What is Classical Riding?

The pictures on this page are from Sustainable Dressage.

Modern riding, not the classical way
The way of riding that is taught in most Swedish riding schools today, which also is the same way of riding that is most commonly seen in dressage competitions, is based on ideas from th 19th century. It was in this period that the idea that the horse can be likened to a steam engine was born. The idea was that the riders legs create energy that is controlled by the hand. The hand and the legs are thus used simultaneously. This way of riding easily creates tension in both horse and rider, and it is easy to believe that you need strong arms and legs to ride and control your horse. Nothing could be more wrong. This way of riding commonly leads to the faults seen in the picture to the right where the horse is attempting to perform extended trot. Here the horse have the third vertabrea as the highest point instead of the poll, and the hind legs are pushing more than they are carrying. The picture below to the left shows a horse performing a better extended trot with the poll as the highest point and the hind legs both carrying and pushing.

Classical Riding
The basic principles of Classical Riding were laid down in the 16th and 17th century. One of these basics principles is that the hand is the primary aid, not the riders legs. As a rider you have only to know three rein aids to ask the horse to perform movements like piaff, passage and pirouettes. The three rein aids are half halt, direct and indirect rein and they are the same no matter if you ride your horse or work the horse from the ground (longing, work in hand, long reining etc.). The horse is taught to go forward without the constant interference by your leg aids. In riding you control and influence your horse primarily by the rein aids, but also by the way you use your skeleton, not by muscular force. To do this well you need suppleness in the loin, the hips, knees and ankles.

You can train and practice classical riding with a regular snaffle bit. When you and your horse master the basics it is possible to proceed to use the double bridle and even just the curb if that is what you want. To ride well with a double bridle and curb bit you need to have a steady seat and soft hands. You can train your hands to become soft by loosening the nose band or even completely take it off. If the nose band is loose and the horse opens its mouth this is most likely due to your hands being too stiff and hard, which will cause pain in the horses mouth.