Recently I was sent a link to a web site wherein exists a video of a wonderfully well-trained (think almost psychic) dressage mare that, during the video, is engaged in doing what the dressage folks call a freestyle dressage ride.
These rides are set to music which is provided by the owner or rider of the horse so the whole deal looks like a dancing horse. You can see the ride that I am referring to at
and the level of intensity that the mare brings to her job is exquisite and exhilarating at the same time.
However it needs to be said that dancing is not foreign to a horse's nature. Horses are athletes by breeding and inheritance and they are herd animals who interact in a very social way within the herd with each other.
Certainly I am not suggesting that horses are organized enough by themselves to engage with one another in a gavotte, schottische or even the slow and stately waltz. But if you care enough to watch and are open to what you are seeing you will see horses moving in an almost ritual fashion with other horses to ascertain their levels within the herd or at the gate when it is time to come in. They are very aware of the tilt of another horse's head, the minimal swing of a hip or even the flicking of an ear as a signal from another horse as to its intentions.
Anyone who had had to spend time catching a recalcitrant pony in a large field understands that body English is hugely important in the venture. The pony raises its head and stares and then, fully 50 feet away, leans off away from the human or trots in a small slow circle to show its willingness to simply get outta Dodge entirely. When you shake a small pan of feed the pony will stop and stare at you intently, maybe even take a step or two in your direction. If you are foolish enough to take a step forward the pony shies off farther into the field. Simply standing still is your only viable option while the pony executes several maneuvers in its approach to you. Kneeling at the gate is even better so that you look smaller and less threatening. Is it dancing in the human understanding? No, but it is ritualized movement and that is the ancient forerunner of dancing.
Will that pony ever "dance" in what humans understand as dance? Certainly not. But all horses understand movement within the social necessities of the herd. And all horses like movement on its own. Even quite old horses will trot out stiffly in the mornings just to prove to themselves that they can still do it. Middle-aged broodmares will challenge each other to a race and run clean around the field opening out levels of speed that are truly amazing given their normal level of dignified conduct.
Horses get a form of runner's high. Can I prove it? No, I am not a scientist but I was a rider for a long time and I field galloped Thoroughbreds. Trust me, horses get a runner's high.
When you combine the horse's simple enjoyment of forward motion and its inborn understanding of social movement you get an animal that is disposed to "dance." I have said before that you can't force a horse into jumping. Horses jump because they are pretty good at jumping in nature. Some are excellent at it and they truly do enjoy it. Jumping well means that the horse must be amenable to having its forward movement controlled by the needs of space and timing in the physical effort. Anyone who watches the current televised dancing programs has seen the contestants learning to do those same things in order to compete and win.
Long ago when I was showing Quarter Horses I went into the indoor arena at a big early spring show at a major show grounds in Virginia during the lunch break when they played music over the loudspeaker while folks rode around to take the edge off their horses before the riding classes that happened in the afternoon. A really good trainer that I knew was riding his gray 2 year old stallion. He was just jogging the big horse around and I watched from the rail as the horse came jogging down to me-absolutely in time to the music that was playing. The horse had a look of total delight on his beautiful face. I looked up at the trainer and smiled at him and he grinned back and whispered as he passed, "He's dancing!" and I nodded back.
It's one of those bright little memories that is a favorite of mine when things are otherwise a tad miserable.
