Modern equitation is a work in progress. No one single person can complete a process, which began with the dawn of the modern age. At that time the demand for higher speed not only brought forth the steam engine; a demand, which peaks in the internet today. It also changed the horse. And, ever since men of different nationalities, sitting on horses of diverse temperament, tend to disagree on how to ride this modern horse.
Modern men ride cars. They roll on sealed surfaces. No quest for balance. Communication is mechanic. The sense of corporeality at an all time low. And yet, balance remains at center stage. Pioneers such as Feldenkrais and Rolf confirm and expand on ancient movement and awareness traditions. Their's and the work of those who follow also inform equitation. All seems to hinge on one central question. Do things work from the head and neck, or do they work from the sacrum and the (hind) legs? Forth-coming answers may very well ring in a completely new and improved way for upright men and the horse's balance.
A school of modern equitation. Why? Why now? For one, study-horsemanship as a place is available. As an intellectual pursuit it is active. Study-horsemanship horses do not get younger. And, only the study of horsemanship, of how men and horses do together, will provide answers.
I have a dream. In car-free inner cities, on paths lined with vegetable fields, children ride their classical trained horses to school and there tie them to poles, where now the traffic pulsates. Here is another reason. It is time to develop a safe, sound and fun modern equitation. For them!
