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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.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Congratulations!

Great Show at White Fences over the weekend! Ariel did great in her Prix St Georges with Evita winning with 65% Beautiful extensions and half passes, very good work! Glorious was a star and won the young horse division with his first ever outing and recieved a 7.96 . Thank you Rikke for doing such a beautiful job! Roxanne was wonderful and recieved a 67% in her 2 nd level test and high point for 2 nd level. Roxanne was an absolute dream to show. Her wonderful willing attitude and fantastic confidence are traits not often found all in the same horse, and she is beautiful! What a pleasure to have the opportunity to train her! Noah..............well Noah did not want to play this weekend! So he was not getting his usually deserved high marks for participation! Noah was 4 th with 62 % in his 4 th level, and he did leave us a bit of room for improvement! Next time we will be on top again!
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