“As long as they are ready to stretch after exercise, it means they are good, there is no tension, nothing. He cannot be more supple than he is today, he is good – he can go now for a walk in the wood…”

Jean Bemelmans talks about putting the horse in balance and self carriage. In – Out – In – Out, and the out is a relaxing deep long flowing outline…

“The most important point is the character. If they are not willing to work with you, then they can have the best quality in the world, but it won’t work. If you go to the Olympic Games, you can see fifty horses that are qualified, all these fifty horses can do the Grand Prix, but the winner is the one who does it at the moment he is asked to do it. He wins with his talent, but he also wins with his brain – this is so very important, the way you live with your horses every day, that you have the horses on your side. Horses must be happy horses, they have to be willing to work for you, you cannot make them work. That’s why in your daily work you must think hard about your horse – how is he feeling? Is he happy? He has to be obedient, but he cannot be squashed, you have to leave him with his personality. Sometimes horses with not such good qualities, they can win if they want to do the job.”

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Jean Bemelmans Modern Master Part 2