The Beauty of the Pre-Ride
Inspired by Joan Didion and Charlotte Dujardin
Before the performance, before the arena hushes, before the world watches — there is the pre-ride.
It’s quiet, intimate. A moment of connection that never makes it into the photo album. A braid finished. A rein adjusted. The subtle shift of weight as rider and horse sync in silence.
Charlotte Dujardin has said, “It’s the partnership that creates the magic.” Joan Didion believed in the sanctity of ritual. My work honors both. Many of my pieces don’t depict the spotlight. They hint at what happens before — and behind — it.
Because some of the most meaningful moments happen when no one is watching.