Horses have been used for many things over the years. Before there were cars, trains or airplanes, horses were one of the fastest kinds of transportation. Once cars and bicycles were being used, however, horses were no longer the most efficient way to get from one place to another.
But there were still plenty of horses to ride and plenty of people who loved to ride them. Instead of using horses to get around, people began riding horses just for the fun of it.
Soon enough, people realized that horses can move their legs and bodies in many different ways. They realized that a horse's movements could be beautiful, like those of human ballerinas.
PHOTO: AFP
Horses can move sideways and jump high in the air. They can lift their legs slowly and gracefully without ever moving forward. This kind of horse movement is known as “dressage.” People and their horses compete all over the world to see which ones can move with the most grace and skill.
(Lynn Steger, Staff Writer)
馬匹應用廣泛由來已久。早在汽車、火車或飛機問世之前，馬匹是最快速的交通運輸工具之一。不過，一旦汽車與腳踏車為人使用後，馬匹就已不再是往返兩地最有效率的方法。
然而，許多馬兒仍供人奔馳，仍有許多人喜歡騎馬。人們不再利用馬匹來遊走四方，而是純粹為了樂趣而騎馬。
很快地，人們就明白馬兒能以許多不同的方式移動雙腿與身軀。人們知道馬兒的律動也可以美麗動人，如同女芭蕾舞者的舞步。
馬兒可以向旁側走，也可以凌空跳躍。牠們不必向前移動，就能徐緩優雅地抬腿。馬的這種動作稱為「馬術花步（dressage）」。人們帶著馬兒與世界各地的好手競賽，看哪組搭檔的律動技巧最優雅純熟。 （翻譯︰賴美君）
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