I would like to introduce you to the FLYING horse. Not a ‘Pegasus’ Dear Readers! A flying dressage horse. Let’s start with examining the canter. In dressage we want a clear three beat canter. In some other disciplines they do not want the horse to be airborne and are happy with a four beat canter. But in dressage it must be three beat. The fourth beat is silent because the horse is in the air. It is in that airborne moment that the horse can change leads. The lead is either the right or the left depending on which of the horse’s front legs are “leading” in the canter. When the horse is in the air that is the moment it can change leads. It is called a flying change and in dressage we want lots of flying in that change. The rider asks for the flying change one stride before and the trained horse knows that the change must come in the next stride . In this series of photos taken at Helgstrand Dressage the horse is executing a series of ‘one tempis’ or changes of lead every stride. Here we go!
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
HERE IS THE SIDE VIEW!
AND NOW….HE LANDS ON THE NEW LEAD!
Well? How cool is that? Dressage is a very athletic sport for both horse and rider. You can imagine what it is like to sit on that horse and look how beautifully this rider sits!
Happy Monday Dear Readers!
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