"The last [shoulder-in] I did on the right rein I just touched G with the indirect rein and we set off sideways and forwards down the school and I just had to sit there. Quite amazing. Couldn’t quite believe it was happening and I suspect I stopped breathing in case it would stop him doing what he was doing!" - J, clinic participant

So what is Finesse?

To me, it's complete lightness and maneuverability - horse and rider being totally at one.  The horse feeling so light and responsive that the gentlest aids can be used, just the weight of the rein and a shimmer of the leg sufficient to produce expressive, precise movements.  The rider enjoying a beautiful, subtle way of communicating with the horse that makes riding an absolute pleasure.

Sounds great - but can I really do that?

Yes!  That's one of the things that attracted me to this way of riding.  It's very simple - everything up the Grand Prix movements are a combination of three simple actions.  It works on any size, shape or breed of horse.  No physical strength is involved - in fact, the point is to communicate with the horse's mind, rather than trying to move his body.

  I just want to hack and have fun with my horse - how will this help me?

  First of all, security and control.   Security from the seat work, which finds the point of balance for your individual body.  Control from understanding what actually stops the horse (i.e. not you or the bit).  Resulting in a rider who's more confident in herself, and a horse who's happier with his rider.

  Also, clear communication - by quieting the "messages" that your body is inadvertently giving to the horse, and perfecting each aid individually so that your signals are clearly heard. Altogether, you'll probably find you enjoy more of the time you and your horse spend together.

 I compete my horse – will this help?

This approach is different from any other I know in the UK. It develops real balance and self-carriage, with fingertip control. It also seems to develop particularly “correct” muscle. Anxious or difficult competition horses tend to improve because they don't feel “held together” and because the communication is very clear.   Riders have found the tools of this approach useful to "mix and match" with other ways of riding, or have taken on this approach as a whole.   Judges and instructors really notice the difference, both in rider and horse!

How does it work?

The basic concept is to make your communication with the horse very quiet, simple and clear. Seat Training quietens any inadvertent messages from the body and then each aid is perfected, one at a time. To assess the quality of your riding and your horse's work, there are “test” exercises where the horse gives you clear feedback about what's going well and what needs refinement. Advanced movements are simple, just the result of doing the basic work very, very well.

What equipment do I need?

No flash nosebands, side-reins, draw-reins, balancing reins, strong bits or spurs are needed.

Where did this way of riding come from?

It's based on the French Classical School, which reached its highest point at the School of Versailles in the late 18th century.   After the French Revolution, most European countries focused on military riding - training soldiers to ride horses on the battlefield as quickly and safely as possible.  Today's mainstream riding resulted mainly from these military influences (and in Britain's case, from the love of galloping madly after hounds!).

Riding as an "art" was virtually forgotten, except by a handful of scholarly Masters.   Craig Stevens has searched out many untranslated French books by past Masters, translating and studying them, and experimenting with their concepts in his riding and training.   Over the years he has constructed a way of riding that brings the best of the French Classical tradition to the modern horse and rider. 

As with any student-teacher relationship, my version of Craig's teaching differs in parts from his - inevitably, I have had other influences in my riding and training experience.  However, I believe he has made a great contribution to classical riding by translating and interpreting the old Masters, and by assimilating their knowledge in a user-friendly form for the modern rider.