Anyone love Dressage?
The video tells the story! Shared by SGHolland
(click the caption to see the video)
When I was in seventh grade I found out that my geography teacher, Mr. Trout, was also a horseback riding instructor. My parents shared my enthusiasm and took me to the equestrian center now known as Thorncroft in Malvern, Penn., where young people continue to learn English Saddle Horseback Riding. Mr. Trout was there and so was a fenced in riding area with a couple of beautiful horses saddled up and ready to ride.
I was a pony rider — that is, the kind of little kid who rides a neighbor’s smallish pony bareback, pretending to be in a Western movie, and grabbing the roof beam of a shed-overhang while the pony ran on through. Gene Autrey stuff. The protocols of that skill were these:
- get on
- don’t fall off.
- be dramatic
But these were horses. They were tall, and big all over. The stirrups were high for a young girl to reach a left foot to while standing on the horse’s left.
That was lesson one. Get on the horse. Or, mount.
Once all adjusted I was told I must sit up straight in the saddle — no leaning over like the cowboys do.
And I was to grab the horse’s girth with my knees! Now that was a challenge. The horse had such a wide girth! I was a fairly athletic youngster, but grabbing the horse by my knees was a huge problem! PLUS I must keep my feet facing forward in the stirrups — actually kind of pigeon-toed!
And while managing this I had to remember to sit up straight in the saddle!
Then, lessons one, two and three, — learning how to hold the reins, getting the horse to move forward, not falling off, managing a turn to go around the “track” — each step was a challenge for a green-horn like me.
I loved it, but was not a natural by any means. The next day I could hardly walk. My inner thighs and backside were so stiff. It took several days to get back to normal. I did not try again.
Now fast forward some 25 years and I am watching Jr. Dressage in the high pasture of the foothills of Washington State’s Cascade mountains. My daughter’s friend is in a competition. She is not much older than I was back at the 107th Division.
And she has the aplomb of a natural horsewoman, sitting the horse straight and proper, suited up with her special clothes and helmet and managing her horse gracefully with knees, toes and reins. The different required moves! So impressive! And this was a little girl! (Who didn’t give up!)
The video at the head of this article is stunning: This is “freestyle”, and all watchers were stunned with the beauty and skill. Horsemanship extraordinaire.
Submitted by SGHolland 2017
