On Horsemanship

by Xenophon

"On Horsemanship" by Xenophon is a treatise written around 355 BC. This ancient Greek guide offers practical wisdom on selecting, training, and caring for horses. Xenophon examines everything from evaluating a young colt's conformation to breaking horses with patience rather than punishment. His advice on soundness, temperament, and proper training methods reveals a remarkably humane approach that resonates with modern horsemanship principles, making this one of the earliest and most influential works on equestrian arts.