The Majestic Equines Of Medieval Times Scottsdale
During my recent foray into Arizona and Nevada, I experienced an evening of medieval themed magic, a tournament of valor and splendor that to say I enjoyed would be an understatement of the irresponsible descriptive injustice kind.
Now, I am working my way up to writing a travel post about my evening at Medieval Times in Scottsdale, Arizona in way that does both the venue, its performers, and my feelings about what I experienced there justice. Honestly, I just haven't had enough rest or been in the right frame of mind to craft the tale. Bear with me, I'll get there.
However, as I sit here in the gray and snowy realm which I currently dwell in, my mind lit up when I was scrolling through my pictures this morning looking for writing inspiration, for there are horse pictures a plenty in my phone's photo album.
I'm not ashamed to admit it, I was (and still am) a bit crazy about equines. As a child I galloped everywhere, usually with an alder whip clutched behind me as a tale. Often, when I wasn't pretending to be the big black stallion off of The Man From Snowy River, I would be seen packing around my most favorite book, a book about the wild ponies of Chincoteague and Assateague Islands. At my Papa's, I would wander out into the pasture and be one with the herd of Appaloosas and other breeds of horses he had about the farm. Horses are wondrous.
So imagine just how enthralled I was when I got to sit ringside and enjoy a performance of the likes I had never seen in person, with the exception of a clinic conducted by non other than the Horse Whisperer himself, Monty Roberts, but that is a post for another time.
Dressage and horse mastery is not about domination, it's about a partnership. Seeing the culmination of years of communicative training between humans and horses is just so glorious. With horses you ask them through movement to do so something, you request it with persistence, and when you both become a team amazing things result.
By amazing things I mean a ballet of sorts. The magnificent Andalusians and Friesian horse that were at the dinner were just wondrous to behold. The massive Friesian stallion that one of the MC's sat astride during the show had my mind going a mile a minute thinking about how and why human's selectively bred an animal of that magnitude (for battle) and now the gorgeous creatures of that breed are exhibited rather than utilized for their intended purpose. That thought train too is another blog post for another day, for today's ramble is just about admiration. I mean, just look at this beast:
And then there are the Spanish horses. My husband rides Peruvian Pasos (which were selectively bred over 400 years from Spanish stock), and I have always been admirer of the massive yet athletic, arched neck exhibitors of grace. Spanish horses, especially Andalusians, are just so beautiful and graceful. Many times throughout dinner, the Horse Master and his assistants delighted us with demonstrations of just plain awesomeness!
And now I am going to quit blabbering and let you all enjoy some photos of equine majesty, courtesy of the inner squeeing ten year old horse lover who will always reside in my carcass:)
