Post by SigOUrNeY on Aug 23, 2007 13:17:12 GMT -5
Dressage Training
The gypsy vanner's movement was fluid, white feathers swishing around her hooves. Her large head was held down to her chest, poll arching into the crest of her neck. Thick mane fell down her spotted neck, and ivory tail rippled with each stride. Splash's ears were pricked forward, her mouth sensitive to every command that her rider might give. Lani rode with a double bit, her hands keeping gentle contact with Splash's mouth through the reins. The mare glided along the outer rail as a trot, her muscles loose and moving in a relaxed stride. Lani circled the mare in a twenty meter circle as they came into the corner, and Splash responded without hesitation, curving her neck into the turn and lengthening her stride to keep up her pace.
Rachel Duce leaned on the rail, waiting for Lani’s signal to turn on the music. The dark haired girl was usually recruited by Lani to help out with the eventers, if it was setting up courses or raking a specific spot in the dressage ring while Lani was working, to keep it from getting to hard. Little did Rachel know how much she was learning. Although Rachel resented it, she had to follow Lani’s orders. And although Lani would rather have Chris help her, Mr. Duce had asked specifically for Lani to give Rachel a chance.
Lani cantered Splash down the long side of the arena, and then leaned back in the saddle and brought her back down to a walk. When they were in front of the entrance, Lani nodded to Rachel. The teenager heaved an over dramatic sigh, but pressed down the PLAY button on the small boom box. As soon as the first note of ‘The Sweet Escape’ was emitted from the speakers, Lani had Splash working a collected trot towards the middle of the ring, and halted to give the invisible judge a salute.
Whoo hoo, yee hoo
Whoo hoo, yee hoo
Whoo hoo, yee hoo
If I could escape…
Splash trotted down the centerline, her neck arching inward towards the direction they would turn. Lani sat quietly in the saddle, unmoving as though she were cemented to her seat. Through masked signals, Splash began to canter, extending her stride with a swish of her tail. They traveled down to S and circled into the middle of the ring, where Lani slowed Splash down to a collected canter, and began to turn her on a dime. Splash performed the pirouette like a veteran, her thick tail swishing as she concentrated. Straightening her out, Lani brought Splash across to R, bringing her down to a trot, and then performing a half pass down to V. The gypsy vanner arched her neck, crossing her forelegs as she traveled across the middle of the arena. The rider and horse connected together, showing off at a piaffe and an extended canter. Rachel watched as the long strided canter brought them from corner to corner before Lani slowed Splash down again and danced another pirouette.
Rachel watched in silent awe, observing at how attentive Splash was to Lani’s near non-existent signals. The pair began to skip across the arena as Splash changed leads every stride. The piebald kicked out her front legs energetically, her white mane falling down onto her sweating neck. The performance went on with Splash executing a passage, the mare hardly moving as she seemed to march in place. Coming out of it, Splash progressed down the centerline again, and halted on command as Lani saluted again, the music faded out.
Lani threw her arms around the mare’s neck, burying her face into the gypsy vanner’s thick mane. ”Fabulous, fabulous girl,” Lani praised, petting the mare without ceasing. The mare gave everything for her, and the feeling of it never lessened. Rachel clapped her wimpy ‘two fingers in palm’ clap, but inside she knew that the pair had really delivered.