Spanish step
The Spanish step ( Spanish "paso español") is an exercise in classical equestrian art in which the horse increases the expression of his step by moving the arch of the front hoof through the air particularly high and reaching out. There is some delay from this graceful movement. Horses show this sequence of movements as a natural part of their imposing and arrogant behavior.
The Spanish step belongs to the artificial gaits (ornate adornments of the natural gaits). It represents the decoration of the gait. The other artificial gaits are piaffe and passage , as a refinement of the trot and Terre à Terre , Mezair and Courbette as a refinement of the canter .
The Spanish step has a long tradition, but it became literary relatively late (1770).
The Spanish step has not found its way into the rules of the FEI , the reasons may not have changed since Spohr (1903): The Spanish step “ is usually judged disparagingly by the academic representatives of the high school, the stable masters ... And yet, when properly done, it has merits and good results. It should represent a model step for the horse's step in the same way as the soldier's step is compared to the civilian's nonchalant step. "( Peter Spohr : The Logic of Riding Art , 1903)
Many modern interpreters of historical equestrian art such as B. Richard Hinrichs and Philippe Karl agree with the description of the Bückeburg Riding School that a well executed Spanish step promotes forehand-hindquarters coordination, removes blockages in shoulder blade rotation and is useful for developing the passage.
The following errors are described:
- Approach with a stretched front leg
- Holding up the front leg for too long
- Pawing with the foreleg
- Dragging the hind leg
- insufficient forward reach of the hind leg
- lateral locking of the hind leg
- uncontrollable "paddling away"
Richard Hinrichs, among others, recommends the “Polka” as a preliminary exercise: that one requires the front legs to be stretched every third step so that the horse always takes two steps in the normal step between two front leg extended steps. ... Only when the horse performs the polka on the hand alone on the tuning aid in connection with light suits on the lead reins ... should it begin with it under the rider.
The lifting of the forehand while standing and walking in Spanish is also known as the Spanish greeting (Spanish "saludo").
The Spanish step is not to be confused with the Spanish step , which is the name for the passage in the Spanish Riding School (Vienna) .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Reflexions sur l'art equestre , Nuno Oliveira, 1965
- ↑ a b Schools and tours of baroque equestrian art , Princely Riding School Bückeburg , 2011
- ↑ Complete instruction in the sciences of a stable master , JB von Sind, 1770
- ^ "Riding art in the mirror of their masters", Berthold Schirg, p. 67, 1992
- ^ The logic of riding art , Peter Spohr, 1903
- ↑ a b Dancers at a Light Hand , Richard Hinrichs, 1989
