QUOTES BY E. F. SEIDLER (page two)
On "work-in-hand"

"With the work in hand we intend to train the horse without the rider, and to restore his gaits as well as his frame to order We can resort to the work in hand for different reasons, such as: If we don't want to burden a young horse or one with a weak conformation with the weight of the rider, i.e. protect it, while still making progress in the dressage training; If we want to bring stong horses with a rigid conformation into a narrower frame, since not every rider is strong enough to avert their useless actions and to bend them appropriately; In order to subordinate under the will of the rider and to correct spoilt, malicious horses who endanger the rider by rearing, bucking, dangerous leaps, and other obnoxious antics; In order to make faster progress in the dressage training, provided the available time and space permit the work in hand; for experience teaches that he who has thoroughly mastered the work in hand leads a horse within a few months to a highter level of activity than he could by riding even in a longer time period." (1846; translation: T. Ritter)