Conference noted::equitation

    Ellie,
    
    I'm flattered but your faith is slightly misplaced. About all I know of
    Saumur's history is that it was founded as a Cavalry School in (I think) 
    the early 1800's. I have a vague recollection of it being during
    Napoleon's reign but it may have been founded after the restoration.
    
    I don't know whether it's still true or not but, up until the 60's,
    Saumur was still in business as a training center for riding
    instructors, especially army officers. Lots of Spanish and Portugese
    riders trained at Saumur.
    
    Sorry but that's about all I know. How about a report when you get back?
    I'd like to hear what you thought of the place and performance.

    I've been reading Hilda Nelson's book on Baucher(off and on for 3
    months!) and looked up Saumur in the index. I serendipitously found,
    while looking for an old article on Piber for a friend, an article in 
    a 1983 Dressge & CT on the Cadre Noir(Black Squadron) which is the 
    performing group. I'll mash the two sources together in this note.
    
    The Ecole de Cavalerie du Saumur (Cavalary School) was originally founded 
    in either 1763 or 1785. My sources disagree on the date. It was originally 
    a school for cavalry NCOs who would be troop instructors and cavalry 
    officers.
    
    The Ecole de Versailles was the site of the dressage or academic style
    riding of the era. Both were "royal" and therefore closed after the
    1789 Revolution. That was the connection with Napoleon.
    
    After the Bourbon restoration in 1814, Ecole de Versailles and Saumur
    were reestablished. Versailles closed for good in 1830. Saumur became
    the Ecole d'Instruction des troupes a cheval(School of instruction for
    mounted troops). It had two divisions: one for military instructors who
    wore blue uniforms and another for instructing civilians who wore black
    uniforms. The latter became known as the Cadre Noir.
    
    In the 1850's, the Euyer en chef du Saumur(Head trainer at Saumur aka
    "The Head Honcho" ;-) oriented the training toward eqestrian sport
    based on a foundation of dressage. The Cadre Noir has had a dual
    character ever since. This particular Head Honcho set up an obstacle
    course in the countryside around Saumur(the Chemin Vert) which was the
    forerunner of today's cross-country competitions. France held the first
    Combined Training event(then known as a Military Competition) in 1902.
    
    After WWII, armies became totally mechanized. The cavalry school became
    the Aromored Corps School but the 24 member Cadre Noir was retained as
    instructors in equestrian art to the military and civilian riding
    clubs.
    
    In 1969, the government separated the Cadre Noir from the school and
    the military. The Cadre Noir is now part of the National Institute of
    Equitation. That institute is responsible for coordinating riding in
    France. The other half of the institute is the Federation Francaise de
    Societe Equestre(French Federation of Riding Clubs is a loose
    translation of that title)
    
    Two riders well known to Americans were Cadre Noir members: Jack Le
    Goff who was the USET Combined Training coach for years and Pierre
    Durand who rode Japaloup in the Olympics(among other places). In fact,
    Durand was Lt Col Pierre Durand, Ecuyer en Chef du Cadre Noir(Head
    Honcho of the Black Squadron...sorry I couldn't resist ;-),  in 1983
    when the Dressage & CT article was written.

    Thanks, John;  I *knew* you'd know more than the average "tour guide"!
    My friend whom we're visiting in France has not been to Saumur,
    although her family is quite into horses.  They raise Selle Francaise
    horses (among other things) on their farm in Normandy, and my friend's
    jumper made it to the national competition in Fountainbleu last season.
    I'll do a trip report, of course.  8^}
    
    -ellie

    Have fun Ellie!

    Yes, do have fun!
    
    Your mention of Selle Francais reminded me that one of the differences
    between the Spanish Riding School and Cadre Noir is that the Cadre Noir
    works with various breeds(TB, Anglo-Arab and Selle Francais among
    others). The SRS uses only Lipizanner bred at their own stud. The SRS
    horses, therefore, are quite similar in size, structure and
    temperament. The CN's horses come from farms all over France and vary
    in size structure and temperament. 
    
    Of course, the biggest difference between the two "schools" is that the 
    SRS is interested solely in academic dressage and the CN can and do work 
    in sports other than straight dressage.

    Yes, I'm looking forward to this visit a lot!  I read something really
    funny in a guide book, too.  Seems that the horses are, naturally, an
    attraction in the town, and lots of other things in the town are
    related in some way to them.  For one, the town of Saumur is the
    largest supplier of mushrooms in France.  They are grown in huge
    natural caves in, you guessed it, horse manure.  Seems there is also a
    local chocolate specialty called "crottins de cheval" which translates
    to -- you guessed it again -- horse "buns".   8^)
    
    -e

    Well, we did get to go there, but unfortunately the Cadre Noir was not
    in residence, since they were at some jumping competition in the town
    we had just left the day before!  But the tour of the barns was quite
    interesting, and we got to see many of the resident riders working with
    their horses in the *huge* indoor arena (I think there was mention that
    it is the largest in Europe -- but my French isn't perfect, so I might
    be mistaken in that).  I was impressed, though, with the general air of
    calmness and quietness in every rider we saw working.  And the same was
    true of the horses we "visited" in their stalls.  They were like big
    puppy dogs, letting little kids pat them and play with their ears,
    whatever.  Most of them are Selle Francais, and some are French
    Thoroughbreds.
    
    Before going to Saumur, we had stayed a few days in Normandy, which is
    actually the center of horse breeding in France.  My friend took me to
    visit the stud at St. Lo, which is the home of the Selle Francais
    breed.  What a place!  This is a palace that happens to have horses as
    residents, in my estimation.  Beautiful sandstone buildings, in
    perfectly manicured grounds.  I liked this better than the chateaux we
    went to see!  We were there at feeding time, and one of the fellows
    talked with us for quite some time about what the different horses got
    and why, etc.  Most of them get Omolene -- it's from Purina, but it's
    a different mixture than what Purina calls Omolene here.   And French 
    oats are black!  There were also a lot of mares in to be bred, and most
    had foals at foot.  I love seeing those little critters!
    
    Here again, the whole air about the stable was one of calm, happy
    horses.  I'd love to go back and spend some more time there.
    
    -ellie

    
    
    
    	Il y a vingt ans depuis que j'ai ecrit en francais. Alors,
    	pardonnez moi en avance pour les erreurs (on me dit c'est comme
    	l'equitation...on n'oublie jamais, et ca reviens avec vitesse
    	lorsqu'on recommence).
    
    	Je vais passe les deux premieres semaines de Mai en vacances en 
    	France.  J'aimera bien passe un jour a L'Ecole Nationale 
    	D'Equitation en Saumur.  Si c'est possible, j'aimera visiter
    	pendant une reprise.  Je me demande s'il y a un noter de France
    	ici que peut me passer de l'information sur les reprises?
    
    	
    	S'il vous plait, si vous connaissez l'Ecole et pouvez m'offrir
        l'information sur les reprises, ecrivez moi a:
    
    				Babagi::rancourt
    
    	
    	   
    							Merci Beaucoup
    
    							Charlotte