History confirms this graceful discipline had its origins on the bloody battlefields of Europe centuries before dressage became an Olympic sport. 

  On the off chance that (former) Greek Commander Xenophon and his merry band of warriors snag a box at Dressage at Devon for the show’s six-day extravaganza (Sept. 22-27), suffice it to say they’d be stunned by the dramatic change in the discipline since 430 BC: riders competing without protective armor, lacking even your basic bronze shield; full metal helmets trumped by fancy velvet caps and top hats with nary a javelin or crossbow in sight. So, what’s with the cushy saddles? And who let in the women?

Beginning with the Greeks

  Considered the great-great-great-great-great . . . grandfather of dressage, Xenophon, a practical man with a talent for surviving fierce battles against long odds, spent half a century looking at life from horseback, perfecting the harmonious duet of mount and rider that spectators now enjoy at Devon.

  Minus the weaponry, hand to hand combat and hedgehogs.

  Hedgehogs? I’ll explain later.

  Author of The Art of Horsemanship (440 B.C.), Xenophon wrote the earliest obtainable work on dressage, referred to as classical training. His instruction manual focused not on ribbons, trophies and points, but on simply staying alive during some of the fiercest battles in history. A formidable warrior and fearless rider, Xenophon quickly learned if you spent most of your time on horseback in the face of danger, that teaching your equine partner to rear, leap, kick out and pirouette on command could keep you alive a lot longer.
 

From Romans to Dark Ages

  A few centuries earlier, the Romans had taken a crash course in horsemanship akin to dressage after suffering a severe thumping by General Hannibal, who had switched to equine firepower and shown up with 9,000 fellow Carthaginians astride agile Iberian horses.

  Yet, while war horses proved to be a valuable ally during some of the fiercest skirmishes throughout the Dark Ages, over time it was noted that weighty animals, trussed up in heavy armor and crude bridles lost much of their maneuverability. Thus, through trial and error, some of which was deadly, these early infantrymen discovered that by ditching the armor and barbaric weapons, it was possible to use swifter, more agile hot-blooded horses for combat.

Enter the French

  Among the most proficient soldiers who shared the earliest foundations of dressage by combining warlike maneuvers with equine ballet, Antoine de Pluvinel was recognized as the “first of the French riding masters.” De Pluvinel successfully tutored King Louis XIII in the discipline, and in later years founded the Academie d’Equitation, which, in addition to teaching horsemanship, threw in courses on dancing, fashion and how to dress properly.

  Remarkably, the Academie remains in operation to this day as Place des ­ Pyramides.

  Basing his teaching on kind, humane training, using soft bits, gentle aids and praise, de Pluvinel consistently reminded his students “A horse will move more gracefully if he enjoys being ridden.”

  Highly respected as the Director of the Equestrian Academy in the mid-1700s, Parisian Robichon de la Gueriniere’s similar belief that kindness and patience trumped punishment in developing a calm, obedient horse that was a pleasure to ride had an profound effect on dressage training.

  Equerry to Louis XIV, de la Gueriniere is credited for inventing the “shoulder in,” considered the alpha-omega movement of all dressage exercises. The movement, in which the horse’s inside hind leg and outside foreleg travel along the same line, is said to be akin to the human equivalent of touching your toes for suppleness and push-ups for added strength.

And Italians

  Alas, not all early proponents of the military movements that morphed into sophisticated dressage movements advised compassionate instruction. Naples nobleman Federico Grisone, an early master of dressage and courtly riding (and the antithesis of the gentle de Pluvinel), touted harsh, forceful training using cruel spurs and wicked bits. Topping off his bizarre schooling methods, to get more “action” out of his mounts, Grisone would often tie live hedgehogs (the promised hedgehog) under a horse’s tail or place a cat strapped to a pole under their belly.

  And thus did the art of dodging crossbows, spears and poleaxes incorporate movements that become the foundation for the elegant sport of modern day dressage.

Then the Olympics

  By 1898, Olympic equestrian competition commenced with dressage. And by 1912, Olympic Dressage games were held in Stockholm, Sweden, showcasing the cavalry exhibiting collected and extended gaits; flying changes and rein backs, culminating with jumping five obstacles.

  It wasn’t until 1948 that the sport of dressage switched from a strictly military discipline, finally allowing civilians to compete. But it would be another four years before women were permitted to take part in the competition.

Xenophon at Devon

  Indeed, if Xenophon and his feisty followers were to spend a day at Devon, they would likely be delighted to recognize that many of the identical movements they employed for warfare were not only still in use (minus the bloodshed), but applauded by a throng of appreciative fans.

  By the time the United States Dressage Foundation formed in 1973, however, all vestiges of military commando slashing, mashing and tying small animals to equine anatomy had disappeared from this classical form of horsemanship.

  Several levels of graceful dressage movements continue to delight spectators throughout the six-day show at Devon. To better appreciate the elegant performances of both horse and rider, note the origins of the extraordinarily graceful movements that create this sensational equine/equestrian ballet:

  Piaffe: A highly collected, cadenced trot nearly in place, where the horse carries most of its weight on hind legs, so that his body becomes like a giant spring drawn by an archer. A calvary movement originally used to keep a horse moving forward into battle.

  Pirouette: Performed at the walk, and more excitingly at the canter, the horse whirls about with its front end moving in the smaller circle made by its rear end. The effectiveness in wheeling away from oncoming enemies was a clear favorite of warriors. Think Nureyev with hooves.

  Passage: An upper level, highly elevated and extremely powerful trot, where the horse carries more weight on his hind legs than front, with his muscles drawing together like a bow drawn by an archer. Imagine a giant spring. -CL-

If You Go . . .

Where: Devon Horse Show Grounds, Rt. 30, Devon
When: Sept. 22-29. Tues-Thurs, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Fri-Sat, 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Sun, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (tentative schedule).
What To See: Grand Prix classes, the highest level of competition, are on Friday afternoon and evening, Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon. Family Day on Sunday introduces a Lead Line class for aspiring youngsters. The Kids’ Corral will be Friday to Sunday.
Admission: $8; under 12, free. Reserved & box seats.
Contact:  484-358-5510; dressageatdevon.org