Antoine de Pluvinel

Antoine de Pluvinel (1552, Crest, Dauphiné - 24 August 1620) was the first of the French riding masters, and has had great influence on modern dressage.

[2] Antoine de Pluvinel left for Italy at the age of 10[citation needed] or seventeen[2] to begin studying horsemanship under Giovanni Battista Pignatelli, and trained under him until 1571 or 1572.

He then returned to France to study under M. de Sourdis, before becoming the premier ecuyer to the Duc d'Anjou (who would later become Henri III) and accompanying him to his new throne in Poland.

Richelieu, the future Prime minister of King Louis XIII attended the Academie; so did William, duke of Cavendish.

He is also credited with the use of the pillars (wrongly, for La Noue also has record of using them, as does the Greek Eumenes), and he used them extensively in his training of collection and levade.