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Quotes of Peter Spohr
"Do not demand at the end of the lesson what the horse cannot do easily and happily yet! Always finish the lesson with something the horse is able to do easily and that he will thus perform happily, so that there is cause for praise and display of affection."
(1908; translation: T. Ritter)
"The normal seat that is vertical to the horse's back supports the hind legs in stepping under as well as in thrusting. Stepping under is favored by leaning forward, placing more weight onto the inseam, thighs, and stirrups, rather than on the seat bones, whereas placing more weight onto the seat bones by a slight backward inclination favors the hind leg's thrusting, extending and staying behind the vertical. Therefore, lightening the horse's flexing side while increasing the weight on the extending side enlarges the stride length. On the other hand, reducing the extension of the hind leg by diminishing and finally completely eliminating the suspension phase by weighting predominantly the hind leg that is stepping under increases the flexion of the haunches considerably (cf. B2: "The diagonal trot without suspension). Conversely, lightening the hind leg that is stepping under and increasing the weight on the thrusting hind leg considerably increases its extension."
(1903; translation: T. Ritter)
"All active rein aids, i.e. rein aids that are directed backwards, whether they serve to flex the poll or to elevate the neck, may only be applied when the hind leg on the same side is in the air and swinging forward. They have to end as soon as it touches down again. From then on the rein sustains the contact elastically until the hind leg passes behind the vertical. At that moment, the rein has to yield elastically to the stretching of the neck - without abandoning the contact of the bit with the lower jaw. The more the horse gains in poll flexion, elevation, and correct shaping of the neck, the less the rein has to yield, until it remains completely quiet and the fully balanced horse releases the bit."
(1903; translation: T. Ritter)
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