Dressage 4" Round Needlepoint Canvas

4" Round Hand Painted Needlepoint Canvas on 18 mesh.

The images of top level dressage riders executing intricate movements in a tailcoat may seem out of reach to some, but dressage is about so much more. The word 'dressage' comes from the French term, 'dresseur' meaning 'training'.
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Dressage is all about learning to work with your horse and help him achieve greater suppleness, flexibility and obedience; enhance his natural movements and ability and improve his athleticism.
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It's for exactly these reasons that dressage was originally developed by the cavalry in the 17th century – after all, having an unresponsive or undisciplined horse on the battlefield could have meant the difference between life or death. Only later did it develop into some of the more flamboyant moves still seen today at the Spanish Riding School of Vienna. As with many equestrian sports, necessity on the battlefield, developed into the sporting spectacle we now enjoy.
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As a sport, dressage is all about putting training into practice in front of a judge (or judges) to show how the horse's development is progressing against a set ideal. From the lowest level to the pinnacle, horse and rider perform movements in a rectangular arena and are awarded marks for their efforts by a judge or panel of judges.
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Even to those who know nothing about horses, watching Dressage can be exciting and marvelous - as it seems almost as if the horse is “dancing” through the movements. Check out some freestyle dressage classes, set to music!
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Stitch this needlepoint canvas to celebrate this magnificent equestrian discipline!

Includes hand painted needlepoint canvas only, no threads or stitching included. Colors may appear different based on screen resolution. 

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