Husband-and-wife team Frédéric Pignon and Magali Delgado first became known to the world through their equestrian-themed show, Cavalia, which began touring in North America in 2004. Billed as an "homage to the poignant history and fascinating bond between human beings and horses," Cavalia features 30 highly trained horses performing in a spectacular multimedia program of dance, live music and visual arts. Now Pignon and Delgado are sharing their training and handling secrets in their new book, Gallop to Freedom. In this chapter, adapted from the book, the husband and wife pair describes the philosophy underpinning their relationship with their horses.

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Principle One
Foster a more equal relationship, based on trust and respect, in which we learn from each other.

I believe we can forge a new kind of relationship with a horse based on a greater degree of equality than most people have thought possible. Horses themselves form very close relationships that can last a lifetime. I want the same: I want to reach the stage where they don't drive me from their space and I don't drive them from mine. I have to convince them that the space belongs to both of us. In our liberty acts, I have to put these beliefs to the test in front of audiences. When I come into the ring with loose horses, I have an idea of what we may be doing together but I never know exactly how the evening will turn out. Occasionally, I am amazed and delighted along with the audience.

During these liberty acts I initially allow the horses to position themselves for their own comfort. For instance, in the act I do with three Lusitanos, I let them choose who wants to be in the middle. But once established, they have to keep that order. When I do the same act with the much younger Friesians, Phoebus and Paulus, together with Guizo, a pure Spanish horse, I persuade Guizo to be between the other two since this avoids potential trouble when the Friesians become overexcited or decide that it would be fun to have a brotherly nip.

Three Stallions Invent a Number
On another occasion I was doing a number with the three stallions Aetes, Fasto and Templado in Essen, Germany. At the end of the act the horses galloped across the ring toward me but, as they were stopping and preparing for a cabrade, Aetes turned around and galloped back to the other side of the ring (about 65 feet away) where there was a box. There he turned again, put one front leg on the box and performed a perfect jambette. At the same time the other two stallions reared up into a wonderful cabrade. When Aetes saw this he galloped over to join the other two. Then they came toward me, all three content. The jambette had made up for the disobedience, and Aetes knew it. This number was a total surprise to me--like a gift of joy.

: Frédéric Pignon and Magali Delgado with Templado and Dao saying goodbye.

Principle Two
Never adopt "standard" or inflexible methods of training but recognize that each horse develops as an individual and reacts differently to the same stimulus.

It is commonplace to say that every person is different from everyone else. The same is true for horses, and the difference between each is as great as that between humans. Many characteristics are decided by hereditary makeup, the rest depending on upbringing and relationships with other horses and with humans.

When I explain to people that I am not in the business of putting forward yet another training method, they quite naturally want to know what method I do favor. As usual, there is no simple answer: Lots of reasonable methods have been developed over the years, but you have to apply all of them with sensitivity and without losing sight of the principles I am trying to instill--that is, of course, if you are won over to our approach.

In dealing with other people we learn to be aware of their wishes and their reactions. Likewise, we can learn to read horses, but their language is different so we have to learn it first. When people deal with horses, all too often they ignore this obvious truth and throw common sense out the window. They follow some method they have been taught or heard about and apply it without any attention to the horse's reaction. They make no effort to gauge whether the horse likes what they are trying to do or not. Put yourself in the horse's position. Would you care to be treated like this?