Doma menorquina is the traditional style of riding of the island of

Menorca Menorca or Minorca (from la, Insula Minor, , smaller island, later ''Minorica'') is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Its name derives from its size, contrasting it with nearby Majorca. Its capi ...

. It is closely associated with the Menorquín horse. Doma menorquina is based on

classical dressage Classical dressage evolved from cavalry movements and training for the battlefield, and has since developed into the competitive dressage seen today. Classical riding is the art of riding in harmony with, rather than against, the horse. Correct ...

and resembles a combination of Haute Ecole (dressage) ("High School") and

Doma vaquera Doma vaquera () is the traditional working riding discipline of Spain, from which all the working riding styles of the Americas and many of those of Europe appear to derive. Along with rejoneo and acoso y derribo, it is distinct from classical ...

disciplines. Usually, stallions 3–4 years old are trained. From the three basic gaits, walk,

trot The trot is a ten-beat diagonal horse gait where the diagonal pairs of legs move forward at the same time with a moment of suspension between each beat. It has a wide variation in possible speeds, but averages about . A very slow trot is someti ...

and

gallop The canter and gallop are variations on the fastest gait that can be performed by a horse or other equine. The canter is a controlled three-beat gait, while the gallop is a faster, four-beat variation of the same gait. It is a natural gait pos ...

, training progresses to the Spanish walk,

half pass The half-pass is a lateral movement seen in dressage, in which the horse moves forward and sideways at the same time. Unlike the easier leg-yield, the horse is bent in the direction of travel, slightly around the rider's inside leg. The outside h ...

flying change Lead refers to which set of legs, left or right, leads or advances forward to a greater extent when a quadruped animal is cantering, galloping, or leaping. The feet on the leading side touch the ground forward of its partner. On the "left ...

s and

piaffe The piaffe () is a dressage movement where the horse is in a highly collected and cadenced trot, in place or nearly in place. The center of gravity of the horse should be more towards the hind end, with the hindquarters slightly lowered and great ...

and culminates in the ''bot'', or walking courbette. The remarkable ability of Menorcan horses in the ''bot'' is the most notable element of Menorcan riding; the rider sits effortlessly on the rigid back of the , the Menorcan saddle. Horses and riders are at the centre of local celebrations, in a tradition that may go back to the 14th century and incorporate elements of Christian, pagan and Moorish ritual. Some 150 riders participate in the festival of ''Mare de Déu de Gràcia'', the

Birth of Mary The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Nativity of Mary, the Marymas or the Birth of the Virgin Mary, refers to a Christian feast day celebrating the birth of Mary, mother of Jesus. The modern canon of scripture does not record Mary's bir ...

, in Mahón (September 8–9) and in that of ''Sant Joan'', Saint John, in Ciutadella (23–24 June). Riders pass through the crowds, executing

caracole The caracole or caracol (from the Spanish ''caracol'' - "snail") is a turning maneuver on horseback in dressage and, previously, in military tactics. In dressage, riders execute a caracole as a single half turn, either to the left or to the r ...

s and repeatedly performing the ''bot''; the more often it is performed and the greater the distance travelled, the greater the applause of the crowd. Touching the horses is believed to bring good luck. At Ciutadella three types of contest of skill are also held: the , in which the rider armed with a lance attempts to take a small ring suspended from a cord; the , a

jousting Jousting is a martial game or hastilude between two horse riders wielding lances with blunted tips, often as part of a tournament (medieval), tournament. The primary aim was to replicate a clash of heavy cavalry, with each participant trying t ...

contest in which one rider attempts to break a hand-painted circular wooden shield held by the other; and the most dangerous, , "running embraced", in which two horses gallop with their riders arm-in-arm. The , in which the horse beats the air with the front hooves, is also a part of the ritual of the .

External links

Doma Menorquina at Muro, Mallorca, 2010

Video showing the ''bot''

TV footage of two ''ensortillas''
(at the start and at 1'13")
Video of ''córrer abraçats''

Video of the festa of Sant Joan at Ciutadella

References

Equestrian sports Sport in Menorca {{equestrian-stub

See also

External links

References