A Tribute to our Beloved Horses – Observations at the World Equestrian Games

The whole time I was at the World Equestrian Games I kept thinking how wonderfully generous horses really are; allowing us to take them over crazy large solid jumps in cross-country eventing, around huge show jumping Grand Prix courses with impressive heights and spreads multiple times in one week, spinning and giving all they got in the sliding stops in reining, spiraling through wooden mazes teamed with 3 other horses pulling a carriage sometimes at a gallop during the driving marathon.  Then there is vaulting where a team of vaulters are gracefully doing gymnastics upon their backs while they steadily and carefully gallop around the lunger.  My most poignant observation though was of the Para-dressage where their grace and generous spirit so greatly benefit our handicapped competitors who are liberated by the very nature of this true gift from God we call the horse.

Courage and skill displayed by both horse and rider at the WEG