Conference noted::equitation

    Did anyone get to the NEDA show this past Sunday?  Brent Jensen
    did a musical freestyle on the warmblood stallion Honduras that
    was amazingly beautiful.  It was "classical" dressage at it's best
    and just a joy to watch.  If anyone knows of any competitions that
    he'll be at (probably any of the big dressage shows upcoming), I
    highly recommend that you go to watch and enjoy.  It was poetry
    in motion!

    What level was his freestyle? Last year I watched a third level
    freestyle up in New Hampshire which I think was ridden by Jane Savoie
    but I could be mistaken which had all of the spectators almost in
    tears it was so beautiful! Not to mention that she received an 87.50%
    (believe it or not!) for the ride!
    
    Linda
    

    Brent rode fourth level and there was only one other competitor
    at that level.  I don't have the program, but I think it was Jane.
    I don't remember the final score, but the difference was a 15 point
    percentile difference.  Interesting that you mentioned the tears,
    because I noticed quite a few moist eyes in the crowd (and I'll
    be honest, mine weren't totally dry!)  There were quite a few
    freestyles at first level, and the organizers did a  real good job
    of separating the fourth from the first.  The lower levels went
    first, there was a break and then the other two went.  I was glad
    to see that, because the first levels were well ridden and nicely
    performed (especially Bill Woods', who won that level) but the
    fourth level certainly would have taken away from the first -- as
    they realistically should.  I think had the other fourth level rider
    been alone, her ride would have deserved attention -- against Brent's
    it was a "nice" ride.  

    I really would have liked to have been at the show! Unfortunately
    I don't seem to be able to get out and just plain enjoy the shows
    as a spectator as much as I used to! I usually learn so much by
    watching! I am also glad to see NEDA doing some freestyle promotion
    because good rides are SOOO beautiful (as you have just mentioned!)
    Sometimes I even say to myself that I'd like to try it (however,
    since I am only riding first at this point, it will be awhile!)
    
    Take care,
    
    Linda
    

    I went to a demonstration recently on "Dressage to Music", and I
    wondered if any noters did this. 
    
    It looks interesting, putting relevent pieces of music together with a
    suitable test.  It seems that a lot of hard work goes into the pilished
    performance!
    
    Wendy
    

    The shows around my area (Pittsburgh,PA USA) have it as a test for
    fourth level and above. The musical freestyle must include a particular
    set of movements, but you write your own test to give to the judge. You
    choose the music, they play your tape for you. I don't compete, but I
    just love watching this!
    Sandy
    

    Musical Kur has been my dream since I was 7.  I'm still looking forward
    to the day when I have a good enough horse to try it on.  I have
    choreographed a lot of music in my head (I was a pianist and am also a
    singer) that I am dying to ride to.  With my last horse, I did school
    to music and found that she liked working to the rhythm.  I suspect my
    current guy (when I finally get him back and going) will like it too.
    
    Eva, good luck with your thoroughbred...they frequently make the best
    riding horses and can make excellent dressage horses!

    I have been thinking about starting work on a Kur for the past several
    months.  A few weekends ago I was at a "Wargaming" conference with my
    husband (hey, everybody needs some hobby, and he goes to my horse
    shows!) and I found a CD called "Musique Pour le Cadre Noir".  On the
    cover of the CD was a picture of a black horse and a military rider -
    and since I had heard of the French Cadre Noir through this notes file,
    I bought the CD.  Well, all of the insert is in French, so I couldn't
    read it word for word, but I did get the general idea that the 8 pieces
    of music are music that the Cadre Noir rides to in some of their
    exhibitions.  The music is labeled for the type of gait, and has four
    pieces for "le Pas", one piece for "le Trot", two pieces for "le
    Galop", and one piece of "le Passage".
    
    I think I can figure out that "le Trot" means Trot music, and "le
    Galop" is canter work.  I probably wouldn't be too far off is I said
    "le Passage" is for Passage work!  But I can't figure out what "le Pas"
    is.  At times the music sounds like walk, sometimes it seems better for
    trot, and there is even one piece that sounds right for canter work. 
    So maybe this music is for a total ride.  Any French students who can
    help me out?
    
    Also, what good music have people heard or thought about for doing
    Kurs.  One of the ideas I have is to do it all to Western music, like
    "Ghost Riders in the Sky" and "Yellow Rose of Texas".  
    
    Sue

    Pas literally means step. 
    
    Looking through my french dictionary, there are many ways that you can 
    interpret this:
    
    "mettre un cheval au pas"  = to walk a horse
    
    Step, however, doesn't merely imply walking.  Since you said the music
    was varied, it probably means putting a horse through his various
    steps: walk, trot, etc.
    
    Gita

    Sue,
    
    Without making any claims to be a student of French, you're right in
    thinking that "le Pas" means the walk...at least sometimes. ;-) Literally, 
    I think "le Pas" means "the steps" but I think it is generally used to 
    mean the walk when applied to equitation(e.g. "le Pas d'ecole" = the 
    school walk). Since you say that the music sounds like all 3 gaits, it 
    may well be that, in this case, "le Pas" is being used in a more literal 
    sense of "the paces."
    
    I'll look it up in Baranowski's "International Horsemanship Dictionary"
    over the weekend and let you know how deeply I've stuck my foot in my
    mouth next week.
    
    BTW, how about providing the details of the CD(like the label and
    recording number, etc). I might like to order a copy of it.
    
    John

    The name of the CD is "Musique pour le CADRE NOIR"
    			  "Musique de la Garde Republicaine"
    
    The other identification on the outside was the following:
    CMC 807069
    SC 870
    
    Hope this is enough to order by.  It would be interesting to find if
    there are any other CDs like this...maybe one from the Spanish Riding
    School.
    

    re .905
    
    The Spanish Riding School performs to classical music. The programmes
    from their performances I have seen in Britain and the U.S list the
    particular works. Mozart's Symphony No. 40, first movement, is one work
    that was used in all the performances I saw.
    
    The video tapes I have of the Volvo World Championships show that the
    top competitors use a variety of contemporary and classical music, some
    not terribly appropriate, in my opinion. Quite often one ride is
    performed to music combined from a number of different works, depending
    on the dressage movements being executed.
    
     

    Thanks for the info, Sue.
    
    I checked my recollection that "le pas" means "the walk" in
    Baranowski's dictionary. In the sections on general terms, basic
    training and academic riding, the term "le pas" was translated
    exclusively as "the walk." 
    
    I found no terms or translations that supported my speculation that
    "le pas" could be translated in a more literal sense of "the
    steps"(with the appropriate French plural form, of course!) which could
    loosely be interpreted as "the gaits or paces. The term for gaits or 
    paces is "les allures."
    
    As to the music the Spanish Riding School uses, A1VAX::GUNN[Alex(I
    think...but I keep wanting to say Peter because of that old TV
    detective show ;-) ] is correct. They use a variety of classical pieces
    which are played more as background music for the performance rather
    than something to be "interpreted".
    
    I'd be glad to look up the pieces in program listings if there is
    interest.

    I would be interested in some of the pieces that they play, if it isn't
    too much trouble.
    
    Thanks.
    Sue