Tuesday on “The Colbert Report,” Stephen Colbert set out to prove that dressage — which has gotten an unusual amount of attention this year, thanks to Ann Romney — is not, as its critics claim, an elitist hobby but rather “the sport of Joe Six Pack.”
In a two-part field segment, Colbert visited Michael Barisone, coach of the U.S. Equestrian team and set out to learn the basics of dressage — a.k.a. “horse ballet.” Colbert’s goal? Master the basics of the sport, including a movement known as the piaffe, in the span of a brief 20-minute lesson. If Colbert was able to meet these requirements, then Barisone promised to award him with one of his sparkly tiaras.
