Читать книгу Cowboy Dressage - Jessica Black - Страница 16

Because Cowboy Dressage is open to all breeds and all levels of riders, there is no set frame for overall look, head carriage, or action. Each horse is assessed with reference to his type and conformation: a perfect working jog for an Arabian is not going to look the same as a perfect working jog for a Quarter Horse, and neither is going to look much like the Saddlebred’s perfect jog (fig. 1.3).

1.3 – Julie Chan embraces her mule Cheapseat at a show. Cowboy Dressage emphasizes the relationship between horse and rider above all else.

When building your own Cowboy Dressage horse, you will want to consider the horse’s potential at all times, and ask only of him what that horse is capable of giving at that time. This emphasis on the needs of the horse can be seen at all levels of Cowboy Dressage, from trail rides to the show ring. At all times, what the horse does (for example, a transition from walk to jog versus a flying lead change) is never as important as how the horse does it. The goal of Cowboy Dressage is the harmonious, subtle, and relaxed flow of information between horse and rider.