"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." Leonardo da Vinci
"Show me your horse and I will tell you what you are."
"The Horse: Here is nobility without conceit, friendship without envy, beauty without vanity, a willing servant, yet no slave."
“The exhibition of this most noble form of horsemanship is not just educational showmanship. This is an art form. Classical riding is an ideal which has maintained its purity throughout the centuries and has been cherished by skilled practitioners so as not to lose its clarity. The high ethical values are derived from human virtues, without which, they would mean nothing. Humanity, respect for God’s creatures and nature, tolerance, honesty and self criticism, modesty, and a sense of proportion: this is what people can learn about life from the riding arena. This type of art is not abstract and dead. It is a living, breathing work. Among the fine arts, it can best be compared with music. It is creative like music, but its creations are movement. The moments of this art pass by. What remains is a memory, an emotion...”
"Her obvious passion for horses is a key element of her talent. From this passion she forges a deep and trusting relationship with her mount. Harsh aids are unnecessary. Firm aids that quickly soften guide the wayward horse back onto the correct path. It is a well-established and ancient path that many have traveled before. A sense of peace and security prevail, born from a strong tradition in classical equitation." - David Collins: said of Monica Theodorescu
"And he whispered to the horse, trust no man in whose eyes you do not see yourself reflected as an equal."
A man of kindness, to his beast is kind.
Brutal actions show a brutal mind.
Remember, He who made the brute,
Who gave thee speech and reason, formed him mute;
He can't complain; but God's omniscient eye
Beholds thy cruelty. He hears his cry.
He was destined thy servant and thy drudge.
But know this: His creator is thy judge.
(admonition in Shaker barns)
“Transitions are important because they test, reveal and contribute to the correctness of training. The quality of the aids
will determine the success of the transitions. Transitions make the training. This is why there is such emphasis on transitions
in the competition arena. Good transitions must reflect all the properties of the training scale.” - Michael Poulin