And a seasoned rider approached and said, Speak to us of Dressage.
And he lifted his eyes to the distant mountains where horses ran free, and after a moment's silence, he spoke:
Your horses were born of the wind and earth before they came to your stables. Born of open skies and galloping storms, they remember what it is to run free.
They come to you not as servants but as teachers of love, art, patience and humility.
You say, "I shall train this creature to move at my command."
But I say to you, in true dressage, it is you who must first be trained. For the reins in your hands are but the visible threads of an invisible connection.
The master does not seek to control the horse's body, But to unbind its essence through the structure of symphony.
As the sculptor does not create the beauty in marble, But merely reveals what was already there, So too must you reveal the natural grace that dwells within your horse.
Your aids should fall like gentle rain, not like the crack of thunder.
Your legs should speak in whispers that only your horse can hear.
At the height of true collection, the horse’s frame wasn’t taken, But have instead gathered its power like a river narrowed between canyon walls.
And some of you say, "I seek perfection in my art."
But I tell you that perfection in dressage is not found in flawless geometry, Nor in the precision of the halt, But in moments when horse and human breathe as one being, When what was once “me” and “you” becomes simply “us.”
The wisest rider understands that each horse carries its own wisdom, And the path of training is not a straight line that you draw, But a circle that you and your horse create together, Returning always to the foundations of trust and understanding.
In your pursuit of dressage, beware the temptation of prizes and applause, For they are but shadows on the arena wall.
The true reward comes in silent moments of breakthrough, When hesitation melts into willingness, And when effort transforms into ease.
And remember always that your horse does not care for your ambitions or your ribbons.
It cares only for your truth. If there is conflict in your heart, there will be resistance in your horse.
Harmony in you is harmony beneath you.
This is the sacred covenant of dressage:
That in seeking to elevate your horse, You must first elevate yourself.
