Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A movement in which a horse trots in place with high action of the legs.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun The act of piaffing. Sometimes called
Spanish walk .
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A dressage movement in which a horse trots in a stationary position while using high lifting of the legs.
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
[French, from piaffer, to strut, piaffe.]
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Examples
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Marshal found that a tough resistance awaited him, although the allied commander-in-chief, Bernadotte, moved with the utmost caution, as if he were bent on justifying Napoleon's recent sneer that he would "only make a show" (_piaffer_).
The Life of Napoleon I (Volume 2 of 2) John Holland Rose 1898
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The animal, being unable to advance, was lifting his legs up and down (doing the _piaffer_), and sighing and groaning in agony.
The Horsewoman A Practical Guide to Side-Saddle Riding, 2nd. Ed. Alice M. Hayes 1873
reesetee commented on the word piaffer
A movement in which a horse trots in place with high action of the legs.
November 19, 2007