I think this first one is especially appropriate to consider when we look at some of the horrible pics we see from the show ring -
"To be an equestrian in the classical sense is not to be just a rider. It is a position in life. It is a stance we take in relation to life. We must make a choice between self -love, the promotion of our own well-being of our ego, and love for the horse. This is the fundamental attitudinal decision that earned Xenophon the title Father of Classical Dressage: he dared to love a horse!" - Charles de Kunffy, Training Strategies for Dressage Riders or "To me, horses and freedom are synonymous" - Veryl Goodnight -- Laree What a horse does under compulsion is done without understanding, and there is no beauty in it either, any more than if one should whip or spur a dancer. -Xenophon
