For those in the DC-MD-VA area, I wanted to make people aware of a presentation I am doing on Federico Grisone’s “Gli Ordini di Cavalcare,” an important 16th-century text on classical riding. To RSVP for the lecture, please contact me at [log in to unmask] or 540-687-6542 x 11 as seating is limited.
Work-in-Progress Roundtable with Elizabeth Tobey, Ph.D., and Paul Belasik at the National Sporting Library: Classical Horsemanship and the Science of Collection
You are invited to participate in an event at the National Sporting Library (http://www.nsl.org) in Middleburg, Virginia on Saturday, March 28, at 11 a.m.
The National Sporting Library in Middleburg, Virginia is a research library dedicated to the history of horse and field sports. The Library has one of the most extensive collections in the world of 16th and 17th century books on horsemanship. Among the treasures of the rare book collections is an original 1550 edition of Federico Grisone’s Gli Ordini di Cavalcare [“The Rules of Riding”], the first text in the Renaissance on manege riding, or classical horsemanship. Through proliferation of Grisone’s Italian text and translations into English, French, German, and Spanish, this new style of riding spread to courts throughout Europe, with at least 38 editions published before 1600. Grisone’s treatise describes the movements of haute ecole or high school riding, which are still practiced by the white Lipizzaner stallions of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. The teachings of 16th and 17th century riding masters led to the development of the modern discipline of dressage riding.
Elizabeth Tobey, Director of Communciations and Research at the National Sporting Library and a historian of Renaissance art and culture, has been collaborating with Dr. Federica Deigan at the University of Maryland on translating the 1550 edition of Grisone from Italian into English. [The first and only other English translation of Gli ordini di cavalcare was published in London in 1560. Translated by Thomas Blundeville for Sir Robert Dudley (Queen Elizabeth I’s Master of the Horse) it is an abridged and modified translation which diverges considerably from the organization of the original text]. The initial translation is complete, and Tobey is preparing to submit the finished manuscript for publication later this year with a scholarly press.
One of the ideas discussed by Grisone throughout the text is the concept of aggruppiggiare or aggrupparsi (from the Italian groppa for hindquarters or “croup”) – getting the horse to balance himself upon his hindquarters in order to perform the haute ecole movements. Grisone’s ideas appear to resonate with the concept in modern dressage of “collection.” Collection of the horse is essential to performing the upper level movements of dressage.
Paul Belasik, Director of the Pennsylvania Riding Academy (http://www.paulbelasik.com) in Lost Hollow, Pennsylvania, and a noted dressage rider, author, and teacher of classical dressage, has recently published a book, The Search for Collection (London: J.A. Allen, 2008), and produced a DVD, The Lost Quixotes, in which he explores the concept of collection as it was discussed by the classical riding masters. According to Belasik, many modern dressage riders and instructors have moved away from the classical concept of collection, and are increasingly riding their horses on the forehand instead of collecting the horse onto the hindquarters. Through collaboration with Dr. Hilary Clayton of Michigan State University, Belasik has been able to measure the force of the levade (the haute ecole movement where the horse rises up onto his hindquarters and holds the pose for several seconds), and has proven the ideas of Grisone and other early masters – that true collection involves the shifting of weight onto the hindquarters.
As a research center, the National Sporting Library wants to foster dialogue between researchers and scholars and practitioners of equestrian and field sports. The Library is inviting scholars, horse trainers, and ridings to attend this special event on March 28th. Both Tobey and Belasik will make short presentations about their research, and Tobey will be also presenting some problematic passages of Grisone for further discussion.
This is not a public event and will be held at 11 a.m., a time when the Library is normally closed, so it is essential to RSVP to Liz Tobey at 540-687-6542 x 11 or [log in to unmask] to reserve a seat. Please also let Liz know if there are other individuals who you think might like to participate.
DIRECTIONS
The Library is located in Middleburg, VA., about an hour west of Washington, D.C.The Library is located at 102 The Plains Road. The building sits at the corner of Route 50 (called Washington Street in town) and The Plains Road. The main entrance is accessed via The Plains Road.
From Washington, D.C.
Take Route 66 west out of Washington, D.C. Continue to the Route 50/Fair Oaks exit. Take Route 50 west. Continue approximately 20 miles until you reach Middleburg and pass through Middleburg's only traffic light. Continue until you see Southern States feed store, which sits on the left at the corner of Route 50 and The Plains Road. Just past the Southern States feed store, turn left onto The Plains Road. Continue about 50 yards and then turn right into the driveway for the National Sporting Library.
From the North or South via Route 15
Take Route 15 to Route 50. Take Route 50 west. Continue approximately 10 miles until you reach Middleburg. Follow remaining instructions as above.
From the West via Route 50
Take Route 50 into Middleburg. Continue until you see the Southern States feed store, which sits on the right at the corner of Route 50 and The Plains Road. Just before the Southern States feed store, turn right onto The Plains Road. Continue about 50 yards and then turn right into the driveway for the National Sporting Library. The Library is the white stone building with the tin roof immediately across from the traffic circle and Civil War horse memorial. Free parking is available in front of and behind the Library building.
Elizabeth Tobey, Director of Communications & Research
National Sporting Library
P.O. Box 1335 (102 The Plains Rd.)
Middleburg, VA 20118-1335
540-687-6542 x 11
[log in to unmask]
http://www.nsl.org/