Tales of a Southern girl in the Middle East: Spanish Riding School

On traveling

"When you travel, you experience, in a very practical way, the act of rebirth. You confront completely new situations, the day passes more slowly, and on most journeys you don't even understand the language the people speak. So you are like a child just out of the womb. You begin to attach much more importance to the things around you because your survival depends on them. You begin to be more accessible to others because they may be able to help you in difficult situations. And you accept any small favor from the gods with great delight, as if it were an episode you would remember for the rest of your life. At the same time, since all things are new, you see only the beauty in them and feel happy to be alive." (Paulo Coelho, The Pilgrimage)

15 February 2009

Spanish Riding School

The Spanish Riding School is a traditional riding school for Lipizzan horses that offers public performances.
The school is housed within a series of buildings built Emperor Charles VI at the beginning of the eighteenth century. The building where the performances are held contains a large portrait of the emperor, to whom the riders salute before each of their performances.
The performance begins with the young stallions who have recently arrived at the school. They demonstrate the first stages of training at the school.

The next stage of the performance shows all steps and movements that the horses are taught during the years they are trained. This is followed by the pas de deux, where two horses demonstrate movements in mirror image. The next session demonstrates the methods that are used to train the horses to do some of their more impressive jumps and movements.

(Even though it looks like this video is missing, just play and it will work.)

The final session consists of eight horses showing various figures and movements.