Charlesdekunffy.com
Title
CharlesdeKunffy.com -- Equestrian Life, Thought and Style
Description
USA Bronze Team Medalist, Steffen Peters of California performs the "half-pass" on the Dutch gelding "Udon" at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Rarely in the world of sport are athletes called upon to muster the combination of strength and artistry demanded by dressage. Requiring the power and precision of gymnastics, and the grace and subtlety of ballet, dressage challenges mental preparation as well as physical prowess.
The word "dressage" (rhymes with "massage") is derived from a French term meaning training. It is not only a method of schooling, but also a competitive equestrian sport. The basic tenets of classical horsemanship were first recorded in a book by Greek General Xenophon around 400 B.C. It was further developed at the royal courts of Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Austria, with its white Lipizzan stallions, is perhaps the most familiar institution dedicated exclusively to the classical art of riding. While once an activity of royalty, today dressage has evolved into a discipline and competitive sport accessible to all horses and riders.
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