Federico Grisone

Naples-resident Federico Grisone is considered one of the first masters of dressage and courtly riding, despite the fact that many of his training methods are not practiced today due to their harsh, unfeeling treatment of the horse.

Influence

Federico Grisone was a Neapolitan nobleman who, during his time, was said to be the "father of the art of equitation" [ Podhajsky, Alois. "The Complete Training of Horse and Rider." Wilshire Book Company. Hollywood, CA. Copyright 1967. ] . Grisone not only began a riding academy in Naples in 1532, but also published "Grisone's Gli ordini di cavalcare" (translated “The Orders of Riding”) in 1550, one of the first pieces on horsemanship since the time of Xenophon [ IOBA Standard. "Early Dressage Literature to 1800." http://www.ioba.org/newsletter/archive/v11/iobanl-dressageto1800-5-03.php Accessed July 31, 2007. ] . Grisone later published "The Rules of Horsemanship" in 1561 [ The International Museum of the Horse. "The Renaissance: c. 14th - c. 1650 Centuries." http://www.kyhorsepark.com/museum/history.php?chapter=49. Accessed July 31, 2007. ] .

Riding and Training Theories

Grisone is well-known for his rather forceful, sometimes cruel, methods of training. [cite web | url=http://www.alphahorse.com/horse-breaking.html | title=The Fatal Flaw Behind Horse Breaking | author=Jeffrey Rolo | publisher=AlphaHorse | accessdate=2007-01-16] He was influenced by the famous general Xenophon, especially in the positioning of the rider's seat and aids, but he appears to have given up the part where Greek master advocates the "gentle" training and riding of the horse.

There are several cases in his book "Gli Ordini di Cavalcare," or "The Rules of Horsemanship", published in 1561, where he applies abusive practices. He used harsh methods to subdue the horse, using severe spurring and harsh bits (some of which he was the inventor) ["The Complete Training of Horse ad Rider." Alois Podhajsky, 1965.] . Other examples of his cruel methods include placing live hedgehogs under the animal's tail, punishing his horses by placing a cat, strapped to a pole, under their belly [ IOBA Standard. "Early Dressage Literature to 1800." http://www.ioba.org/newsletter/archive/v11/iobanl-dressageto1800-5-03.php Accessed July 31, 2007. ] , and forcing the horse's head under water to the point of near-drowning if it showed any fear of crossing water.

Additionally, Grisone did not advocate the use of the now "classical" position that was first suggested by Xenophon, and instead preferred the rider to sit with his feet pushed well forward [ IOBA Standard. "Early Dressage Literature to 1800." http://www.ioba.org/newsletter/archive/v11/iobanl-dressageto1800-5-03.php Accessed July 31, 2007. ] .

Grisone was considered a master of his time, and his training methods, unfortunately, had a great impact on the training of horses of his day. They spread into France, due to de la Broue and Giovanni Battista Pignatelli. However, later masters such as Antoine de Pluvinel, restored the ideas of gentle training of the horse.

References