Alexis de SalinsCommandant Alexis de Salins was a distinguished French cavalry officer, riding master, and author active in the early twentieth century. Trained in the great military tradition that produced generations of horsemen at Saumur and the École de Cavaleri, de Salins embodied the final flowering of the classical French school before the disappearance of the horse from military service.Rooted in the lineage of François Baucher, General Alexis L'Hotte, and Captain Étienne Beudant, de Salins sought to reconcile military discipline with the suppleness and finesse of the manège. His seminal work, "Shoulder-In, The Secret of the Art of Equitation" ("L'Épaule en dedans, Secret de l'Art équestre,") distills a lifetime of observation and practice into a single central principle: that the shoulder-in is not merely a lateral movement, but the key to balance, lightness, and perfect communication between horse and rider.Through his writings, de Salins stands as a bridge between the rigor of the cavalry riding schools and the humane, reflective spirit of modern classical dressage. His vision of equitation as both a science and an art-grounded in empathy, discipline, and respect for the horse-continues to inspire riders and teachers across generations. Read More Read Less