Breaking and Riding: with Military Commentaries

The return of a classic! This landmark work, first published in 1902, is finally back in print. A fundamental text in classical dressage, this information is more relevant than ever with the growth of "riding in lightness."

The legendary James Fillis details his theory and methods on a fascinating array of subjects, including:
-Bits and bitting
-Early training, feeding, and care of the young horse
-Lateral, direct, and indirect flexion
-Riding sidesaddle
-Horses with vices
-High school riding, including piaffe, passage, shoulder-in, two-tracking, the Spanish walk, and canter in reverse

The light and often humorous style make this a pleasant read, as well as an absorbing look back in time. Illustrated with drawings and photographs, and with a new introduction by William C. Steinkraus, this volume is a must-read for anyone interested in the development of classical dressage in the twentieth century.

JAMES FILLIS was Ecuyer en chef of the St. Petersburg Cavalry Riding School, and
at the turn of the century was renowned as the greatest high school rider of all
time. He was a groundbreaker in the field of classical dressage, having developed
innovations ranging from the spectacular reverse canter on three legs to the eminently
useful fillis-style stirrup irons, still used by nearly all dressage riders to this
day. His motto—“en avante” (forward)—represents the basic principle on which
all modern training is founded.

WILLIAM C. STEINKRAUS won the 1968 Olympic gold medal for show jumping
on his Thoroughbred, Snowbound, and was a member of the United States
Equestrian Team for more than two decades. He is the author of Reflections on
Riding and Jumping, and his writing has appeared in numerous publications
including Practical Horseman and The Chronicle of the Horse. He lives in Darien,
Connecticut.