Horse Is Always First : Takeaways from the French Tradition for Today's Rider

Discover the concepts and skills from the French equitation system, joyfully distilled for modern equestrians and the horses they love to train.

In The Horse Is Always First, French Riding Master Cyril Pittion-Rossillon shares timeless lessons from the French classical tradition of horsemanship, offering modern riders a clear, humane, and joyful path to better partnership with their horses. Drawing on more than thirty years of teaching in both France and the United States, Pittion-Rossillon infuses the essence of French equitation into practical exercises and accessible philosophy for equestrians of every discipline and level. At the core of this approach are guiding principles that emphasize communication, lightness, and empathy over force:
• Harmony
• Lack of constraint
• Respect for the horse

Readers will find:
• Timeless lessons from the French classical riding tradition
• Practical exercises to apply classical theory to everyday training
• Accessible philosophy for equestrians of all disciplines and skill levels
• Guidance on communication, balance, and empathy between horse and rider
• Warm, insightful instruction that frames riding as a dialogue rather than a demand
• Hand-drawn illustrations that clarify movement and technique
• Step-by-step exercises for integrating classical principles into real-world practice

This is a book for all equestrians interested in deepening their understanding of classical riding theory and technique and improving their horses’ performance in fair and just ways.