Scheduled for Dec. 16

By Jenet Krol

Staff writer

COCOA - Giddy up, jingle-horse, pick up your feet and head to Half-Halt Stables for a Christmas show.

Residents of Cocoa will have a chance to watch specially trained horses perform during a "Christmas Matinee" scheduled Dec. 16 from 2-5 p.m.

The Half-Halt Stables team, as well as students of the facility, will perform with their horses in the show.

"We do it for the community to see what we do and how we train our horses," said Susanne Benne, owner of Half-Halt stables.

"It's a tradition in Germany for riding students to put on a show to give them an opportunity to train for exhibition and give back to the community," said Ms. Benne, who is a native of Germany and an internationally licensed trainer.

The show will feature horses and riders performing in the dressage style, a European style of training that emphasizes a horse's natural athletic ability and willingness to perform, said Ms. Benne.

In a pas de duex exhibition, horses and riders will perform to music, Christmas carols, classical and rock songs, with the horses' movements matching the beat of the music, said Ms. Benne.

The Christmas matinee will also include a show-jumping exhibition and a musical freestyle performed by Ms. Benne and her Grand Prix level horse, Roger Rabbit.

"Grand Prix is the highest level of dressage training. We'll show how after many years a rider and horse become true partners," she said.

Children who are students at the facility will demonstrate the dressage techniques they have learned throughout the year in a quadrille exhibition.

Once the horses and riders have displayed their talents, Santa will arrive in a horse-drawn carriage.

Traditional German Christmas treats such as Bratwurst, Keiser rolls and Christmas cookies along with Gluhwine, a hot, spicy, red wine seasoned with cinnamon and sugar, will help keep the audience in the spirit, said her husband Richard Benne, who co-owns the stable with his wife.

"It's a good, fun time for everybody and a chance to see a different kind of equestrian sport other than something like a rodeo," said Mr. Benne.

Half-Halt Stables is located at 655 N. Burnett Road, Cocoa.

The Christmas Matinee is scheduled from 2-5 p.m. Dec. 16. Admission is free.

For information, call (321) 636-0536.

Contact Jenet Krol at (321) 751-5958 or krol@hometownnewsol.com.