A REVIEW OF DECARPENTRY'S WORK ON RAABE BY SEUNIG

A richer book on the inexhaustible subject of riding will not be found anytime soon

As you will know by now our mentor Einar Schmit-Jensen (both my aunt and myself) was a pupil and great friend of Decarpentry. This review of his work on Raabe by Seunig was something I found in Einar's papers. It is wonderful to have the words of Seunig echo Einar's sentiments on his old master. Many thanks to Sandi Vodnik for kindly translating this for me.

General Decarpentry

"The essence of the method of Raabe’s High School” * ONLY AVAILABLE IN FRENCH

(L'Essentiel de la methode de Haute Ecole de Raabe«, Paris,editions Berger – Levrault, 1958)

Amongst the pupils of the French School rider Baucher (+1873) the riding master Raabe is probably most important. As opposed to L'Hotte and Faverot de Kerbrech he has almost integrally overtaken his doctrines and only in part creatively changed the methodology of the execution.

A logical thinking theorist, as a superb practitioner in the Saddle, he completely demolished D'Aure's criticism of Baucher (D'Aure was a bitter opponent of Baucher) in his writings.

Raabes supremacy over his contemporary Hippologists is based on his lucky ability to almost completely see the movement sequence in all of the the phases of the horse's movements long before the invention of temporal photography.** Note from CS - understand that Koch could also do this!!

It is not to be forgotten that Raabe had difficulty finding an appropriately sized horse for himself – with a dragoon helmet on, this herculean Alsatian reached as he jokingly said himself - 2,10m above sea level. All the stirrup leathers of uniformly built military saddles were too short for his overly long legs. And so it came about that during the two years he spent as a young officer in Saumur, he made a virtue out of necessity and has ridden all assignments without stirrups – to the benefit of his legendary seat.

As today with Chief Rider Zeiner, back then Raabe was an unmatched master of the work in hand. For this his long legs and arms were wonderfully useful. At the age of 75 he danced with his mare Soucoupe in hand in school canter and could effortlessly accompany her at the shoulder. His right hand, resting on the saddle and holding the reins, touched with his dressage whip in the rhythm of canter interchangeably conjuring up the tempi changes with this.

The conclusive proof that his horses were ridden unconditionally on his driving aids, this riding-only matador has (as he was called by his opponents,) fought in the Crimean War.

Occasionally riding for a walk with allied English officers, the riding master Raabe at one time jumped his charger from a quay wall, overhanging 10 meters above sea level into the waters of the Pontus. That this great piece of bravura cost the life of the faithful horse, the rider narrowly escaped death caught a bad cold in prison. The sons of Albion revered him so much they found a splendidly beautiful replacement horse.

An author who is already well known, who needs no introduction - Steinbrecht with his »Gymnasium der Pferdes« (Gymnasium of the horse) in German and L'Hotte with his "Questions équestres" ; (Equestrian questions)) in France are also wonderful examples of books that a rider will take with him to any isolated island .

Certainly, in the »Methode der Hohen Schule« (Method of the high high school), Raabe and his Commentator who died two years ago, General Decarpentry who as a rider, judge and writer stands on the same level with him (with Raabe), is very demanding for the reader.

This book will only be accessible the one who thoroughly studies it. But that is also the only effort - if we refrain from comparing training process of our (German) dressage against this book, equally valuable to connoisseurs, astheters and historians.

Unlike some other specialist publications that often seek well-intended but unrelated »wannabe- style« of explaining, is the »Methode« illustrated by the professionally and artistically appointed pen of the Saumur chief riding instructor Margot, who has already illustrated Decarpentrys main work, the Academic Equitation** (note CS - Schmit-Jensen worked with General Decarpentry on this) .

Certainly Raabe and his brilliant interpreter Decarpentry live the demands of the High school. But that does not mean that they do not appreciate and describe in their own, methodical and very personal way the paths that lead to the peaks (of the High school). And to the reader who might fear that in the »Méthode de Haute Ecole« (Method of the high school) only teaches High School itself,, be assured that the basics for the all-round rider finds a wealth of information in this book.

An excellent example for this would be in one of Decarpentrys explanatory notes (p. 54) about the essence of the horse's tension release, that is the achievement of the “relaxed horse on the aids”, which then in the course of gymnastics creates obedience, based on impulsion (Schwung): The horse's suppleness is synonymous with the elasticity of his Muscular apparatus. It ensures his ability to tense and loosen. No horse can be supple without his consent. It is however not enough that he "wants" to loosen in order to actually be supple. The suppleness in the true sense of the word can only be prepared and achieved through a gradual process of gymnastic training... The foals on pasture only use their muscles to the extent that is required by its locomotion without riders weight. Scope and the energy of this muscle play is no longer sufficient when it gets loaded (with the riders;s weight). Under the weight of the rider it even loses the previous relaxed freedom of movements.

Even if the remount (Remonte, young horse) gets used to the weight of the rider and finds balance in his new relaxation, he is far from being relaxed in the equestrian sense. Still certain muscle groups, which previously only worked at half capacity, first require practice and strengthening. But it is even worse, continues Decarpentry, when a horse through hasty and misunderstood training gets into so-called Dressage stiffening which should actually be eliminated.

In both cases, there can be - concession and goodwill of the Horse provided - a loosening only through well thought-out impact made by the rider.

Very appealing in Decarpentrys work is also time and again emphasized prerequisite for dressage training, the pure lively foot sequence in the basic gaits. If Raabe has tendency to the artificial, his interpreter does not fail to focus on the pure gaits, as is the expression of our German training programme, which is closely linked to the nature.

The piaffe as a barometer of the highest collection (rassembler complet) is discussed in detail; the criterion of seamless fusion with the passage, the »spanischer Tritt« (»spanischer Tritt« is german name for Passage and is not to be mixed up with »Spanischer Schritt«/spanish walk or »Spanischer Trab«/spanish trot), and vice versa is duly highlighted.

In addition, Decarpentry, who as the author of a pioneering book »Piaffer et Passage«

(Rennes, Oberthür), says there is not just an isolated one path that leads to the Rome of these two exercises - there are i.e. the pillars and starting off from “Schaukel”. The temperament and racial origin of the horses (and riders!) are too different to bring them down to one training denominator.

We find the same vision, which is not shaped by any dogmatism we see in handling the flying changes in canter.

When discussing this pace we feel a quiet polemical tone (without, however, the statement leaving the area of similarities and slipping into a jargon of criticism). There namely, where our dull senses cannot see the evidence of, but the keen eye of the camera delivers a proof of four beats in canter.

Like his master Baucher, one of the key figures in the French horsemanship, Raabe has left only a few students of rank, like Infantry Colonel Bonnal. No wonder, given the many challenges of his method, which require more than a shaken measure of riders tact in order not to fail. His disciples were just epigones who made use of the prescribed technique and offered the equestrian world the spectacle of innocent analogies to the famous role model.«

The »Méthode de Haute Ecole de Raabe« is an image of its Editor and Commentator General Decarpentry, (who brings into this Book his own authoritative opinion completely unobtrusively). It (the Method) is just like this esthete of the saddle, it is valid for every rider.

Tidbits that enriches the friend of equestrian learning, who has the fortunate ability for deep

speculation. I at least don't know of any rider today who is at the same time as much bel esprit (beautiful spirit) as well as a superb expert in the saddle.

How one can be knowledgeable and in one breath, creatively leading, Decarpentry shows this best in his interpretations of Raabe's Method that make their lights and shadows understandable. These are commentaries of classical rank, and the book is teeming with their kind. One doesn't have to agree to everything. But gratitude and delight become bigger and bigger only after the thought Riposte

And so be the final verdict:

A richer book on the inexhaustible subject of riding will not be found anytime soon.