Querfeldein im 'leichten Sitz' statt Kapriole und Courbette: Reitkultur und Kulturtransfer

In 18th-century Britain, horse-riding (as an end in itself, not just a means of transport) took a development distinctly different from the continent. Instead of the courtly art of Haute Ecole, racing and fox-hunting became the pursuit of the landed gentry and “merchant-aristocrats”, with concepts such as ‘sports’ and ‘leisure’ emerging from this practice. The different riding styles reflect and exemplify different political and socio-economic as well as new ideals of virility. The article explores if and when the British style of riding was adopted on the continent and whether the Personal Union between Britain and Hanover facilitated cultural transfer in this respect