[ottbmare]

If you think Olympic dressage is beautiful, you should see it when it's done without the constraints of competition; when it's done for art, for the pure pursuit of beauty. The delicacy of communication between two species becomes almost like ESP. It has a spiritual component, but make no mistake: like ballet or martial arts, it takes strength as well as grace.

Dressage at Schloss Buckeburg

And then this, just to show the artistry and intense communication a young girl and her Iberian stallion can achieve alone, without bit or saddle:

Alizee

Sorry for the ads.

[virgil]

Is that a Lippizanner (sp?) horse I saw jumping up while extending front and back legs? What wonderful horses. Thanks for the links.

[Salamander]

That’s really cool but it appears to be more in line with Haute Ecole than dressage.

[dressage does not include any of the ‘airs above ground’ or levade, etc]