James Fillis

James Fillis (1834-1913) was a well-known English-born French riding master. He attended the school of Francois Baucher in France, and introduced his methods to his home country. He taught for 12 years as Ecuyer en chef of the St. Petersburg Cavalry Riding School. He then went on to train in a German circus in 1892, during which time he performed for the Grand Duke Nicholas in Russia, and was subsequently offered a position to train the Russian Cavalry.

Fillis is featured in Alexander Nevzorov's book and movie The Horse: Crucified and Risen.

Theory and teaching

In his preface to Breaking and Riding (1890), Fillis states his fundamental principle thus:

"it is necessary for a horse to be correctly balanced and light in forward movements and propulsion, in order that the rider may obtain the most powerful effects with the least exertion"

His motto was "en avant", "forward". His method of equitation consisted, in his own words, of:

"distribution of weight by the height of the neck bent at the poll and not at the withers; propulsion by means of the hocks being brought under the body; and lightness by loosening of the lower jaw"

Fillis is credited with teaching his horses to canter on three legs and to canter backward, neither of which are trained to classical dressage horses today, as they are considered "unnatural" movements. He also taught the spanish walk, a movement still seen today, despite the fact that it is not considered to be "classical". Fillis was also the developer of the fillis-style stirrup iron commonly used riders today. He was also attributed with the "Fillis Hold" of the reins of a double bridle, whereby the snaffle rein passes over the index finger and the curb rein under the little finger, although this most probably originates from the works of the great French masters; indeed, he himself referred to this as the "French" way in his works.

Published works

• Principes de dressage et d'équitation Paris: C. Marpon et E. Flammarion 1890 vi,376pp., pl. "Principles of dressage and of riding" Full text of 2nd edition, 1891
• Breaking and Riding London: Hurst and Blackett 1890 (English translation by M. H. Hayes of the Principes) Full text of 1902 edition
• Grundsätze der Dressur und Reitkunst. Ins Deutsch uebertragen von M. von Zansen gen. van der Osten,... 2te Auflage... von Gustav Goebel... Berlin: C. Borgmann, 1896 xvii,431pp., pl. (German translation of the Principes)
• Journal de dressage Paris: E. Flammarion 1903. xxviii,499pp., fig., pl. "Journal of dressage"
• Règlement pour le dressage du cheval d'armes, établi en 1908 par la Commission de l'Ecole d'application de cavalerie des officiers à Saint-Pétersbourg. Traduction de James Fillis,... Paris: E. Flammarion [n.d.] "Regulations for the dressage of military horses..."

References

• Podhajsky, Alois (1967). The Complete Training of Horse and Rider. Doubleday and Company. 

• Karl, Philippe (2008). Twisted Truths of Modern Dressage. Cadmos.