Jumping- In the 1930's, ( photos and video)

[newforest]

I stumbled over another vintage book. This time it's in reference to jumping and was written in 1931 and gifted in 1933.

Jumping The Horse by this man.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Littauer

I will probably do what I did with other thread and just add as I go through it. It might appeal to non jumpers as well because I would expect flatwork to be in it.
I hope this is a fascinating as the last one.

Just to wet your appetite this is the first photograph in the book. It mentions that the leg isn't ideal in this picture but you wouldn't expect it to have strength. The rider is five.

 

[Bodshi]

Looking forward to hearing more about it

That picture is awesome - look at the size of that horse's head compared to the child, and it looks so kind. Love it.

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

There's a horse who knows his job!

The brave little boy should be looking up, shouldn't he?

 

[newforest]

There's a horse who knows his job!

The brave little boy should be looking up, shouldn't he?

Yes look ahead to the next fence, not where you might end up.

 

[joosie]

Well yes technically he should be looking "up" but I think if he was he wouldn't be able to see over the horse's head anyway You can see the horse got in a bit deep and I've noticed it's a habit of many riders to look down at the jump when that happens. Or he's looking down at his foot which has come out of the stirrup. Can't really be too critical given his age!

 

[domane]

Ohmygosh...Health & Safety would have a field day these days!!!

 

[newforest]

He looks like a cracking little rider. He gets his stirrup back on landing.
Horse lands one foot first ( guessing that's significant as mentioned) is that because got in too deep @joosie.

Preface describes jumping as an art. I'm not sure what kind of art I produce when I jump! My position might be found in these pages but I won't be blaming my mount for not really being an arty type. She's more abstract.

 

[newforest]

Sport not war developed the art of jumping. Initially the riders aim was just to stay on board, with no knowledge or skill he quickly learnt that most falls happened on the landing side.

 

[Lissie]

Looking forward to your updates on this @newforest

What a good little jockey and honest horse. My main aim is still to stay on board, not much skill here lol!

 

[newforest]

I will be reading and putting in bits of paper to pop back to. I need to remind myself that this is the 1930's and he was born in 1892.
I like the fact he talks about there being no end to progress because we are learning all the time. He has learnt from past mistakes and future generations might do the same from his.
I think it was @Cortrasna thread that said similar? You never stop learning which is true.

Slight delay in getting access to the book.

 

[newforest]

Half way through so I will soon be adding to this thread.
I plan to share some photos. I hope that's ok as it's out of print. They only made 900 copies. The only thing that's a shame is I don't know who the riders were.
I would love to know if that child was the author, maybe ( long shot) some of his relatives might stumble upon this thread and post.

One thing is for sure, he would be pleased to know we are discussing the book 80 years on. Life is one long learning curve so are horses.

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

ANY author would be absolutely thrilled to know that people were reading, quoting, enjoying and discussing their book 80 years on!

 

[Trewsers]

@newforest that's a lovely thing that stopped you getting access

 

[newforest]

Finished the book, put in little bits of paper and will read again as I probably missed things first time.

He starts off by saying that the movement of the horse gradually became a science with the invention of the moving picture camera. It wasn't until this was developed that how a horse jumped could be studied with the slow motion film.
Once they knew how the horse actually jumped they could understand what the rider must do and how to school.

"We might have a video camera on our mobile but it's not really that modern when you think about it"

 

[Skib]

Was interrupted while starting to post yesterday.
OH and I are very interested in Russian horses, riding etc. So interesting to see Russian officers' military education being exported and updated.
Not sure that any traditional cavalry training proved very useful in World War One. Mechanisation prompted USA and UK to give up their cavalry. The Soviet Union too - prematurely it turned out.

There is a paradox tho about school work not being useful for military campaigning. Because the Germans felt otherwise.

 

[newforest]

One of his students edited this book. She mentions that the author was a former Russian Military Officer of the Russian Imperial Army. He graduated from the Nicholas Calvary School in St Petersburg and served in the 1st Hussar's regiment and later with the White Army.

She says -
"The Russian School of Equitation had never been self sufficient. They were always open to other ideas from other countries. Ideas were tried and criticized, they acquired followers and antagonists.
At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th the ideas of the French School predominated. James Filiis an English born French instructor taught in the Calvary School in St Petersburg. He created the theory that remains today"

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Fillis

"In 1907 the ideas of the Italian School of that time took the country by storm. It was radically opposite. Competitions followed. It was soon apparent that a combination of old and new theories worked best. A few years before the War Russia ranked among the leading winners in International Competitions"

 

[newforest]

The Italian Seat.

"The School tried to revolutionize riding around the early 1900's or so. The saddle flap is well forward and the rider will lean forward when the horse is in motion.
Their ideas on jumping was not generally accepted, however they greatly influenced all countries and left a trace in every school today"



The Seats.

Initially it just looks as if riders tried to stay in the saddle like they did when riding.
The rider sat firmly- fell off.
The rider started leaning back throughout- fell off.
James Fillis made a big step forward in the rider to thrust the lower leg forwards at the last stage of the jump- stayed on. Known to me as the hunting seat.
See below.


Federico Caprilli had the idea of shortening the stirrups and getting the rider forward and out of the saddle. This is called the forward seat today.

We had the Saumur Seat
Riders hands on the withers, loose reins.



The Italian Seat
Hands in the air without losing contact.

Both schools agree with the rider out of the saddle but one suggests the horse should be allowed to jump himself and the other that the rider should do it.

The author says that the future will show which school has best foundation, but from his point of view the basis of the book is from the horse doing the jumping, assisted by the rider.

 

[newforest]

Elements of a good seat

"I do not believe there is such thing as a standard seat. We are all made differently and we will all need to sit differently"
Love that ^^

"Is the rider's seat strong?
Is his body relaxed?
Is his body such that they can control the movements of the horse?
Is the horse comfortable?"

His view on grip is the friction created between the saddle and the thigh, not by the rider forcing the knees onto the saddle. Above your knee is your seat, below is the control of your horse.

They appear to call the lower leg shanks, and I keep thinking of ham shanks.

The Classical Seat
The lower leg should be kept close to the places they will be applied, without touching unnecessarily.
In 1931 the toe was just behind the girth and slightly turned out to enable the full contact of the calf on the horse's side.

Reins
This is the first thing different I noticed.

 

[newforest]

My brain likes to think instead going to sleep at night! So it was pondering the reins.

Questions-
When did the snaffle rein get changed from above to in between the third and little finger?
How much difference does riding the snaffle rein here make?
Is there more than one way to hold the two reins?

Guess what I will be trying later with the one I might add.

 

[Jessey]

I don't think that's an extinct way of holding the rein, just not the mainstream BHS way, I vaguely remember it being more popular on the continent. I remember @eml (I think) talking about how it gives a more delicate feel than the 'normal' way.