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<p>WILKES-BARRE TOWNSHIP &#8212; Seventeen-year-old Gigi Gasser adjusted the saddle straps, just as her family has been doing for eight generations.</p><p>&#8220;You always take care of your own tack,&#8221; her father, Rene Gasser, explained with a gentle smile. &#8220;Then you can&#8217;t blame anyone else if you fall off.&#8221;</p><p>But there was no falling on a recent Wednesday morning as Gigi climbed onto the strong back of a graceful white Lipizzaner named Mozart and coaxed the horse into a dramatic pose called a levade. Mozart balanced on his hand legs, with his front legs drawn in toward his body, and Gigi looked like a heroine ready to dash in and save the day in an adventure movie.</p><p>You can see Mozart and 13 other horses perform similar fancy moves at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 12 when the &#8220;Gala of the Royal Horses&#8221; comes to the Mohegan Sun Arena.</p><p>Andalusian, Friesian and Arabian breeds will be represented as well as Lipizzaner, and the event will showcase maneuvers that got their start on long-ago battlefields.</p><p>&#8220;My family has been involved with horses for eight generations, starting with the military in Europe,&#8221; Rene Gasser said, adding he moved at age 12 to Australia, and that is where Mozart was born.</p><p>&#8220;We bred him ourselves,&#8221; Rene Gasser said. &#8220;I feel like he is almost an adopted son.&#8221;</p><p>Gigi, who said she can&#8217;t remember a time when she didn&#8217;t ride, was 3 years old when she witnessed the birth of this horse who would become her adopted brother.</p><p>Three years later, the horse began his training. &#8220;We wait three years because it&#8217;s like with a child, you don&#8217;t want to pressure them,&#8221; Rene Gasser said. &#8220;We wait for the body and mind to develop.&#8221;</p><p>So, what quality does Mozart need to succeed in the entertainment world?</p><p>&#8220;He&#8217;s tolerant,&#8221; Gigi said, stroking the horse affectionately. &#8220;Very tolerant.&#8221;</p><p>Rene Gasser, who is the producer of the royal horse show, said the animals eat a nutritious diet of &#8220;nice hay&#8221; and supplements.</p><p>For an occasional treat, Gigi Gasser said, Mozart likes Doritos corn chips.</p><p>Saturday&#8217;s performance will give the horses a chance to &#8220;dance alongside some tremendous flamenco dancers,&#8221; Rene Gasser said. &#8220;I think people are really going to be excited about watching this.&#8221;</p><p>Indeed, people get excited when they see a beautiful Lipizzaner. After Gigi and Mozart gave a demonstration near the East Gate of the Mohegan Sun Arena on Wednesday morning, passersby Mike Umphred of Wilkes-Barre and Judy Brzostek of Dalton alighted from a car and approached the Gassers.</p><p>&#8220;Can we pet your horse?&#8221; Brzostek said.</p><p>Rene Gasser said yes and the pair gently stroked Mozart&#8217;s nose and neck, which is something it will take a VIP ticket to do on Saturday.</p><p>&#8220;I wish I had a carrot,&#8221; Umphred said.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Gigi Gasser sits on Mozart as he holds a position called the levade. Mozart is balancing on his hind legs with his forelegs drawn in. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_0092.jpg</photo0><caption0>Gigi Gasser sits on Mozart as he holds a position called the levade. Mozart is balancing on his hind legs with his forelegs drawn in. </caption0><photoCredit0>Mary Therese Biebel | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_0012.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Seventh-generation horseman Rene Gasser from Australia said he considers Mozart to be like almost like an adopted son. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_0012.jpg</photo1><caption1>Seventh-generation horseman Rene Gasser from Australia said he considers Mozart to be like almost like an adopted son. </caption1><photoCredit1>Mary Therese Biebel | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_0032.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Rider Gigi Gasser, an eighth-generation horsewoman, adjusts the saddle straps before mounting the horse. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_0032.jpg</photo2><caption2>Rider Gigi Gasser, an eighth-generation horsewoman, adjusts the saddle straps before mounting the horse. </caption2><photoCredit2>Mary Therese Biebel | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_0122.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Gigi Gasser and her father, Rene, help their horse Mozart strike a pose on the grounds of the Mohegan Sun Arena. They will be back at the Arena on Saturday for &#8216;The Gala of the Royal Horses&#8217; performance. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_0122.jpg</photo3><caption3>Gigi Gasser and her father, Rene, help their horse Mozart strike a pose on the grounds of the Mohegan Sun Arena. They will be back at the Arena on Saturday for &#8216;The Gala of the Royal Horses&#8217; performance. </caption3><photoCredit3>Mary Therese Biebel | Times Leader </photoCredit3></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p><strong>By Mary Therese Biebel</strong></p><p>mbiebel@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p>IF YOU GO</p><p>What: &#8216;The Gala of the Royal Horses&#8217;</p><p>Where: Mohegan Sun Arena, 255 Highland Park Blvd., Wilkes-Barre Township</p><p>When: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 12</p><p>Tickets: Start at $25</p><p>Info: 800-745-3000.</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Mary Therese Biebel at 570-991-6109 or on Twitter @BiebelMT</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Graceful, dancing horses will put on show at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre Township