Xenophon, The Art of Horsemanship

2nd review

So the points to be looked at when buying a colt are:

Feet: “thick horn is a much better mark of good feet than thin”

Legs: “the knees, if they are supple in bending when the colt walks, you may infer that his limbs will be supple in riding”, Xenophon makes other considerations about the legs that I didn’t find very clear.

Chest: “The broader the chest so much the handsome and the stronger is it, and the more adapted to carry the legs well apart without interference”

Neck & Head: “the neck /…/ should rise straight up to the poll and be slim at the bend, while the head, though bony, should have a small jaw”

Jaws: “Horses whose jaws are unlike are generally hard-mouthed”

Eyes: “A prominent eye rather than a sunken one is a sure sign that the horse is wide awake”

Nostrils: “wide nostrils mean freer breathing than close ones”

Poll & Ears: “large poll and ears somewhat small give the head more of the look wich a horse should have”

Withers: “High withers make the rider’s seat surer”, remember that no saddles were used in riding.

Back: “A double back is easier to sit upon, and better looking than a single one”, the editor of the book describes the concept of “double back” like this: “the idea is that in well-built horses, in good condition, the flesh rises on each side of the spine so that the latter does not stick up like a ridge but lies in a slight depression”

Loins: “The broader and the shorter the loins, with so much the greater ease does the horse raise his forehand and bring up the hind-quarters to follow”

Belly: “when is large, is not only disfiguring, but make the horse weaker and more unwieldy”

Quarters: “should be broad and full in proportion to the sides and chest”

Buttocks: “well apart under the tail with the line between them broad /…/ he will have a stronger and prouder look, both when gathering himself and in riding”, interesting to note the “gathering himself” concept, the editor interpretation is “it refers to the act of gathering in the hind legs in doing demi-pesade” is important to note that the demi-pesade is described in the 11th chapter like this “Now when he has gathered them well in (refers to the hind legs), if you take him up with the bit, he falls back on his hocks and raises his forehand so that his belly and sheath can be seen from front”. Xenophon also makes this very interesting technical observation about the aids to the demi-pesade “You must give him the bit when he does this, and it will look to the spectators as if he were doing all of his own accord the prettiest feat that a horse can do”.

Colt size: “That colt always turns out the largest whose shanks are longest at the time of foaling”

Final advice: “Even though some alter (the colts) as they grow, we should still apply these tests with confidence, since there are great many more ugly colts that turn out handsome than handsome that turn out ugly”

I found all this them quite interesting and of an incredible modernity, bringing out subjects and concepts like “Collection”, “Engagement” , “Impulsion”, “On the bit” that in my opinion are clearly presented on the description of the demi-pesade and they strongly connect with and aesthetical image and attitude that the horse should transmit in his performance that remains the same. 2000 years after Xenophon and we are still struggling with these issues…

Regarding the riding and Dressage terms and concepts, from today on I’ll add the Global Dressage Forum – Glossary of Dressage Judging Terms proposal to the Horse Sites links, where we can find one (consensual and scientific based, but not yet closed) interpretation of these subjects.

(to be continued)