Why are dressage/school letters A,K,E,H,C,M,B,F ???

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nikkinoo

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Me and my non horsey partner was just watching a Mary King at Badminton documentry on Horse and Country and he asked me why the letters are not just ABC etc? in the arena

i know there are more than AKEHCMBF just didnt want to confuse him with all of them he has only just learnt the little rhyme to remember the first lot.

For the life of me thats a horsie Question that I just couldnt answer, so now I need to know.
I dont think I ever asked my instructor why they were that selection just accepted it and learnt the order.

Its bugging me now, so does anyone know why they are not just ABC ?
 
Found this on a website
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There are two main theories - one is that they were the initials of the first cities that the Romans conquered.

The most likely explanation for the dressage letters comes from the days of the Old German Imperial Court. Courtiers representing the various dignatories would be positioned around the stable yard in a strict order with the horses ready to ride.

The ranks were:

K = Kaiser
F = First Prince
P = Pferdknecht/Ostler
V = Vassal
E = Edeling/Ehrengast/Guest of Honour
B = Bannertrager/Standard Bearer
S = Schzkanzier/Chancellor of the Exchequer
R = Ritter/Knight
M = Meier/Steward
H = Hofsmarshaller/Lord Chancellor

The observant among you will notice that letters on the centre line are also used, A, D, L, X, I, G and C. Where these just letters from the alphabet to fill in the gaps, or is there a real reason behind them?
 
no one really knows, but there is a theory that they might relate to the titles of the nobles (in French or German, can't remember which) to which the horses were taken to be mounted at certain points around the school. i don't think this one quite holds water though, doesn't seem to work exactly in either language!
Konig, Prinz, Herzog, Marquis, Graf, Ritter...
Roi, Prince, Duc, Marquis, Comte, Chevalier...
 
Thats really interesting, I assumed that letters were chosen that could not easily be confused with another letter, for example M and N together or ....erm.... other letters that look similar?

You learn something new everyday!
 
yes, that is what I meant -that the letters could have been chosen to be very different to each in appearance so they would not have an M and an N for example. It made sense in my head lol
 
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