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Lipizzaners
are exceptionally well-suited to dressage. The dressage masters of the Spanish
School of Vienna offer a wondrous spectacle of High School movements and
« Airs above the Ground ».
The Passage : is a shortened trot that is
very collected, very elevated performed at a very regular cadence. Its
characteristic features are the marked engagement of the hindquarters and more
than normally flexed knees and hocks, as well as the elegance and elasticity of
the movement. Each diagonal pair is raised and strikes the ground in alternation
at a very regular cadence and remains suspended for slightly longer than the
normal.
The
Piaffe: this is an extremely collected, cadenced and elevated diagonal movement
that gives the impression the horse is trotting on the spot. The horse’s back is
supple and vibrating. The hindquarters are slightly lowered with active,
well-engaged haunches (and hocks ) (giving the shoulders and forelimbs a
great deal of lightness, freedom of movement and mobility. Each diagonal pair
is raised and strikes the ground in alternation at the same cadence and remains
suspended for slightly longer than the normal.
l
The
Airs above the Ground
These
were originally military movements and date back to the time when the royal
cavalries played a important role at war and cavalrymen used these jumps as
combat ploys.
The
jumps start from the piaffe, with the horse's weight carried on flexed hind
limbs allowing the front limbs to be raised.
The
levade or pesade: on the spot, the horse raises its front limbs off the ground,
forelegs tucked under and haunches lowered.
The
courbette : this consists in a succession of hops in the levade position
without bringing the forelimbs back down to the ground. The horse lunges
forward several times by pushing down on its hocks.
The
croupade : is a movement with no forward motion involving both the hindquarters
and forequarters. It is a single jump during which the horse tucks up its hind
legs beneath its belly.
The
ballotade : is a variation on the croupade: the horse kicks out with its hind
limbs high enough for the shoes can be seen, as if to kick.
The
capriole: is a jump on the spot of both the hind quarters and the forelimbs,
during which the horse kicks out with its hind legs.
The
mezair : this is a levade with forward motion every time the horse raises or
lowers itself.
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