Judy Lancaster and Sallie. Photo by Ron Lancaster.
I board my horse down the road at an amazing facility called Oakdale Equestrian Center. Since I work full-time in town and only get to ride in the evenings during the week, I am part of the group affectionately known as “the night shift”.
While I love being part of this group, thoroughly enjoying the company of all my fellow night owls, last night I had one of those rare opportunities to actually have the whole place to myself.
It has been an unusually warm December in my part of the country. The temperature at 7:00 p.m. was a balmy 63 degrees, unheard of at this time of year. After spending about an hour cleaning off layers of dirt from my mare Sallie, a result of our recent rain and muddy pasture conditions, we tacked up in her dressage regalia.
I decided that since no one was around, I could start playing around with my dressage fantasy — doing a freestyle ride someday. I am an eventer, so love to jump first and foremost. Riding freestyle has not been in our repertoire of activities recently.
I flipped on the lights and headed into the indoor. Once mounted, I hit the play button on my iPhone, turning on my favorite dressage tunes by Yanni. I know what you’re thinking: Yanni? But truly, his music offers elegant arrangements of differing rhythms which are so easy to ride to. My mare has even begun to learn the songs, starting to understand the beat of the strange noise that comes from my pocket.
I warmed her up in a nice marching walk, doing lateral work to a few of the slower, relaxing songs. The combination of the warm air and the soothing aura of the songs must have had an effect on her. Sallie started chewing on the bit and had one of the swingiest, marching walks I’ve ever experienced (of course this only happens while I’m at home, alone!).
Then, that song came on! The one in which I have pictured Sallie and I using as our background music, as we glide across the ring in our freestyle performance, doing the perfect collected trot, extensions, tempe changes and piaffe (reality check … the highest level test I’ve ever done is Beginner Novice Test B). But that’s ok. I would be happy with a nice collected trot and extensions.
In actuality, last evening was truly something special. As we rode, Sallie began to feel like melting butter, with a beautiful relaxed rhythm, right in beat to the music. I felt like we were speaking each other’s language, and she stayed right with me through a soft connection that I have not felt before.
She was not born for this “dressage thing”. She’s a Thoroughbred, built like a hunter, but last night I felt like she finally understood that dressage could be relaxing and yes, even fun. Goosebumps began running through my body as for the first time, I felt like we were dancing!
As I brought her back to a cool-down walk, I realized what a special gift I had just received. I had been blessed with a moment in time that I may or may not have again. Just a beautiful, warm December evening spent with my special girl, jamming to Yanni.
I wish my dressage instructor Christina Arrington had been there to see it and better yet, film it. But the amazing connection I felt with her and the quietness of that evening will stay with me always. What a Christmas gift!
