1) Pre-Historia :

The earliest reported riding of horses was observed from stone tablets of the Hittites, 1400 years before Christ.

The word “horse” or “cheval” came from the sacred language of the Hindu Brahmans and means “moves swiftly”.

Over the centuries, the horse disappeared completely from the Americas, only making a re-apparition with the Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century, through Mexico.

Less hunted, the horse never ceased to exist in Asia and Europe. Cave art reveals the horse’s importance to man, developed through the ages, thus making his entry into history. Horses were found in China, India, Babylonia, Egypt, Persia, Greece, Etruria, Byzantium, Arabia, Gaul and Germania.

Driving came before riding. Chariots disappeared before the Persian Wars, and were followed by Cavalry – consisting then of only the highest class citizens, and each had to supply their own mount.

The earliest mention of Balance was found in Arab manuscripts:

“ And you must let God guide you to correctness, that the principle of equitation is to acquire Balance on the horse … in learning to ride without saddle … without which THE RIDER will most times not be able to consolidate the steadiness of his position on the horse and will remain unsteady on his saddle … “

Saddles with stirrups were used around 500 AD in Asia, though Greeks rode on pads or saddle cloths, without stirrups, BC. Saddles were adopted in Germany and France throughout the middle ages, some weighing up to 280 lbs. The school of Estradiota called for long stirrup leathers to accommodate armour and the school known as Jineta developed in Spain after the Arab invasion of 711 called for a much shorter stirrup for balance.

Bits developed along the way based on the perceived needs of the times. As stated by Xenophon:

“ Smooth bits are more suitable than rough, but if a rough one is put in, it must be made as easy as the smooth by lightness of hand, and must be flexible."

Ancients did not shoe horses. They used a sock of leather tied about the fetlock, sometimes strengthened underneath by a plate of iron, though Nero used silver and Poppaea used gold. Armenians showed the Greeks how to wrap the feet in bags when travelling through snow (first half of the 6th century).

The first “pony express” was used by the Roman Empire ; some drivers were so cruel for more speed that the first law for the protection of horses was written.

Polo originated in Persia.

2) Background of the Classical Schools of Europe:

Simon of Athens, a Greek, wrote on Equestrian subject matter, but most was lost. Reference to these writings by Xenophon quotes Simon:

“Anything forced and misunderstood can never be beautiful. If a dancer was forced to dance by the whip and spike, he would be no more beautiful than a horse trained similarly”.

Also Greek and a student of Simon, Xenophon (430-355 BC), considered the “father of dressage”, was the first to leave known writings on Equestrian subject matter :
a) "Anabasis" about the return of Greek mercenaries to their homeland.
b) "Hippike" primarily about the Cavalry
c) "Hipparchikos" relating to Greek Horsemanship.

It was 2000 years later before anyone wrote about riding again.

Early sixteenth century near Naples, Italy, the first ever known Official School of Equitation was opened. It consisted of the schooling of the horse in an enclosed area in accordance with an established system of training. The old tilting yards were sometimes used.

Frederico Grisone (an Italian) was the first known teacher who left writings:
“Gli Ordini di Cavalcare” published in 1550, which attracted immediate attention to his methods of schooling and riding.
Grisone, Fiaschi and Pignatelli taught riders from all over Europe.

Two of the most important of their students were Pluvinel and La Broue, both Frenchmen who introduced School riding into France, from which point on France became the focal point of riding in Europe.

France contributed most to the development of the Classical School during the next three centuries and a number of their illustrious horsemen left written works :
d'Abzac, d'Aure, Chabannes, Baucher, de la Gueriniere, l'Hotte, DeCarpentry .

France instituted the F.E.I.

The Spanish Riding School of Vienna (Austria) and the Portugese classical riders still adhere closely to the methods of de la Gueriniere.

Most of the European countries have official schools, in the past based on cavalry traditions, today turned into national Schools of Horsemanship (except Vienna, which was always civilian).

Some of these schools are : Pinerolo, Italy ; Saumur, France; Hanover, Germany; Vienna, Austria; along with Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Russia, Sweden, Denmark, Hungary, Switzerland ...

Italy's Caprilli (died 1907) introduced the forward seat, which was subsequently picked up and developed by France's Danloux.

3. American riding traditions:

English settlers introduced racing and fox hunting.
Their preoccupation with outdoor sports and the thoroughbred resulted in a manner of cross country riding based on courage.

The Spanish imported the classical school through Mexico, found it impractical for local conditions with the result that it gradually developed into todays Western riding, through the necessity for stock horses and stock tack.

The western saddle was developed from the European Selle a Piquer.

Mexicans developed the Hackamore (Jacquima) of which there are many derivatives on todays market.

The Americans created their own styles and methods of riding, such as Saddle Seat Equitation, derived from the American saddle horse and the plantation walker. These were gaited horses bred for the “comfort” of the plantation owners riding around surveying their domains.

4) European Breeding traditions :

Horses are bred specifically for the role they are to perform (Racing, Dressage, Eventing, Jumper, Carriage, Farm ...).

They have National breeding Stations, Remount stations, a very strict system of selection of breeding stock in all fields, the Federal Governments keeping the best.

Many countries have laws that prohibit the exhibition of unregistered stock.