Natural Horsemanship

First published in Berlin in 1905, this expanded second edition stands as one of the most rigorous and quietly radical works in classical horsemanship. Long unavailable, it returns as a vital contribution to today’s discussion of horse-friendly training, balance, and true self-carriage. Written during a sharp division in the riding world, the book addresses the central controversy of its time: whether correct riding begins at the forehand, or whether posture and expression arise only from engagement, balance, and seat-driven impulsion. Refusing partisanship, de la Croix traces the rider’s aids through the horse’s body step by step, asking what must logically occur when anatomy and natural law are respected. Collection is shown to arise from engaged hindquarters and an elastic back; contact and elevation appear as consequences, not imposed effects. Remarkably modern in tone, the work anticipates contemporary concerns with biomechanics, welfare, and long-term soundness—inviting readers to judge not by reputation, but by coherence and result.