TheCenterline Vol. 19, Issue 7
www.azdressage.org
JULY 2017
A Thousand by
Arizona Dressage Association
Susan Downs Parrish, Ph.D. I spent Mother’s Day weekend riding in a Charles de Kunffy clinic and wallowing in classical dressage. You know me, the blend of art and science gives me goose bumps. I hear groaning, and some version of, “I’m a competition rider so don’t bother me with esoteric piffle.” Part of me wants to lecture you, but I’m going to fight that urge and try to inspire you instead. Colleen Clement worked with Scarlett Fahrenson to set up the clinic in Sonoita, Arizona, at St. Georg. After lunch and following the last lesson on each day, Charles offered theory sessions in which we could ask questions. I’ve known Charles for more than thirty years. He has always insisted on scheduling time for theory. He knows that while we are thumping around in the ring doing our best to execute his demands, and they are demands, we can easily lose sight of the whole in which the part we are performing fits. Before leaving for Sonoita, Ron, my engineer husband, asked me about my goals for the clinic. The question surprised me, but being a woman, I came up with something general to keep him from pursuing the question: “I’m going for Charles’s opinion.” Poor Ron. He lives with a woman intent on moving up to Intermediare 2. He hopes Charles can help me. Here is the perfect place for a couple of de Kunffy quotations: “There are two hundred trots!” “There are a thousand steps along the road to piaffe, and none of them is piaffe.”
Cont. on pg. 6