Good riding depends on clear thinking. Principles of Equitation: A Swiss Cavalry Manual gives that clarity to both riders and those who teach them.
Written for Swiss cavalry instruction in the early twentieth century and available here for the first time in English, this long-awaited translation by Richard F. Williams brings Roland de Weck's influential work to modern readers in its entirety. The book sets out the principles that govern balance, movement, and control of the horse, explaining how the gaits function, how the neck and back influence balance, and how the rider's seat, hand, and leg act together on the horse's body. Each subject is developed methodically, with the aim of giving the rider-and the instructor-a reliable line of conduct that holds under real conditions, whether in the riding school or outside it.
The strength of this work lies in its reasoning. De Weck follows cause and effect with precision. He shows how collection develops from engagement, how straightness is established, how stiffness arises, and how training choices influence soundness over time. Riders learn how to evaluate what they feel under saddle; teachers gain a framework for explaining those sensations clearly and correcting faults before they become entrenched.
One chapter stands out for its direct usefulness: Riding in Seventy Questions and Answers. Here, practical problems are addressed plainly-questions riders actually ask, answered with clarity and economy. For instructors, this section serves as a concise teaching reference; for riders, it offers a way to test understanding and refine judgment.
Though written for military use, the book speaks directly to modern practice. Dressage riders will recognize the bio-mechanical foundations of correct work. Jumping and event riders will find insight into balance, rhythm, and endurance. Riding teachers will appreciate a system that forms independent riders rather than dependence on constant supervision.
Together with H.Dv.12 and the United States Cavalry manual Horsemanship and Horsemastership, this volume completes a trio of essential twentieth-century cavalry texts now available in English. Studied carefully, it strengthens instruction, sharpens decision-making, and deepens understanding for anyone responsible for the education of horse and rider.
If your aim is to ride with understanding-and to teach riding with clarity and authority-this long-awaited English edition belongs in your working library.
Roland de Weck (often styled Major Roland de Weck) was a respected Swiss riding master and teacher whose work played a significant role in the development of twentieth-century Swiss horsemanship. Trained within the military and national riding institutions of Switzerland, he was known for his clear, disciplined approach to instruction and his insistence on correct foundations in both horse and rider.De Weck approached riding as a serious craft governed by balance, logic, and the natural laws of equine movement. His teaching emphasized correct seat, tactful use of the aids, and systematic training grounded in observation rather than display. He was particularly concerned with how horses learn, how habits are formed, and how soundness is either preserved or compromised through daily work.As an author, de Weck contributed important instructional texts to the Swiss equestrian tradition, including Messieurs à vos chevaux, and the influential Précis d'équitation, written for Swiss cavalry instruction. His writings reflect the same qualities that characterized his teaching: clarity, restraint, and practical applicability. Rather than promoting a personal system, he sought to explain principles that riders and instructors could apply independently.Closely associated with Switzerland's military riding schools and national equestrian institutions, including the Swiss National Stud at Avenches, de Weck belonged to a generation of riding masters who viewed horsemanship as both a science and an art-scientific in its foundations, and artistic in its execution. His work remains valued for its precision, sobriety, and enduring relevance to riders and teachers committed to classical training.
Richard F. Williams began riding in Canada at the age of eleven and was introduced to dressage at fifteen. Since then, he has devoted his life to the study, practice, and teaching of classical horsemanship. He has instructed private students in dressage and classical riding since 1983 and has presented clinics throughout the United States.Mr. Williams is widely regarded as an outstanding trainer and pedagogue. His instruction is known for its clarity, precision, and depth, as well as for his ability to diagnose both equine and rider-related problems accurately. Grounded in a thorough understanding of classical principles, he applies those principles practically, producing sound horses and thoughtful, independent riders. His teaching emphasizes understanding over imitation and consistency over fashion.For eighteen years, Mr. Williams co-taught extensively with Charles de Kunffy, participating in advanced riding courses and instructor education programs. He also studied with Arthur Kottas-Heldenberg, former First Chief Rider of the Spanish Riding School, and for more than a decade with internationally recognized Grand Prix rider Gyula Dallos, gaining broad experience in riding, training, and teaching horses at all levels.Mr. Williams continues the work of Xenophon Press founder Ivan Bezugloff, bringing important historic and contemporary works of classical horsemanship into English. He is based on Virginia's Eastern Shore, where he trains horses and riders at Williams Dressage in Virginia with his wife, Frances Williams.
