Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Airs Above The Ground

Okay, so I was thinking about Chrome's constant goofing off and as I was looking through some of my most recent pictures I thought of something. Maybe he's not goofing off, maybe he's training! Training to join the Spanish Riding School where he can perform the Airs Above the Ground. Look at these pictures and decide for yourself.

First we have the Levade. Here is what it should look like:

Here are Chrome's attempts:

Next is the Croupade. Here is what it looks like:

Here are Chrome's attempts:


His closest attempt:

I think this was a fantastic attempt. He'll just need to learn to tuck his legs. :) So cute!!!!!!!

And then . . .







at other times I think he's just fooling around . . . or maybe inventing his own moves?

This last picture is so cool. The boy can get some air!!!

So what do you guys think? Is he goofing off or is he training?

8 comments:

  1. Yes, that last photo is totally awesome!!!

    Dressage movements are really just natural equine movements that are trained to be performed on command. He looks to be a great candidate for the 'airs above the ground' training.

    Even though he looks to be a wild boy at times, Chrome is a cutie!!

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  2. Definitely training! It is truly amazing what horses come up with without our interference. I've seen Star do a fantastic extended trot all down the paddock. She also does a mean buck-a-roo impression, lol! :D You would really like Lesley Skipper's book, Inside Your Horse's Mind. She has studied her own horses for years and describes them doing airs above ground out in the field :)

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  3. I got to visit the Spanish Riding School a few years ago - it was fantastic! I'd say he's definitely training :)

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  4. Yes! He is in training. There is no doubt that he must have heard about the Spanish Riding School. From the looks of it, he might be able to give the Lippizans a run for their money.

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  5. I loved all photos, but the ballerina is my favorite. I think Chrome is way smart and he's got his own agenda. I also think he's very fortunate because it's obvious that you're providing him with the freedom of expression he so deserves.
    Twink!

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  6. We thinks he's trainin to be a goofball. Yeah we're training for the same thing. As a matter of fact Bobo is in the Masters class!

    Meja

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  7. I'd say he's been looking at the picture books and decided he wants to be in the Spanish Riding School someday and show them how it's really done!

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  8. How funny! He really does look like he is "in training" for those moves! I LOVE watching the Lipizzaners and other horses that have learned these moves. I just got a Netflix DVD called Horses of the World that had a section on the Spanish Riding School and another on a Swedish Circus that showed some of the ways they school their horses to learn the "Airs Above the Ground" and I found it TOTALLY fascinating! If you get Netflix, I'd highly recommend that you watch it. It was AWESOME the ways that they trained the horses and some of their other animals like the giraffe they were training to ride! Linda

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