Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Zapashny family--Gran Premio del Circo di Genova--1994



Part one



Part two

Riding Hall of the Château de Versailles

Anglo-Arabian(Arabian X Thoroughbred) horses of the Ecole de Versailles



Argentine criollo horse of the Ecole de Versailles

Cremelo horses of the Ecole de Versailles

Cremelo horses of the Ecole de Versailles

Thirty horses live today in the 17th century stables restored for the Academy of equestrian arts. Most of them are Lusitanian. Their cream-coloured coat (cremelos) and their blue eyes were particularly appreciated by Louis XIV.

Each horse works according to its level of training (basse école, haute école, saut d’école.) Each student rider is responsible for two horses: a confirmed one and a novice one.
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That is an intersting "cut out" on the saddle flap(fender for you cowboys) on this horse. I have never seen this before. I assume it is is to keep a riders legs in the proper position and to prevent the lower leg/spur from going too far back, like the knee blocks on the pommel prevent the upper leg from going to far forward for perfect balance. Does anyone know if it is a "new" innovation or something that was historically used, like the white buckskin saddles of the Spanish Riding School?

More Circus Knie class, elegance, and splendor.

eLiberty horse harness/tack

Russian Cavalier costume

Elephant blanket

There is a fine line between elegance(Don Foote) and trash(Hedy Jo Starr) and Knie seem's to balance right in the middle, year after year. It really makes you long for, and recall the day's of the brilliant Eves-Brooks creations during the Irvin Feld era.