsemen, must first and foremost use the time required to acquire this quality. "
His book had a novel didactic scope, with a similar purpose to the encyclopaedists, which was to make knowledge accessible to all and sundry. Based on La Broue's essay, he transfers the Renaissance culture into the Age of the Enlightenment.
... all those who want to become Horsemen, must first and foremost use the required time to acquire this quality.
The only process La Guérinière claims to have fathered is the “shoulder in”: the horse has first been rounded on a circle, leaves this circle on a tangent and then moves parallel to itself while keeping the lateral bend gained on the circle. La Guérinière sees three advantages to this lesson: the shoulders are being made supple, preparing the horse to stand on its haunches and getting it ready to avoid the heels. He indicates that it cannot be separated from the " tail to the wall " which complements its effects. The shoulder in requires a considerable bend stepping away from the inside bend, while in the tail to the wall, it bends slightly and only in the right bend. The training of the horse is based on the lateral bend reached on the circle, improved in the shoulder-in and on its application up to the school airs originating from the collection: piaffe and passage.
Website of the National riding school (Documentation Centre)
http://documentation.equestre.info/
Ancient collection
