My Review on Cavalia

Under the big top...
Well the show certainly had a circus feel.  All week my friend had asked me if I was excited to go.  I wanted to be, but couldn't really muster "excitement" for something that would likely not hold any mistery to me.  I'm an FEI-trained dressage rider.  I've trained horses to perform tricks.  I've performed at liberty with a young stallion... show me something new! 

Well, the tricks didn't impress me, and the riding certainly wasn't anything to get excited about.  I won't clap for 8 Andaluseans doing leg yeilds at a walk in a row with only 1 on the bridle.  I won't get excited for a bay Spanish stud's "dressage" movements when he can't keep a row of tempis, his pirouettes are very flat, and his "extended" trot is rushed.  His passage wasn't bad though.  The riding reminded me of the "World-Famous Lipizzander Stallion" show I'd seen a few years ago, only slightly less offensive.

But....

There was something so different, so special about this show. 

It gave me something.  Something I'd lost a number of years ago, and I didn't even know I'd lost it. 

It gave me back a dream.
A passion.
It gave me back the spark of magic that is possible with only a horse.  The gift of relationship between horse and handler that isn't for an audience, it's for that connected pair only.  It gave me a glimpse of what will be possible with my own young stallion.  It reminded me of the limitless nature of communication. 

I went and bought myself the zip-front sweater and a key chain from Cavalia.  I spent the money because I will keep them to remind me, when it's really hard and I want to throw in the towel and quit, that there's something beautiful that does happen.  Just keep working.

I have no desire to run away and join the circus, although I may have worked very hard to get in had I known about this when I was much younger.  I do love performance and it can exsist in all of its brilliance and glory outside of the 20 x 60 ring.  When I dance with my horse, on the ground or on his back, it is for me and my horse, not for anyone watching. 

I would go to this show over and over again.  I would love to spend some time with the crew behind the scenes and learn some of their training techniques as the horses were completely oblivious to the crowd just meters away from them.  I love the showmanship that the theatrics encorporated.  The acrobats, the clowns...

True Spectical. 
Thank you for the gift.