Total Horsemanship: A recipe for riding in absolute balance

Racinet provides a recipe for absolute balance whereby all else succeeds. He searches for answers to riding problems from the inside and provides a thorough understanding of the cause. This is enjoyable reading whereby you can gain relaxation in your horse. This book outlines and explains the concept of riding in lightness as understood by Jean-Claude Racinet who has spent his life riding and teaching the French School of horsemanship. Born in Paris in 1929 Jean-Claude Racinet is a graduate of St. Cyr the French West Point Class of 1950. He was a member of the French contingent in Korea (1950-53) where he was wounded twice. As an officer of the French army he spent seven years in Tunisia and Algeria (1954-61) and four more years in Europe. While he spent most of his army career during the time when the military was getting rid of their horses he managed between and during his sojourns overseas to successfully attend the Superior Equitation Course in the Cavalry School of Saumur (1953-54) winning the title of Champion of Tunisia in open jumping (1956) and to become a member of the Jumping Team of the Military School in Paris (1953). Riding teacher and trainer as a civilian after 9165 he was more particularly known by his retraining of difficult horses and later as an equestrian journalist by his always witty and sometimes scathing articles in the French equestrian monthly LInformation Hippique. In the United States since 1983 Jean-Claude Racinet became a successful teacher trainer lecturer clinician and author. Xenophon Press published in 1994 his highly popular book Another Horsemanship now in its second printing. Jean-Claude Racinet has devoted his life to the vindication of Lequitation de Legerete (riding in lightness) which fosters balance by relaxing the horse - more so his mouth - excluding force in the wielding of the aids. In fact the very essence of riding in the French Classical tradition. (softcover photos 135 pgs.) Excerpt from the book: From a riders point of view two distinct muscular functions preside over the equestrian performance. The first function assures locomotion. It Is acted out through an alternation of extensions and contractions. The second function must establish favorable articular angles and provide a fulcrum to the action of the muscles in charge of the first function. It upholds the structure. In one word it assures the posture. This second function works through a steady muscular tension. It is obvious that the muscles affected by the first function which requires an intermittent tension cannot in the meantime fulfill the second function which requires a steady tension. Therefore the two muscle sets affected by either function are at any given time totally distinct. Their definition is however blurred since in plain day-to-day riding at a walk or at a gallop or over the jumps the posture constantly changes. At a trot however the posture is steady; the head position as well as the angle of the pelvis is pretty constant. At a trot even at a racing trot the horses body is so to say gelled; its form does not change.