Masters of Equitation on the Canter: Bk. 2 (Masters of Equitation S.) - Hardcover

Canter is the most complex of the school gaits, and, when carried out well, the most expressive and impressive. It is the gait from which, in its finished form, complex movements such as tempi changes, zigzags and pirouettes are produced. Because of its complexity, it is essential that due consideration is given to the quality of the gait at each stage of its development. Rushed or careless work will seriously compromise the gait, and advanced movements - if they can be produced at all - will be forced travesties, lacking elegance and grace. In this book, various masters give their thoughts on the correct development of the gait and changes of lead. Their thoughts on collecting and lengthening the gait, and lateral work in canter, will be subjects for further titles in this series. The Canter is Book 2 in the Masters of Equitation series and in each volume the editor has collected the views of leading authorities on a specific gait or movement in order to form a unique reference work on each subject for the serious rider and trainer. The great masters are introduced by a leading present-day expert accompanied by the relevant instructions, and there is a summing up by the compiler. The series will eventually form a mini-reference library for anyone with an interest in academic and practical equitation.

Martin Diggle is the author of seven books on riding, and a professional editor. In the latter role, he has worked with a number of contemporary equestrian authorities, and has been fascinated by how often they acknowledge the influence of past masters, and how often such acknowledgement is echoed down through generations. He has also discovered that, while methods of riding and training may alter according to individuals and circumstances, and while debates may rage around certain points and personalities, there is, at the very least, a considerable consensus regarding principles. He has therefore compiled this series first, to give the thinking rider easy access to the methods of the master and second, to help prevent training errors that fly in the face of the received principles.