Section 22: Calm. Forward. Straight. |The Forgotten Doctrine of Classical Training

1935 U.S. Cavalry Manual with red pencil, carrot, and sugar cubes – classical horse training tools

🔥 INSTRUCTIONS (read before proceeding):

Print this out. Tape it to the inside lid of your tackbox. It will contribute to your expertise.

Observe your next ride with informed expertise.

Assess: Is my horse calm? Is he self-carrying forward? Is he technically straight? If not—why not?

📌 This accompanies a video lecture. Resource links are at the end.

This exact text has been ignored by modern “trainers” for decades. It is read aloud in the video and you are reading it now. You now know. You are accountable to the horses for this information.

This is the OBJECTIVE:

"The trained horse is one that understands the rider's intentions from his slightest indications and immediately responds to them with exactness, lightness, and energy; in other words, he is sensitive to the leg and light on the hand." — Saumur 1912 / Ft. Riley 1935, Section 22

This is the OBJECTIVE. This is what riding and horse training is. If that’s not what you’re doing—what exactly are you doing?

Codified by Horsemen. Buried by Noise.

Horseworld: this passage isn’t newly written. It wasn’t crowdsourced, speculated, or hashtagged. It was codified long ago by horsemen who rode and trained for their lives. These same ideas—repeated without dilution—have produced the greatest riders of the last five centuries, including this century. But it’s been mostly buried beneath decades of speculation, ‘revisions’, and influencer noise. Now it’s right here in front of you.

🧱 The Masters Didn’t Guess—They Proved It.

There’s no ‘new method’. This is restoration of the system the masters relied on for centuries. Their methods were tested—never assumed. They were tested WAY more rigorously than the modern science bogus tests and with a lot higher stakes. Each technique had to prove itself against calm, forward, and straight. They couldn’t guess or dabble. Daily life needed the horses to go right.

The Distinction Between Breaking and Training.

"Training is distinguished from breaking in in that during the breaking period, acclimatization and physical development are of the utmost importance... however, during the training period the horse must submit to the demands of the rider and must give him complete obedience."

(i.e. the Basis of the Equestrian Language: The Natural Aids. See Section 27)

The doctrine’s clear: breaking and training are not the same; these are two distinct phases. These days there are very few in the 2nd phase which is the training/education phase. (Even though ‘education’ is a Keyword-du-Jour…) If your horse is 'in training' but does not easily understand and execute the effects of the 4 natural aids—the “start of the education” (see Section 17) has not yet occurred.

Conditioning is Not the Same as Education

"Training should not be started until the horse, strengthened by fresh air and rational conditioning, is free in the forward movement, has confidence in his rider, and is in shape to learn the language of the aids and to subject himself to their requirements."

The acclimatization is a pre-requisite for the education but it is NOT the education. The distinction stated here IS classical horsemanship. It’s not subject to opinion – neither yours nor mine. We either abide by this or we do not.

⚖️ Sound Doctrine—Or Don’t Train at All

"To obtain good results, training must be based on a sound doctrine; it should follow a method, and should conform absolutely to the rules of both. A 'doctrine' is a group of principles whose validity has been established by reason and justified by experience."

I’ll say it again in other words: there is no 'your truth' or ‘my truth’ when it comes to training a horse. There is only the right way or the wrong way. The right way has been spelled out plain and simple but it’s been buried. It’s uncovered now and we’ll go through it word for word.

The Objective: Calm, Forward, Straight.

"The fundamental principles of training concern themselves with the development of a calm, forward moving, straight and manageable horse."

This is not a slogan. This is a practical litmus test we need to think about every phrase of the riding. Is your horse calm, forward, straight?

Yes or no?

(Calm includes ‘loose’.)

Adjust Riding Strategy, NOT Riding Standards

"The method of training prescribes the various means of execution and regulates the order of their use. In application it varies according to the particular end in view and to the circumstances of time and place."

There is flexibility in method. There is no flexibility in doctrine. This distinction must return.

The Objective: Calm. Forward. Straight.

Classical doctrine is and always was calm, forward, straight. These criteria are either met or they are not.

Which way do you want to ride?

Here is the lecture to either listen to and/or watch.

Section 22. Calm. Forward. Straight.

Section 22: Calm. Forward. Straight. |The Forgotten Doctrine of Classical Training

📘 Official Workbook

BMR Workbook 1 — Required Reading for Year One LecturesSelected Sections from the 1935 U.S. Cavalry Manual (Ft. Riley)By RIDE VERBATIM

This workbook contains the foundational doctrine taught in the Year One livestream lectures. These are not exercises or worksheets. They are pre-requisite readings—military-grade source material that every serious rider must internalize.

If you are watching the lectures, you need this text.If you are training horses, you are accountable to what it contains.

🛡️ Available on Amazon → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B096TRXMMN