HORSING AROUND with RESOUND CHOIR

​Gaits, tack, English, painted, cushings, bascule - a language all its own!

​Horsewomen at RESOUND Choir met and connected over their love of horses and riding.  
Stories abounded.  While being let out into the field, one of the ponies at Ella’s farm got chased by its arch enemy (a horse) and ran into Ella and right over her poor foot.  Lesley worked with horses for 30 years or so.  Her experiences include working at Woodbine, exercising them, jumping, horse shows and braiding manes.  They all agreed that being around horses was therapeutic and contributed to their collectedness as teenagers.
The RCMP Music Ride show, and the Cavalier Horse Show with its Cirque du Soleil feel, led to an interesting conversation about Lippizan and Icelandic horses.  Lippizaners were bred originally from eight horses around 800AD in Slovenia and trained in Vienna because they were used by the Hapsburg nobility.  Only stallions are show horses because of a physical attribute needed to execute the high-level classical dressage maneuvers called ‘airs above the ground’.  Icelandic horses are often mistaken for ponies because they’re small and are unique because they have five gaits rather than the regular four.  The Icelandic line is pure and over 1100 years old.  Icelandic law prevents all horses from being imported into the country, and exported animals are not allowed to return.
Other topics of interest were the cost of stabling your horse and of lessons, local riding schools, where to buy tack on sale, equine diseases, the bio-equine management degree at Guelph University, the Royal Winter Fair events, and birthing.
A promised group ride is on the docket once the COVID-19 situation permits.
​-K. Alexander