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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, May 21, 2012

Horses we need them as much as they need us.......

                                         Rest In Peace Seth   April 19, 1988 - May 17, 2012

  Last week while I was riding my horses I was mulling over in my head the next blog installment. My two 5 year old are really going fantastic. My girls are starting to learn to half halt............blah blah blah. I sat down to start writing this ingenious entry last thursday when I was delivered some very sad and disturbing news. One of our family, Taylor's boyfriend Seth was shot and killed by a policeman on his own property in Florida, last wednesday night. A terrible shock. And what do we do now? The thing is, that when you have horses they need you. And that is a wonderful thing when all you want to do is nothing............... The passion and peacefullness,  our love for horses keeps us on track when the world goes crazy. Seth was very supportive of Taylor's riding. He was an animal lover and appreciated Taylor's dedication to her riding dream. Knowing that Seth would not want Taylor to quit gave us all the strength to keep going, even thru Taylor's horse show in Connecticut over the weekend. Where she was able to complete her qualifications for the YR Championships in Kentucky with her new freestyle! Ariel was able to be a great support to Taylor while trying to keep her focus and show Sax in their first YR Grand Prix :)
    There will be a Memorial Service for Seth in Florida Sunday May 27.  
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