03/06/2026
Only a master should use gadgets and a master would not need them. This is the best quote I have taken from the replies to this very well written article. Interesting if you are a serious rider.
๐ฅ๐ข๐ป ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐, ๐ก๐๐ป๐ผ ๐ข๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฎ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ต๐ถ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ
In a recent article in the Horse and Hound, Ms Hutton, joint principal of Talland School of Equitation and Fellow of the British Horse Society defends her use of draw reins and quotes Nuno Oliveira in her defence.
โ๐ ๐ฌ๐ฏ๐ช๐ง๐ฆ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ด ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ข ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต๐ญ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ ๐ค๐ข๐ฏ ๐ค๐ถ๐ต ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ข๐ต ๐ช๐ฏ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ท๐ฆ๐ณ๐บ ๐ด๐ฎ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฑ๐ช๐ฆ๐ค๐ฆ๐ด, ๐ฃ๐ถ๐ต ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ด ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ข ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐ช๐ข๐ค, ๐ช๐ต ๐ค๐ข๐ฏ ๐ฃ๐ฆ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐จ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ด.โ
Ms Hutton doesn't provide a reference, but for anyone interested, I looked up the source of the quote.
It appears at the end of Chapter 9 of Oliveira's book "From an Old รcuyer to Young Riders". The whole of chapter 9 deals with what Oliveira calls "Running Reins". This book is included in "The Collected Later Works by Master Nuno Oliveira".
Reading this chapter prompted some questions...
๐ช๐ต๐ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐ข๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐๐ป๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐?
Oliveira explains that running reins (and not draw reins, sorry Ms Hutton ๐คฃ) "should not bring the head towards the back but instead, prevent the neck from standing too high"... which fault he understands as meaning running reins can "prevent the back from becoming hollow".
๐ข๐ธ, ๐๐ผ ๐ฟ๐๐ป๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ด๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด "๐๐ผ๐ผ ๐ต๐ถ๐ด๐ต".
๐๐๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ ๐๐ผ๐ผ ๐ต๐ถ๐ด๐ต ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐น๐ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ถ๐ ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐น๐ผ๐?
This idea - that if the horse has its head "too high", its back will hollow - can be traced back to Decarpentry and, specifically, the (in)famous chapter 5 of his book "Academic Equitation" (link in comments ๐).
"If one lifts the neck bodily its lower part sinks in the cradle, the withers sink between the shoulders, and the spine, behind the withers, sinks under the saddle."
- Decarpentry, translated by Nicole Bartle (Allen's Classic Series)
An odd chapter, simply because multiple รฉcuyers before Decarpentry had demonstrated that it was completely possible to lift the horse's head without the back collapsing.
Captain Dutilh explains that when the horse lifts his head, it causes weight to flow back onto the hindquarters (Gymnastique รฉquestre). A book Decarpentry had read (and praised). Baucher's experiments with Captain Morris demonstrate Dutilh's words. La Guรฉriniรจre, two centuries earlier, used "appui" i.e. the support of the rider's hand - to support the forehand and oblige the horse to lower their hindquarters. And all the รฉcuyers of the school of Versailles that followed did the same!
So why, in the face of centuries of evidence to the contrary, does Decarpentry seem to argue that it isn't possible to lift the horse's head without the back collapsing?
Firstly, it is important to point out that the English translation - "if one lifts the neck bodily" is a bit unhelpful.
The original French reads "quand on relรจve l'encolure >".
Nicole Bartle's translation is elegant, but not quite clear - in English "bodily" could be understood as the rider actively lifting the horse's head, but "a bloc" simply means, literally, "as a block" i.e. lifting the neck en masse as if it were a block (and without articulation).
Decarpentry clarifies later in the same chapter:
"Le relรจvement forcรฉ de l'encolure provoque le creusement du rein."
- รquitation academique, p.82
But here the Allen's Classic Series translation isn't at all clear - Nicole Bartle translates "relรจvement forcรฉ" as "bodily lifting" again, which misses the important "forcรฉ". Decarpentry isn't just talking about lifting the horse's head, he's talking about FORCING the horse to lift its head.
A more literal translation of the above might be:
"The forced elevation of the neck prompts the loin to hollow."
(translation our own)
The important point here is the use of force. It is FORCING the horse to lift its head that causes the horse to hollow its back.
๐ฆ๐ผ - ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ - ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป'๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ, ๐ถ๐'๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐ถ๐! ๐คฃ
A long explanation to reach such a simple conclusion and really only for those interested in the development and reception of equestrian thinking over time, but there it is.
And perhaps, even if it is a bit difficult to follow, it may serve as testament both to the importance and the challenge involved in translating from one language to another...
๐ ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฒ. ๐๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ, ๐ถ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐น๐ผ๐ ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ.
๐๐๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐ป...
๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป'๐ ๐ฟ๐๐ป๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฑ ๐น๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ'๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐น๐? ๐ช๐ผ๐ป'๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ท๐๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ๐บ๐?
Well, yes.
If a horse "needs" draw reins or running reins - if the rider's hands are not sufficient to achieve whatever the rider wants - should we "make" the horse do it by using a tool that adds leverage?
Baucher would say no.
If we accept as a fundamental principle that:
"...all the resistances of young horses come first from a physical cause;"
- Baucher, Method of Riding (deuxiรจme รฉdition, pg. 5, Mangaiti translation. Link in comments ๐)
then there is no such thing as a bad horse, or at least not until an insensitive rider tries to force the horse to do something that hurts or is difficult, and the horse learns ways to say no.
"this [physical] cause only becomes psychological through the clumsiness, ignorance or brutality of the rider."
- Baucher, Method of Riding (deuxiรจme รฉdition, pg. 5, Mangaiti translation)
So, Baucher argues, instead of ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฌ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ the horse do "it" - forcing the horse - the rider should work out where the horse is stiff/tense and relax that part of the horse's body so that the horse ๐ค๐ข๐ฏ do it.
Bodywork, massage, acupuncture, acupressure, Baucher's flexions - there are lots of different ways to do this!
Working on this principle, Baucher condemns outright the use of harsh bits. Because a "hard mouth" is just a mouth that is resisting the rider's hand (see our recent post "There are no Hard Mouths"; link in comments ๐).
And it is also for this reason that Baucher rejected "all means other than the rider's own resources, such as martingales, side reins, etc. etc."
- Baucher, Method of Riding (deuxiรจme รฉdition, pg. 40, Mangaiti translation)
๐ฆ๐ผ ๐ป๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐. ๐ข๐ฟ ๐ฟ๐๐ป๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐.
๐๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐พ๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐ก๐๐ป๐ผ ๐ข๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฎ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐น๐น... ๐๐๐ป'๐ ๐ต๐ฒ ๐พ๐๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด?!
This quote may indeed ring a bell for anyone who has read our translation of Baucher and that's because Mr Oliveira is - not exactly quoting - but probably paraphrasing Baucher.
"It's extraordinary! It's admirable!" he [Baucher's friend] exclaimed. "But it's like giving a razor to a monkey."
- Baucher, Method of Riding (deuxiรจme รฉdition, p. 80, Mangaiti translation)
But Baucher was talking about the use of spurs, not running reins... And certainly not to "make" the horse do anything (quite the opposite, in fact - in the context of the effet d'ensemble, where application of the spur prompts the horse to stand still!).
And Baucher doesn't conclude that only experts - per Ms Hutton - or gentlemen - per Mr Oliveira - could use his tool and technique. Nor does he imply that if you don't get good results you're a "maniac" or a "monkey". He acknowledges that it can be difficult to use spurs well, but stresses that the good results make spurs worthwhile and so he simply explains how to use spurs, rationally, and in the context of his method.
Why?
Because Baucher's approach was born from a desire to help the very mixed bag of horses and riders he was faced with in his first riding school in Normandy (see our recent post "Baucher: a brief history 2" - link in comments ๐).
The end result - ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ'๐ ๐ ๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฑ - ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ท๐๐๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ, ๐ต๐๐บ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฒ๐พ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ. ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ โค๏ธ
๐ธ from the Horse & Hound article, announcing that the Swiss Federation had banned draw reins. Published 30 October, 2015
