Every dressage test begins with the horse and rider coming down the centerline and halting at X in the middle of the arena. The rider salutes the judge who is seated at the end of the arena and the test begins. Seven minutes of solitude. Just the horse and rider. No one else is in the ring with them.
At the end of the test they come back down the centerline again and halt( it should be a square halt with the horse’s feet squarely under him) and salute. The rider pats the horse and they walk out to rejoin the world. The solitude is over.
HorseAddict 
Wonderful photograph with lovely words, Anne..
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Love it, Leueen!!!
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Someone please tell my alpha “sentinel” mare that the whole experience is supposed to be solitude and she has no need to fixate on every little thing in and out of the ring…
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Ah! The alpha mare. She thinks it is her job to see and hear everything for the safety of the herd. Have you tried any Tellington work with her? That has helped Biasini a lot to keep his focus in the ring and not to be nervous.
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Beautiful!
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And how we love, and fear, those minutes!
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Beautiful photo with beautiful words, Anne..
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Very lovely 🙂 Absolutely true!
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