Ann Romney waved and cheered as rider Jan Ebeling guided his charge, Rafalca, through the dressage routine of pirouttes, trots and passages that make up the dressage performance. Although Rafalca's score was not among the leaders, a grinning Ebeling said he was "happy" with the performance--his first as an Olympian.
Dressage horse at a canter
Although Rafalca's score was not among the leaders. Ann Romney and Jan Ebeling, the horse's rider were happy with the performance at the London Olympics.
© 2012 by Nick
Rafalca is 15 year old mare with "a milk chocolate coat, raven tail and white socks above three of her hooves." She is an Oldenburg horse, a warmblood horse breed from the north-western corner of Lower Saxony. She was born in Menslage in Germany in 1997.
Rafalca is co-owned by Ann Romney, Beth Meyer, a family friend, and Amy Ebeling, the wife of rider, Jan Ebeling.
Mrs. Romney, as the wife of the presumed Republican presidential nominee, has brought the horse sport of dressage more attention than it has ever received in the United States, in spite of this being dressage's 100th year in the Olympics.