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Piaffe in the Pillars. Painting by Ludwig Koch. |
Tapestry depicts horse and rider in the Capriole. |
Pirouette by George Hamilton c. 1700. |
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Mary Stuart in the Piaffe, Sidesaddle. |
Capriole in the Pillars, 1890. |
William Cavendish, Duke of Newcastle |
Equestrian Portrait of Henry IV (1555-1610). King of France before the Walls of Paris, 1594. |
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Queen Isabel of France by Velasquez |
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The Dressage Blog
May 02, 2009
The Pottery Principle
©Thomas Ritter 2009
The rider can be compared with a potter in some ways. The potter forms a lump of clay on his potter’s wheel by applying and removing pressure. The specific details of when, how, and where he applies or removes the pressure decides what kind of a vessel takes shape on the wheel and whether it succeeds or not. The rider’s aids can be analyzed in a similar way as applying and releasing pressure. The specific timing of each aid and its release, together with the details of its duration, intensity, and combination with other aids determines the result of the aid, which posture the horse will assume, and whether the aid comes through or not. This is of course a very simplified description that addresses only a certain aspect of riding, but it can help the rider to gain a better understanding of the nature of active and passive aids, as well as the importance of the release.
Feel free to e-mail me with questions and comments. Read some of the feedback we've received on our Letters and Testimonials page.
Thomas Ritter
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