VIDEO: Dressage Warm Up at Windsor Horse Show – Carl Hester on Nip Tuck and Charlotte Dujardin on Uthopia

For all those of you who like to watch the warm ups, here are some clips from Carl’s and Charlotte’s preparation minutes before the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle to Music on Friday 16th May 2014 (full results – click HERE) 

Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro smash the Grand Prix Freestyle world record!

Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro smashes the Grand Prix Freestyle world record with a winning performance (93.27% ) at the London International Horse Show in Olympia on 17th December 2013:

Click on image to watch the video

Pearls of Wisdom from The Dressage Convention with Carl Hester, Richard Davison, Sylvia Loch, Miguel Ralão and Charlotte Dujardin

The hosts: Richard Davison (left) and Carl Hester (right)

From left: Richard Davison, Sylvia Loch and Carl Hester

Click on the image for the event’s website

Monday after a great educational event – The Dressage Convention 2013 – surely must be perfectly suited to some note taking – have a look at some pearls of wisdom from Carl Hester, Charlotte Dujardin, Richard Davison, Sylvia Loch and Miguel Ralão .

It seems that The Dressage Convention is here to stay and will be a yearly event which I am very excited about as I couldn’t make this one in person.

If you are on Twitter, have a look at #TDCTalk tag for various updates from the event. Horse and Hound Magazine also ran a super tweet-report live from Bury Farm and I recommend having a look at their profile for many thought provoking lines: @horseandhound

Here is a little taste for what happened at the weekend. My resolution is to make the 2014 one in person!

VALEGRO IS IN THE BUILDING! @dressageconvent pic.twitter.com/BWfU62XqCs

— Horse & Hound (@horseandhound) October 20, 2013

“I want an instant reaction to the leg, ” says Carl Hester “Horses must go fwd & come back when asked” @dressageconvent

— Horse & Hound (@horseandhound) October 20, 2013

From left: Richard D., Miguel Ralão Duarte, Sylvia Loch and Carl

“Posture is a way of life if you respect your horse. Always get your bum to the back of your chair,” says Sylvia Loch @dressageconvent

— Horse & Hound (@horseandhound) October 20, 2013

This Iberian stallion has come all the way from Portugal to take part in the @dressageconvent @Bury_Farm #commitment pic.twitter.com/wqpDv8dzDZ

— Horse & Hound (@horseandhound) October 20, 2013

“Imagine the walk/trot transition in slow motion- the hindlegs should almost trot before the front legs,” says Miguel Ralao @dressageconvent

— Horse & Hound (@horseandhound) October 20, 2013

“Never correct problems from the front, always from the back [hindleg],” advises Miguel Ralao @dressageconvent “Smaller isn’t always slower”

— Horse & Hound (@horseandhound) October 20, 2013

“Collection doesn’t come from the hand, but from the horse stepping under,” says Sylvia Loch as she prepares to ride pic.twitter.com/W7KuhmOLub

— Horse & Hound (@horseandhound) October 20, 2013

Here he is – the Superstar @CSJDujardin #TDCtalk pic.twitter.com/0RBD05vlEv

— Sue Stansfield (@wanna3994) October 20, 2013

“I hate pushing legs to make horses go sideways. Touch them, then release as praise for moving sideways,”- Richard Davison @dressageconvent

— Horse & Hound (@horseandhound) October 20, 2013

Related articles

• Emily King (Mary King’s Daughter) & Brookleigh Drama or How To Fight For What You Want (aspireequestrian.wordpress.com)
• Carl Hester October 2013 Blog for Nettex (nettex.wordpress.com)

Dressage Riders – Which Convention Would YOU go for?

“Forum contributors have declared that every rider should be able to watch a trainer and decide whether or not that trainer’s methods suit them and their horse. A valid point, but, we must not forget that the majority of BD members are made up of grass roots riders, with prelim and novice being the most well supported BD classes. Therefore, is it not the responsibility of British Dressage to present their membership with trainers who embrace the scales of training, the welfare of the horse and importantly compliment the examples set by our current Olympic champions?”

From: http://dressagegold.co.uk/clash_of_the_conventions/

Dressage enthusiasts in the UK have an interesting dilemma this coming October. I wrote recently about a new dressage National Convention that is going to be presented by Carl Hester, Richard Davison and Charlotte Dujardin with guests speakers: Sylvia Loch and Miguel R. Duarte.

This convention is not organised by British Dressage who instead is running its own National Convention with…Adelinde Cornelissen. I admire her journey from a school teacher to international dressage rider in the same way I admire and feel inspired by anybody with passion, drive and courage to go for their dreams. I am also all for learning from various sources. However, I don’t agree with sacrificing legacy and welfare over results. Sadly, Adelinde is one of the riders who use rollkur training method.

Carl Hester, Sylvia Loch, Miguel Duarte and Richard Davison present…[Don’t Miss This One if Classical principles are what you are after]

I spied this information on Sylvia Loch & The Classical Riding Club (CRC) open group of which I am a member and which is a fabulous wealth of information and an opportunity for discussion on all things classical dressage.

It transpires that Carl Hester, Richard Davison, Charlotte Dujardin, Sylvia Loch and Miguel Ralao Duarte of the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art are bringing in a one of a kind event this year – The Dressage Convention 2013…