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Dressage


Dressage (a French term meaning "training") is a path and destination of competitive horse training, with competitions held at all levels from amateur to the Olympics. Its fundamental purpose is to develop, through standardized progressive training methods, a horse's natural athletic ability and willingness to perform, thereby maximizing its potential as a riding horse. At the peak of a dressage horse's gymnastic development, it can smoothly respond to a skilled rider's minimal aids by performing the requested movement while remaining relaxed and appearing effortless. Dressage is occasionally referred to as "Horse Ballet." Although the discipline has its roots in classical Greek horsemanship, mainly through the influence of Xenophon, dressage was first recognized as an important equestrian pursuit during the Renaissance in Western Europe. The great European riding masters of that period developed a sequential training system that has changed little since then and classical dressage is still considered the basis of trained modern dressage.

Early European aristocrats displayed their horses' training in equestrian pageants, but in modern dressage competition, successful training at the various levels is demonstrated through the performance of "tests," or prescribed series of movements within a standard arena. Judges evaluate each movement on the basis of an objective standard appropriate to the level of the test and assign each movement a score from zero to ten - zero being "not executed" and ten being "excellent." A score of nine (or "very good") is considered a particularly high mark, while a competitor achieving all sixes (or 60% overall) should be considering moving on to the next level.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

WE WON!! THANK YOU EVERYONE!!

So our annual cocktail party fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society was thursday night and was absolutly wonderful!! mary Ann's courtyard looked so beautiful and the music by Drew Golden and the wine from David Page made such a wonderful atmosphere.
Thank you to everyone who took time out of their busy, busy schedules to support us!
And THANK YOU! for a second year in a row Ariel and I are the Equestrians of the Year!!! We have so many people to thank for their generous support of our campaign.
Thank you thank you thank you!!
Not only did we raise more money then the other participants but we raised alot more then last year! The total amount I do not know, but possibly double from last years effort.

So now that is over we can put 100% focus back on the horses! Who are doing fantastic.
More horse news to follow! We are off to watch the Freestyle at the show tonight! Good luck everyone!

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