PIAFFE in ENGLISH the Panthenon Frieze
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PIAFFE IN ENGLISH magazine translation for the international reader 2009/2 magazine page 4 The Panthenon frieze History stolen by metal thieves, which is proven by cracks and drill holes. The Meaning of the Parthenon Frieze in Context of Our Present Art history sees the Parthenon Frieze as one of the most important works of Greek antiquity Equestrian Self-Understanding and bestows it the attribute “classical”. The statement, the Frieze makes about classical The Parthenon Frieze is a low relief marble riding techniques, is valued greatly not only by sculpture made of a consecutive number of equestrian lay-persons. Originally, it was said chiseled plates originally located in the Acro- to depict an exemplary way of riding, a cha- polis of Athens. It shows the Panathenaic pro- racteristic that stuck with it and was men- cession, a religious festival honoring Athens tioned in publications ever since. We have to held every four years. Here, the upper class ask ourselves, however, if the equestrian mo- promoted its public image to the people. The tifs can actually be considered classical or if Parthenon Frieze took 15 years to sculpture they really depict the art of riding. Lack of (447-432 AD). bridles may have led to the false belief that the riders were only influencing their horses From differences in style of the individual with seat and leg aids, thus creating a centaur- plates we can conclude that multiple sculptors like unit with their mounts. Some articles were working on it. It is composed of 118 low mention the words joint harmony, classical art relief plates (each 40 inches high and between of riding or collection with a rider seated 47.3 and 63 inches wide) and 524 ft. (160 m) “deep within the horse” to describe it. Others in length. 62 of the plates show riders and wonder about levade and courbette. But can horses. Over time, decay, destruction and art we agree with the songs of praise sung by theft have done great damage to it. In the non-experts in the field of riding? nineteenth century, British Lord Elgin saved some well-preserved plates from decay. They Greek sources telling us about the Panathe- have been on display in the British Museum in naic procession mention that the riders partic- London ever since, where they can be ad- ipating in it were young men of the upper mired. class, who had little riding experience but were craving admiration. They used the horse When it was created, the Frieze was painted as a platform to promote and present them- and ordained with bridles made of bronze. selves to the amazed public as brave horse The colors weathered and soon faded away. tamers. Not they themselves but professional The bronze accessories were broken off and trainers broke the horses and made them Piaffe in English - magazine translation for the international reader - © by WuWei Verlag, Germany. - www.Wu-Wei-Verlag.com Page 1 obedient. The riders were mere pedestrians about the gift of observance and truthful ac- who only occasionally mounted a horse in count of the sculptors. order to show off. Contemporary historians mention that, during In the 1950s, a retired trainer of the Spanish the creative process, the sculptors had diffi- Riding School in Vienna said in a personal in- culties to authentically simulate the splashes terview that Xenophon, in his riding theory, of blood that were caused by sharp bits and had included the Parthenon Frieze’s state- ended up on the horses’ shoulders. Their solu- ment on riding in his critical view of the Greek tion was a flick of the wrist that transferred understanding of training. This was often paint from the paint brush onto the horses’ overlooked by experienced horsepeople, who shoulders. This comment indicates that brutal- were impressed by the artwork’s mere histori- ly used reins were a common custom among cal value. Greek riders. Forceful suppression Relaxation combined with forward thrust Reconstructing the bridles depicted in the images, we can clearly see that the horses Non-violent use of reins and neck stretching were brutally forced into submission and that accompanied by forward thrust seem to have they acted out of fear and panic. Looseness, been unknown in antiquity. During riding his- suppleness and collection are completely ab- tory in general, these qualities were not held sent. The riders brutally pull on in high regard for a long time. the reins connected to bits that Trainers and riders understood inflict serious injuries. In order IMPRINT riding to be the destruction of to make the horse rear, the forward thrust, backwards- head and neck are forced up- Piaffe in English is published by directed force of reins as well as wards while the lower part of Wu Wei Verlag e.K. Isabella Sonntag suppression of the horse. Non- the neck pushes forward turn- Seestr. 54 violent communication between ing into an upside-down neck D-86938 Schondorf am Ammersee the rider’s hands and the horse’s over time. During a halt, the GERMANY mouth is of (secondary) basic horse’s mouth is pulled towards Telefon +49/8192/934192 importance for a relaxed self- the breast. Stick and club force Telefax +49/8192/934257 [email protected] carriage of the horse. The mouth horses without riders to rear at is the most sensitive part of the the long-lines. The result of a ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No reprint or horse’s body the rider uses. The head and neck forced into ele- distribution without prior permission. muscles of head and neck tense vation is that the horse’s back is Chief Editor up if the nose-line is forced be- pushed down and lowered as it Jürgen Kemmler hind the vertical. This habit also cannot carry the rider’s weight jkemmler @ web.de Tel. +49/8807/206839 prevents the horse from step- this way. The riders seem to be ping forward underneath its relatively tall in comparison to Advertisement Manager center of gravity, from carrying very small horses depicted in Karin Wiesner Karin.Wiesner @ wu-wei-verlag.com more weight on its haunches the reliefs. Their sitting bones Tel. +49/8192/934192 and from elevating its head and put pressure on the horse’s neck. Weight is shifted onto the forehand as they seem to be Subscriptions Manager Christina Wunderlich forehand. Trot extensions take seated deep within the saddle. info @ wu-wei-verlag.com into consideration the need to Mutual balance is disturbed by Tel. +49/8192/934192 run, which is ingrained in horses the riders’ hunchback-like post- through evolution. Next to the ure, which is floppy and crooked with lowered extension posture, they serve as a useful tool heads. The tension necessary for collection is to relax tension in animals that need to run impossible. The horse is tormented and seen (such as horses) after exhausting and confin- as an insubordinate opponent who needs to ing exercises. However, trot extensions includ- be tamed through pain. There is no doubt ing extended trot are not gaits that can be Piaffe in English - magazine translation for the international reader - © by WuWei Verlag, Germany. - www.Wu-Wei-Verlag.com Page 2 kept up for a long time such as a working trot; neck and back and, moreover, irritates the a faster pace can only be asked for for a short horse’s psyche. The rider, so to speak, steps period of time. If they are used sensibly and on the gas with the hand break applied while logically, for example right after the long sus- demanding full throttle and extraordinary pension phases in piaffe, trot extensions serve length of stride. These aids are absurd and do as reward and relaxation after an exhausting not make sense to an animal that feels the exercise. Horses as animals that need to run urge to move forward – even though the feel free when allowed to move forward like horse obeys the rider’s commands. this. With regard to logical riding theory, trot extensions are not ends in themselves when As a result of selective breeding programs, a used to achieve suppleness and relaxation. certain type of horse has appeared in dressage Extreme extension of pace and trot steps used competitions that, in extended trot, stretches as a show effect are exhausting ends in them- its forelegs forward in an extreme and almost selves, however, do not improve relaxation horizontal manner (similar to Spanish Walk), and remain illogical to the horse. An exem- thus faking long strides. The forelegs step plary trot extension extends the horse’s frame beyond the imaginary line drawn from nose- while the rider’s hands gently yield. It conveys line to point of contact with the ground with- looseness despite the tension necessary to out telling where they are actually going to hit increase the length of trot steps. The exten- the ground. The forehand seems to be running sion of the suspension phases is achieved by away from the hindquarters. It often occurs energetical forward thrust originating in the that the diagonal pair of legs does not strike hindquarters. A horse that carries more the ground at the same time. Instead, the weight with its back and hindquarters (back hindlegs strike first, the forelegs follow suit mover) tenses and relaxes its back muscles shortly thereafter. The regularity of a natural alternately and cross-wise in unison with the trot is disturbed, even though we demand diagonal rhythm of the trot steps – its back that respectable dressage is based on the nat- moves its legs by giving the initial impulse. Its ural gaits of the horse.