"The best gifts are those which expect no return."

Norwegian Proverb

Have you ever taken a moment to really stop and ponder on the exquisite and priceless gifts that your horse happily gives to you.

Happy just to give. Never expecting really anything in return. The horse says put the halter on my head -- lead me where you will -- mount on my back -- let me be your legs beneath you -- the wind blowing and breathing into your face -- my heart beating strongly beneath your leg. I give to you my strength, my speed, my grace and in return share with me a little grass that I find everywhere anyways.

If only we could be as generous with our own lives.

And if you don't believe that the horse really does just give you these precious gifts - How do you explain how you are able to make this incredibly large and strong animal do anything?

Heartfire - The spirit of the horses.

"Ethics, too, are nothing but reverence for life. This is what gives me the fundamental principle of morality, namely, that good consists in maintaining, promoting, and enhancing life, and that destroying, injuring, and limiting life are evil."

Albert Schweitzer

True Equestrianism holds this as a truism. That the fundamental principle is to promote and enhance the life of the creature that we call a horse. That limiting him, not only limits him but us as well.

Sad for us, but an evil to the nature of the horse.

Dressage takes this as a truism as well that we must enhance the horse's most essential essence that of movement and motion and beauty, and that limiting the horse's movement and presence injures the horse both physically and mentally.

Nadja King

"Allow your horse to be brilliant. he can not be made to. It must come from within, because of his confidence and pride in himself and his respect (not fear) for his rider."

Bert Hartog ( 1943 )

"Horsemanship is the one art for which it seems one needs only practice. However, practice without true principles is nothing other than routine, the fruit of which is a strained and unsure execution, a false diamond which dazzles semi-connoisseurs often more impressed by the accomplishments of the horse than the merit of the horseman."

Francois Robichon de la Gueriniere