The Art of Natural Dressage

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PostPosted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 8:42 am 

Joined: Sun Mar 31, 2013 10:52 am
Posts: 10
Author’s Website

Anyone visiting S.A.H.A.A.Imam’s website http://www.sahaaimam.com might free of charge (1) see his 1:22 hour documentary film LIGHTNESS which deals with the training of the Thoroughbred in the field to haute ecole standards, including with the rope hackamore in use, the schooling being based in accordance with classical battle training of the warhorse in yesteryear’s India, and (2) read his 311 page book with 87 colour and 26 B/W illustrations titled PASSION OR THE WAY OF A MAN WITH A HORSE.



Blurb of the book

This book is in part a treatise on advanced equitation to standards above that of the High School, the blood-horses in question being schooled almost overnight. In this connection the Author points out that the Indian horseman of yesteryear thought nothing of buying a suitable animal from, say, an Arab dealer’s lot today and tomorrow having that very animal out hog-hunting or on parade.
The philosophy underlying this aspect of the book may be expressed in one word, lightness. The Author accepts General L’Hotte’s concept of the “mark” of the High School, of high equitation, call it what you will, not to be found in extraordinary movements but in those simple or complicated that are executed with perfect lightness which consists of perfect obedience of the horse to the slightest indication of its rider. However, the Author extends this line of thinking to cover a horse running free or when ridden acting of its own volition through the rider abandoning himself to his mount’s care, perhaps only temporarily.
The text in this book is complemented by illustrations of the subject in hand. For example, we find a detailed description of schooling straight from the saddle a racing Thoroughbred to perform the passage and the piaffer by the Author’s son-in-law Atul Yadav in barely two days with lucid photographs of the affair.
The schooling covered by this book includes:
(i) work on two tracks, the horse involved even while in the passage moving into a full pass;
(ii) changes of leading legs at an extended gallop through a mere shifting of the horseman’s weight to a side when true flying changes take place. The usual so-called flying change is shown not completely thus as only one leading leg is changed while in suspension and the other one when two legs of the animal are on the ground;
(iii) the classical Indian so-called canter pirouette whose brilliance is due to it actually being in the terre-a-terre;
(iv) the terre-a-terre;
(v) pulling up on the hocks from a gallop in two lengths of the horse;
(vi) swimming the horse mounted.
The Mise en Main as intimately linked with lightness is dealt with in depth. Unexpectedly, it is shown that this relaxation of the mouth may be when a rope hackamore is in use and even when the animal is running free. Obviously, today’s mania for taut reins makes it impossible to have the lightness considered or to achieve the Mise en Main.
The Magic Spot is dealt with in depth.
Much of the book is a veritable kaleidoscope of equestrian history. We see: Indian cavalry in World War I taking the fortified town of Haifa at the gallop in the face of field artillery and machine-gun fire; at the Battle of Megiddo (1529-1528 BC) that warrior king of ancient Egypt Tehutimes III leading a cavalry charge which defeated his enemies; Tehutimes III celebrating his victory of Megiddo by galloping and cutting down 120 wild elephant; Italian irregular native cavalry officered by Italians charging British armour at Keru in the Eritrean lowlands during World War II; 10,000 Rathore horse charging home against cannon and 8000 disciplined infantry at the Battle of Malpura (1798), falling by the thousand, and out-Balaclaving Balaclava; the polo mallet used in the jungle-girt arable land of NE India in breaking up clods of earth as done for centuries; those Manipuri players who introduced the galloping game to the modern world; polo played on the cold, high, arid plateau of Ladakh and in the shadow of the Karakorums; the Indian horseman of yesteryear riding sans spur and sans whip, in hunting and in combat, a blood-horse backed for the first time the previous day; this same horseman using, as was his wont, the lance at a right-angle to his mount in combat; the famous old Emir Abdulkadr, when fighting the French in Egypt in the 19th century, leaping his Arab steed over the bayonets of the French infantry squares; Rana Pratap at the Battle of Haldighat (1576) rising in the udaan (capriole) to attack Man Singh on his war-elephant followed by partly leaping his horse Chetak in the courbette on to the elephant’s head and putting it to flight; this valiant horse’s mighty leap over a mountain torrent only for the heavily wounded animal to die; Louis Edward Nolan’s spectacular descent from the Sapoune Heights with Lord Raglan’s message to Lord Lucan at Balaclava; British and Indian princes, among others, riding and fighting the mighty Indian boar with the hogspear; Maharaja Jai Singh of Alwar doing likewise with the dagger; Sir Pertab Singh of Jodhpur spearing leopard off horseback; this great horseman dealing with alone and on foot a savage wounded boar with but a dagger, and yet again dealing with such a beast unarmed and on foot; Maharajah Ranjit Singh, with over 50,000 horses in his stables, having his favourite a Turcoman Akhal-Teke mare named Laili wear as a pendant the Kohinoor Diamond now in the British crown itself; the warrior Bidhichand escaping with those Tataric horses Dilbagh and Gulbagh by, on two successive occasions, leaping them over the battlements of the Lahore Fort into the murky depths of the River Ravi below and thence to freedom; Winston Churchill riding in the cavalry charge at Omdurman; Disraeli jumping his Arab-Barb sans bridle and sans saddle over the dining table at a party; Lucifer, imported into India from Arabia, running unbeaten in nine races in 1856 without being touched by spur or whip; and much more being the very weft and the warp of equestrian history.
The vigorous horseman will be intrigued by accounts of riding down leopard with blood-horse and hogspear and the tale of horsemen hunting wild elephant with cold steel.
Yesteryear, when a Rajput princess was to marry a Swayamvara was held when she chose her husband from among her princely suitors assembled at her father’s Court each one of whom in turn leaped his horse high in the udaan (capriole) to strike a shield hung high above with his sword. In this book is the nine hundred year old tale of the gallant Prithviraj III, King of Tomara, who won thus the hand of the daughter of the King of Kannauj who was his enemy which has all the makings of a Greek Tragedy.
A piece de resistance. We find an unbacked young colt seduced into being ridden in a matter of 20 minutes.
There are 87 colour and 26 black and white illustrations in the book.
This is a book full of the passion of the horseman.


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PostPosted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 8:29 pm 

Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 9:58 pm
Posts: 1622
Location: Western Cape, South Africa
This is fascinating both the video and text. Thankyou for posting :-)
It is interesting to me that all around the world we are finally figuring out how to ride AGAIN after so many years of messing it up. The old masters (no matter where they were) had good reason to work out how the horse responded and why and to get this as sympathetically as possible to have the horse as a willing partner in necessary times (travel/war etc).
It is so far removed from the modern day riding we see now.
It is great that this great mans work has been put on paper and reflects so closely to others who are teaching classical light riding around the world.
I will spend the next few days reading/watching the rest of this great website.
Thankyou :D

P.S Tootooimam are you related to Sahaa Imam? I see many of the family being involved with the horse business :applause:

_________________
Annette O'Sullivan

Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans. - John Lennon


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PostPosted: Sun May 05, 2013 10:53 am 

Joined: Sun Mar 31, 2013 10:52 am
Posts: 10
Dear Mr. Morgan,

Thank you for your communication dated 29th ultimo.

“Tootoo Imam” is one and the same person as “S.A.H.A.A.Imam” ! I acquired the nickname “Tootoo” when I was a very small child.

You will see from the website that besides PASSION OR THE WAY OF A MAN WITH A HORSE which may be read therein, I have additionally a hardback leather-bound limited edition of 50 copies. This edition has been slightly upgraded from the one in the website for reading in that APPENDIX-III: Battle Training has been modified and a new appendix as APPENDIX-V: The Real Essence of Collection added. The latter is very important. If you could e-mail me your e-mail address I would e-mail you the above two Appendices.

With best wishes.

Yours sincerely,

S.A.H.A.A.Imam alias Tootoo Imam.
Phone : 0091-93347 26855(Resi)
Mobile : 0091-94311 40179(Roam)
0091-89691 14632(Roam)
E-Mail – tootoo1920@yahoo.co.in
shataan@ymail.com


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PostPosted: Mon May 06, 2013 4:47 pm 

Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2013 6:28 pm
Posts: 70
Dear Tootoo Imam,

I can't access your website at all - it just doesn't load no matter what computer or browser I use. Is there a different way to access your book, or (especially) your video?

My email is bausman480@hotmail.com, if that helps.

Thank you very much,
Alla


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PostPosted: Sat May 11, 2013 10:46 am 

Joined: Sun Mar 31, 2013 10:52 am
Posts: 10
Sub: My Website – www.sahaaimam.com

Dear Members,

My website was taken down on the 6th instant for annual maintenance and has been re-installed today. My apologies for any inconvenience caused.

With best wishes.

Yours sincerely,

S.A.H.A.A.Imam alias Tootoo Imam.
Phone : 0091-93347 26855(Resi)
Mobile : 0091-94311 40179(Roam)
0091-89691 14632(Roam)
E-Mail – tootoo1920@yahoo.co.in
shataan@ymail.com


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PostPosted: Thu May 16, 2013 11:44 am 

Joined: Sun Mar 31, 2013 10:52 am
Posts: 10
Sub: Upgrading of hardback copies of PASSION OR THE WAY OF A MAN WITH A HORSE

Forum members may note that with regard to my book PASSION OR THE WAY OF A MAN WITH A HORSE which may be read at my website www.sahaaimam.com, hard copies of the book have been upgraded by –
(1) replacing page 16,
(2) replacing APPENDIX-III : Battle Training, and
(3) adding a further APPENDIX-V : The Real Essence Of Collection.
The last named is a very important addition to the book. If any Forum member desires copies of the above, he/she should contact me.

S.A.H.A.A.Imam alias Tootoo Imam.
Phone : 0091-93347 26855(Resi)
Mobile : 0091-94311 40179(Roam)
0091-89691 14632(Roam)
E-Mail – tootoo1920@yahoo.co.in
shataan@ymail.com


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PostPosted: Thu May 16, 2013 11:59 am 
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2007 8:20 am
Posts: 6281
Location: Dresden, Germany
Dear tootooimam,

please keep in mind that we are a discussion and study group, not a marketing place. It's fine if you inform us about your book, especially as some people here obviously are interested in it. But now we know that it exists and we have your contact details, so if anyone wants to know more, he can contact you.

Of course you are very welcome to contribute to our discussions here. However, it would be great if your contributions consisted of some content (e.g. your opinions or descriptions of your experiences), not just marketing details. Thanks! :f:

Kind regards,
Romy


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PostPosted: Thu May 23, 2013 12:05 pm 

Joined: Sun Mar 31, 2013 10:52 am
Posts: 10
Ref: Your posting of May 16, 2013 5:29 pm

Dear Romy,

I am afraid you have misunderstood my posting of May 16, 2013 5:14 pm. Kindly refer to my 1st posting of April 28, 2013 2:12 pm. You will see that anyone visiting my website www.sahaaimam.com might free of charge (1) see my film LIGHTNESS which deals with the training of the Thoroughbred in the field to haute ecole standards, including with the rope hackamore in use, the schooling being based in accordance with classical battle training of the warhorse in yesteryear’s India, and (2) read my book PASSION OR THE WAY OF A MAN WITH A HORSE. You will find there is no reference to any book for sale. However, anyone visiting my website will find a reference to a very limited edition of 50 leather-bound hardback copies for sale @ US$ 200 per copy. This edition is intended for libraries round the world and it will be immediately obvious that it is a money-losing proposition.

In view of the upgrading effected in this book which might not be easily done in the e-publication version, I submitted my posting promising to send the upgrading done free of charge by e-mail any reader who contacted me.

I am re-drafting the “posting” which might be acceptable to you. It reads:-

“Any reader of my e-publication of the book PASSION OR THE WAY OF A MAN WITH A HORSE should e-mail me with regard to my e-mailing him/her free of charge the following upgrading done in the book :
(1) replacing of page 16,
(2) replacing of APPENDIX-III : Battle Training, and
(3) adding of a further APPENDIX-V : The Real Essence Of Collection.
The last named is a very important addition to the book.

S.A.H.A.A.Imam alias Tootoo Imam.
Phone : 0091-93347 26855(Resi)
Mobile : 0091-94311 40179(Roam)
0091-89691 14632(Roam)
E-Mail – tootoo1920@yahoo.co.in
shataan@ymail.com

Kind regards,

Sincerely,

S.A.H.A.A.Imam alias Tootoo Imam.


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PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2015 12:52 pm 

Joined: Sun Mar 31, 2013 10:52 am
Posts: 10
Excerpted from the book PASSION OR THE WAY OF A MAN WITH A HORSE by S.A.H.A.A.Imam which is available on the Author’s website

“4. The Mise En Main

I quote from General Decarpentry’s ACADEMIC EQUITATION (J.A.Allen & Co.Ltd.1987) p.63 :

“The ‘Mise en Main’ is the relaxation of the mouth in the position of the ramener, defined in a later chapter.
The relaxation of the mouth essentially consists in a movement of the tongue similar to that which it does in the act of swallowing, when upper and lower jaw separate only to the extent required to permit the movement of the tongue.
The movement, a slow and supple one, causes the paratoid glands to come out of their lodging, induces a slight salivation, lifts the bit or bits which the tongue draws towards the rear of the mouth and then drops as it resumes its place in its channel. As they drop, the bits chink, producing a typical clinking noise.” (Bold lettering is mine).

The heart of the matter is para.2 of the above. Discount para.1 as irrelevant. The requirements of the Mise en Main are clear from para.2 of the excerpt and may occur sans ramener, sans bit, and when the animal is running free. See Chapter VIII – SEDUCTION of my book SEDUCTION OR THE HACKAMORE AND THE MISE EN MAIN.

If the Mise en Main is a proof of absolute lightness (when apparent lightness exists) it is only so because a horse cannot fall into the Mise en Main unless it is eagerly willing. Eager willingness is inherent in absolute lightness. Baucher has enriched equestrian art, and this arises not only in a reprise but too in bloody combat between man and man and man and wild animal, be it wild boar, leopard, or wild elephant , by his discovery of this relaxation of the mouth. When a horse which has achieved the Mise en Main does not offer a spontaneous Mise en Main sufficiently frequently, or refuses a requested Mise en Main, he is indicating a clear falling off of his physical and mental equilibrium. When the Mise en Main is eventually obtained once more, because of its effect on the entire body of the horse, it restores this balance, and acts much more quickly and with greater precision than any other effect of the aids may. Of course, in the first instance there must be a suitable horse-rider relation for the Mise en Main to be possible.

Working for the Mise en Main involves “enclosing” the horse with light leg pressure and restraint through the weight of the reins in two-track work. Movement on two tracks in the walk, the trot, and the passage involve front and hind legs crossing their fellows when there is a tendency towards falling in the direction of the passaging.

In the shoulder-in the neck and head of the horse are away from the direction of the sidestep and thus act as counterpoises which militate against the above referred to tendency to fall. On the other hand, the half-pass, haunches-in, haunches-out, and counter shoulder-in have the horse’s neck and head positioned in the direction of the sidestep when they contribute to the falling over tendency in question as long as there is no relaxation of the mouth. The moment the mouth mobilizes, the muscles of the neck increase their support of the neck and head which then do not so aggravate this inherent falling over tendency in the sidestep. This matter has been commented on by General de Lisle in his book POLO IN INDIA.

It will be seen that working for the Mise en Main involves work on two tracks with the horse’s head and neck pointing in the direction of the sidestep in order to cause him to relax his mouth in order to help himself.

The shoulder-in is much easier for a horse to perform than a sidestep in which it looks in the direction of lateral movement because the head and neck, in the shoulder-in, act as a counterpoise. It will be instructive to watch racehorses using sidesteps as a defence, the head always being carried over away from the direction of sideways movement. Thus for preliminary schooling on two tracks the shoulder-in may be of value, but for the rest I would say not, even though the Spanish Riding School of Vienna includes the shoulder-in in its presentations.

In the context of the hackamore and the Mise en Main, as will be seen in due course, no question arises of requesting a Mise en Main, which with such tackle in use can only occur spontaneously. This is not to say one may not work for the Mise en Main. Very relevant to what we are considering in this chapter, a horseman can but request of his mount a Mise en Main, NOT obtain it by domination.

Eager willingness being inseparable from absolute lightness, and eager willingness being invariably indicated by the horse’s pricked ears, one may boldly assert with complete confidence that there can be no absolute lightness unless the horse’s ears are cocked. However, we are to bear in mind that from the cocked position one ear or both of them may momentarily point in some other direction in order to catch some sound. Further, when a horse is about to shy it will look at the object from which it is going to shy with cocked ears. Of course, here no question arises of eager willingness and pride.

Of less importance to our thesis are the various positions of a horse’s ears other than the two considered above. A flattening back of the ears denotes obvious temper, may be in the circumstances righteous, while if the ears point haphazardly any way the animal is neither eager nor acting under, let us say, complete constraint. Such cases, notwithstanding any apparent physical lightness shown, cannot be taken as perfect by absolute standards.

We may note, additionally, that if a horse sees something which interests it there will be a cocking of the ears while looking at the object concerned. Then again, if a horse is moving in his pride with ears pricked one of these ears may momentarily move to a side to catch some sound.

I quote from ACADEMIC EQUITATION where on p. 234 we find :

“………. resistances which even when they are destroyed impart an air of ill humour to the horse. His tail and his ears will reveal it, despite his obedience. The horse does not enjoy his ‘air’ (Ne se plait pas dans son air’ as the old masters used to say.)”

Some 20 years ago I was riding Baaz (see Fig.45) in a rope hackamore when with surprise I sensed him in a spontaneous Mise en Main by the sound of his softly meeting teeth, not the noisy grinding of the molars heard at times when the mobility of the mouth is in its early stages. Looking at his mouth by leaning down to a side I could clearly see it working with no opening of the mouth visible. I was, of course, riding Baaz collected at the time using the hackamore by the weight of the rein and an occasional touch of the calf. I called out to a groom to come and watch and put Baaz to effecting a half-pass at a walk. Not only was the Mise en Main obvious to the onlooker, who could see the mouth softly moving and hear the gentle meeting of the teeth as they met from time to time, but when I immediately dismounted after executing the half-pass in question this so spirited yet docile animal kept up the Mise en Main sans ramener.

This horse when approached by me in his paddock would now frequently come up to me showing that relaxation of the mouth evinced by it fleetingly opening sufficiently for the tongue being drawn back to be seen and the sound of the teeth gently meeting to be heard. And this occurred sans ramener.

Ridden in a hackamore in the Descente d’Encolure he would, sans ramener, off and on fall into the Mise en Main.

Considering that when there is no bit to help one feel the tongue lifting it as the tongue is drawn back when the horse falls into the Mise en Main that very day I put Baaz in a bit, a 9th Lancer with a rubber covered mouth-piece, and stood by watching. I always hang a curb bit low, just clearing the tushes in stallions and geldings — though Baaz was too young to have tushes —and the bit could clearly be seen lifted and dropped in this mobilisation of his mouth. I had my proof.

Thereafter, I rode this horse in a bit, something not done for weeks. He was continuously in the Mise en Main. I rode him rassemble’d, hardly holding the rein and my calves barely giving the aids of the leg. He was perfection itself.

On giving thought to the subject, I can but feel that this gift of Nature to the horse which is the mobilisation of the mouth could scarcely have been given by Providence with the bit in view. Does the horse when running free and in, say, the natural passage pictured by Xenophon have unseen and unknown this relaxation of the mouth which can not only be a proof of absolute lightness but which itself leads to this absolute lightness, this absolute grace ? I would say yes.

Here where there was no “cleverly insinuating hand” to skilfully obtain the Mise en Main, this horse in all innocence gave this token of his trust, his happiness, not only in the work involved, not only thereafter, but too when free in his paddock he came forward to meet me. It is of such stuff that Crispens come to be. That day brought to me a new vision.

A recently acquired Thoroughbred straight from a racing stable, renamed by me Big Ben, when free in his paddock came up to greet me some days ago exactly as Baaz did about 20 years earlier.

There are methods which seek to obtain by force a sort of counterfeit Mise en Main which, of course, can never be either a proof of absolute lightness or a help to the attaining of such lightness. I refer to them here for what they are worth — what any counterfeit is worth.

Bits with very high ports by reason of pressing on the unfortunate animal’s palate compel it to open its mouth wide. When the reins do not prevent this the mouth may open and the tongue endeavour to lift the bit in order to shift the port from the bruised site on the palate. There is, of course, no true mobilisation of the tongue. So far as the forcing open of the mouth is concerned one might as well train the animal to bite everyone and everything present which too would have it open its jaws.

Light taps of a whip over the loins near the croup induce a better counterfeit of the Mise en Main, but it differs from it in the overall attitude of the horse. It tends to the lifting of the croup as against the true Mise en Main which leads to a lowering of the haunches, a matter of importance. More important, it is neither a proof of absolute lightness, cannot itself lead to that lightness, and cannot lead to the horse offering a spontaneous Mise en Main which is a result of, to quote the old French masters “Le cheval se plait dans son air” (the horse is happy in his work), when to quote General Decarpentry “the muscles, which were cramped by the horse’s attempts to adapt himself to his rider’s demands, relax and their relaxation is progressively communicated and extended to the entire muscular system.”

The simultaneous pressure of both spurs in the region of the girth as practised by Raabe, can result in the animal opening its mouth wide in jerks and closing it suddenly with a clashing of teeth. The bits are hardly lifted or are not lifted at all by the tongue, the movement of this last being fleeting and insufficient. The mouth behaves as when in chewing or biting and that resemblance to swallowing which we find in the true Mise en Main is totally absent. This travesty of what the Mise en Main actually is, is valueless either as a proof of lightness or as a means to attaining that lightness.

Much of the foregoing practised on that helpless, gentle yet courageous creature which is the horse, until it is spoilt by Man, is not merely revolting but stupid. Rape has been fruitlessly done where seduction was indicated.

Fillis habitually rode his horses overbent by coarse use of the hands and, as he confesses, ruthless use of the spur for impulsion for he writes about tearing his girths to ribbons, apparently using his heels close to them. Obviously he threw lightness, essential to the Mise en Main, to the winds.

I never use a bit with a plain steel mouthpiece. I have the straight mouthpiece covered with soft rubber. When such a bit is put into the mouth of a young animal still unbacked it almost at once starts lifting the bit on and off with its tongue, the Mise en Main. The thick softness in its mouth, the steel naturally well off the bars, seems to occasion this. If a racehorse comes to me I expect it to be an animal which has not had the maltreatment of “taut reins” which are in essence but a variation of the Effect d’Ensemble continuously used, because racehorses are ridden with a jointed snaffle high in the mouth operating on the corners of the mouth and not on the bars. The mouths of such horses may be taken as fresh and unspoilt, particularly with regard to the bars low down next to the tushes in stallions and geldings. Such animals with a bit with a rubber-covered mouthpiece hung low nearly always show the Mise en Main of their own accord on and off immediately. As with young unmouthed horses, the thickness and the softness lightly touching the bars seems to have this effect.

With all due respect to Baucher I can only conclude that his mouthing exercises are quite unnecessary. The same may be said of any exercise with regard to the ramener. But it is to be borne in mind that I am considering only horses of the desired conformation with regard to the neck and the placing of the head on it, the Mitbakh of the Bedouins of yore.

Sympathy, inherent in sensitive schooling, stems from empathy. This last seems almost unknown in equestrian cultures today. The Weltanshauung of the equestrian world may be perceived from words and phrases commonly used outside this world, words and phrases which originate in this world of the horse. Consider “horsewhipping”, “flogging a dead horse”, the nauseating “flogging a willing horse”, “spurred to greater effort” etc., etc. Can one imagine Chetak doing what he did whipped and spurred ?

It would be difficult to visualize today a horserace without jockeys whipping their mounts to greater effort yet in 1856 Lucifer imported into India from Arabia ran unbeaten in nine races without being touched by spur or whip. This animal certainly carried Turcoman blood and was therefore of the Aneezah Arab type.

I must clarify. I do not wish to be misunderstood. Horsemen are by and large kind, as they understand the word, to their horses. But empathy ? No, completely lacking. Else how does one explain “taut reins” ? A mauling of the mouth as a sensitive horsewoman put it. General L’Hotte must be turning in his grave.

Watch a high-blooded horse being girthed up. It is likely to open its mouth and make biting snatches at anything in front of it. This is due to ticklishness in the girth region. No question of the Mise en Main arises.

Occasionally one has to deal with a horse which has a snaky tongue. In such cases a bit with a rubber-covered mouthpiece and sympathetic use of the hands may well lead to the true Mise en Main, be it but available only on and off. Nevertheless, with the requisite tact an entirely acceptable equivalent of the Mise en Main is possible, readily available, often continuously given by the horse, even leading to the Mise en Main sans bit. The soft rubber-covered mouthpiece barely touches the moving tongue which may not necessarily be as when in the act of swallowing as is the case in the true Mise en Main. Of course, in such a case there is complete relaxation of the mouth as happens in the case of the Mise en Main proper.

If the horse is wont to put its tongue over the bit at times while having a snaky tongue, such going over the mouthpiece of the bit is invariably due to the pain felt by the tongue caused by coarse use of the hands plus the steel mouthpiece of the bit. When the mouthpiece comes to be covered with soft rubber and the hands are used with sensitivity and sympathy, the tongue going over the mouthpiece of the bit comes to an end.

For all riding if a hackamore is not used I use a curb bit without a port and a soft rubber-covered mouthpiece. My choice is a 9th Lancer because the effective length of the lower cheeks can be varied depending upon the point of attachment of the reins. I use a curb not on account of any power this may give but because all horses respond to the feel, NOT pressure, of the curbchain in the chin groove. I expect my horses to respond so well that curbchain pressure and the power a curb affords are not worth considering. The bit is hung LOW, just clearing the tushes in the case of stallions and geldings. Such a placing of the bit makes fitting a curbchain strap difficult, and this item is left out. A curbchain guard, however, made of soft rubber is used when the feel of the curbchain in the chin groove remains with maximum comfort possible for the horse when a bit is in use. That mildness pays will be apparent from Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Particular attention is to be paid to Figs. 1 and 3 considering Shataan was fresh from a racing stable at the time and was sold as something of a “rogue” who could not be got to face a starting gate when he was brought to Delhi, though earlier at Bangalore this was not the case even though his Passport issued by the Turf Authorities of India was endorsed for mandatory blindfold starts and blinkers and tongue strap to be used.

Incidentally, Shataan eventually came to show the Mise en Main almost continuously sans ramener with a bit in use on a slack rein, as Baaz used to do. Again, like Baaz, Shataan would show off and on this relaxation of the mouth when free in his paddock, with no bridle in use, he came up to greet me.


[Illustration will be found in the book PASSION OR THE WAY OF A MAN WITH A HORSE]


The Author in his 88th year riding TB The Black Prince straight from a racing stable in the Mise en Main going in the diagonal walk, the Pas de Biche or Pas de Conscrit Fig.9”


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PostPosted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 4:54 am 
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Joined: Sat May 12, 2012 5:21 pm
Posts: 16
Location: Brasil
Hello

I just found this thread. Imam's webpage has changed a lot and I searched the web for the material he was sharing here through his link. I couldn't find his video nor his books, and turns out he was born in 1920 and died about one year ago.

Do you know if I can find his book(s) or this video somewhere?
Thank you!


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PostPosted: Sat Mar 02, 2019 4:18 pm 
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Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2014 3:19 am
Posts: 98
Location: America
Unfortunately, it looks like the domain changed so it’s now owned by a trucking company (or perhaps they make the trucks). If there is a way to recover this information, it won’t be through the website. If there were any hardcovers of the book produced they’ll still be around somewhere, but they’ll be hard to find. This really is quite a shame since it seemed very interesting. A quick look on the internet didn’t reveal anything, but hopefully it still is out there somewhere! I apologize for being unable to help.


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