The Forward Impulse by Piero Santini, Huntington Press 1936 edition

Hardcover out of print edition 1951 Country Life Edition, London illustrated with photographs and sketches by Paul Brown no dust jacket, some wear and fading to cloth cover, not spine slant. The Forward Impulse describes in simple language how to balance the horse through engagement of the haunches, enlightened use of the seat, and conscientious elasticity of the hand. Not one in a hundred riders has access to the kind of teaching that focuses on controlled energy of the haunches. This book puts the focus where it belongs: first on the engine; then, on the system of aids that manages that power to create an opportunity for the horse to express himself with magnificent gaits.      The main subject of Piero Santini’s second book, The Forward Impulse is the action of the hand and its relation to the natural forward balance of the horse—the forward thrust from the haunches—typical of the Italian School advocated by his teacher, Federico Caprilli. Santini elaborates on the correct use of b