Alamy Live News. DJMY74 Sept. 28, 2010 - Lexington, Ky, US - Germany's Isabell Werth was seated next to judge Stephen Clarke in a post event for the dressage team grand prix event of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games at the Tuesday,Sept. 28, 2010. Photo by Pablo Alcala | Staff (Credit Image: © Lexington Herald-Leader/ZUMApress.com) This is an Alamy Live News image and may not be part of your…
Free walk on a long rein is one of the most revealing movements in a dressage test – and one of the most commonly underscored.
In this guide for H &H subscribers, FEI judge Stephen Clarke and four-time Olympic medallist Carl Hester explain why the walk is so often where dressage tests are won or lost – and what riders can do to improve their marks
Back when I was training, I can’t remember…
Carl Hester’s new ride Monet X makes his grand prix debut at Wellington Festival of Dressage. Carl Hester sealed his preparation for this summer’s World Championships with impressive wins on British team stalwart Fame in both the grand prix and freestyle at Wellington CDI. But the mighty Fame wasn’t the only ace in Carl’s hand. His new ride Monet X made his grand prix debut at nine years old in…
LAURA TOMLINSON - FORREST HILL
Laura Tomlinson shares her thoughts on her home-bred horses debuts and a sweltering Nations Cup in Lier, Belgium
I have to start by adding my congratulations to Ros Canter and her brilliant partner, Lordships Graffalo (Walter), on their Mars Badminton win. What an incredible role model Ros is as a rider but also as a mother. She is breaking both records and…
The first fully bridleless show in the UK has been described as inspirational, emotional – and a big step towards change. More than 20 people competed in showjumping and dressage at the British Bridleless Competition at Merrist Wood on 31 May – and some 500 came to watch. Organiser Mia Rodley, of The Heart of […]
Strong British performances across the disciplines are making for an exciting build-up to World Championship selection this year. The countdown to the FEI World Championships at Aachen (11 to 23 August) is continuing apace while the race for selection for British squads is set to draw to a head in the coming weeks. Strong performances from Brits this spring, plus a clutch of significant fixtures…
Jojo Moyes with Joey, whom she competes in dressage. Bestselling author Jojo Moyes reflects in her own words on her childhood riding in London, being chased by park-keepers, and why horses are her oxygen mask Judy Harvey was one of my first role models. She had just taken over Lee Valley Riding School in London, where I started riding, when I joined. We’d work […]
Dressage rider, trainer and British Horse Society (BHS) Fellow Pammy Hutton’s recent exclusive H&H column, in which she asked “Should anyone ever use running reins?”, has prompted a wide range of responses, both online and via email. Pammy clarified her opinion saying: “The simple response lies in the word ‘anyone’ – and the answer to […]
Rixt Van Der Horst, Rebecca Hart and Natasha Baker at the Grade III freestyle prize giving at Paris 2024. The competition timetable for para dressage at the LA28 Paralympic Games (15 to 27 August) has been revealed. The first trot-up will take place the day before the opening ceremony (14 August) and competition will be spread across six days, including one rest day, from 16 to 21 August. As with…
Using running reins is a delicate art, not a right suitable for all riders, says Pammy Hutton.
Pammy Hutton FBHS asks “should anyone ever use running reins?” and shares her thoughts on judging inconsistencies
I’ve been warned never to discuss this taboo topic, but here goes… Should anyone ever use running reins? The simple response lies in the word “anyone” – and the answer to that is no.…
CLOSE UP DRESSAGE COMPETITION LEG AND NUMBERDressage has a future – but we need to accept there are things that are not right, and there is a shared responsibility to see and change them. This was a key message from an Intelligent Horsemanship (IH) webinar titled “Can dressage be saved”, last month. Speakers Dr Sue Dyson, Dr James Cooling and Lisa […]
Becky Moody on the ground teaching a pupil riding a horse on a circle
In this exclusive article for H &H subscribers, World Cup champion Becky Moody explains why good circles start with knowing your arena, your horse and yourself
We ride more circles than anything else in dressage. So it’s a bit of a problem that many of us don’t fully understand how to ride a circle for optimum benefit,…
Adrienne Lyle, WizardUS Olympic dressage rider Adrienne Lyle has paid tribute to her former top ride and London 2012 horse Wizard, who has died aged 27. Adrienne and Wizard made their Olympic debut at London, finishing 35th individually. In 2014 they helped the US team to fourth place at the World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Normandy, France. […]
Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Mount St John Freestyle. Denmark’s Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Mount St John Freestyle have delivered another personal best, as the world number ones continue to go from strength to strength. On Sunday (26 April) the Olympic and European medallists won the Hagen CDI4* grand prix special on 83.09%, more than 8% ahead of runners-up Ingrid Klimke and Vayron, who scored […]
Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus: “Carl Hester is really the example I have had since I was a kid.”When Justin Verboomen made European Championship history last summer – double gold, Belgium’s first-ever dressage medals – the messages flooded in. But there was one he sent himself, to the person who had inspired him since he was a child watching dressage. He messaged Carl Hester. “For me – rider,…
Carl Hester riding En Vogue at Carl Hester yard at Oakelbrook Mill near Malswick in Gloucestershire in the UK on the 3rd September 2020
Carl Hester shares his views on the importance of the give-and-retake in dressage and the need for collective marks
Some 18 months ago, I wrote about introducing give-and-retake of the reins at small tour and grand prix level – an idea that came out of a…
The owner of a family-run venue that has gone from working farm to livery yard to competition centre said she hopes it will become a three-generation project – and that all who ride there will enjoy it. Foxton Equestrian Centre, in Market Harborough, had its official opening on 17 April. The first competition, unaffiliated schools […]
Justin Verboomen with Zonik Plus: “He’s really part of my family. I don't see my life without him.”There was nothing inevitable about Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus – known on the yard as Zozo. The partnership that delivered Belgium’s first-ever dressage medals at last summer’s European Championships – double gold for the quietly spoken 38-year-old from Wauthier-Braine – could easily have been…
Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus on their way to winning Saturday's grand prix on a personal best of 83.5% at the Fontainebleau CDIO5Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus posted back-to-back personal bests at the Fontainebleau CDIO5, winning Saturday’s Nations Cup grand prix (18 April) on 83.5% then lifting the mark again to 91.86% in Sunday’s freestyle to underline their status as the pair to beat in…
Carl HESTER (GBR) riding FAME Is part of the Great Britain team in second place in the FEI Nations Dressage Cup 2026 - Fontainebleau (FRA)While the Winter Dressage Championships were in full swing at home, a strong British team finished second in the opening European leg of the FEI Dressage Nations Cup at the inaugural Fontainebleau CDIO5* (16–19 April). The German squad won, in a competition…
Demi Howard-Cartwright and Newton Astro Nascente win the prix st georges silver at the Winter Dressage Championships.Three final-day title stories closed out the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships and the Petplan Winter Area Festival Championships (15–19 April) at Addington Equestrian – a young rider’s two tests in a day, a measured approach on an improving partnership and a…
Charlotte Dujardin and Secret Agent win the Horselight medium gold at the Winter Dressage Championships.Charlotte Dujardin has won her first national title since her return to competition, winning the Horselight medium gold at the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships (15–19 April) with the seven-year-old Secret Agent (Secret x De Niro). Charlotte and the stallion, whom she co-owns with…
Dannie Morgan and Belinski win the Nupafeed advanced medium freestyle gold at the Winter Dressage Championships.Dannie Morgan became the third rider to win three titles at the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championship (15–19 April), taking the Nupafeed advanced medium freestyle gold with Kristina Rausing’s Belinski on 72.33% – joining Sadie Smith and Gracie Catling on three titles apiece at the…
Amelia Dovey and Artists Ambassador win the novice silver under-21 at the Winter Area Festival Championships.Six under-21 titles were decided at the Petplan Winter Area Festival Championships at Addington Equestrian (15–19 April), led by a double win for Worcestershire’s Amelia Dovey. Amelia’s second crown of the week came in the novice silver under-21 with Hannah Dovey’s New Forest pony Artists…
Hannah Comery and Ballylahive Prince in the prizegiving after winning the prelim bronze at the Winter Area Festival Championships.The final classes of day four at the Petplan Winter Area Festival Championships and the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championship (15–19 April) at Addington Equestrian delivered two more memorable stories – a 19-year-old former eventer winning the prelim bronze in his…
Gracie Catling and Qwinton win the Superflex inter I freestyle gold at the Winter Dressage Championships.Gracie Catling, 22, and her own 18-year-old gelding Qwinton capped a remarkable week at the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships (15–19 April), winning the Superflex inter I freestyle gold on 75.13% – a third national title in four days. The pair had taken the Magic prix st georges…
Sadie Smith wins the Black Country Saddles advanced medium gold on Times Oddjob at the Winter Dressage Championships.Sadie Smith completed a clean sweep of all the classes she’s competed in at the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships (15–19 April), winning the Black Country Saddles advanced medium gold with Times Oddjob (Vitalis x Damon Hill), scoring 71.34%. Sadie had taken both the…
Emily Baldwin and Intello win the HorseHage prelim silver at the Winter Dressage Championships.Former five-star eventer Emily Baldwin claimed her first championship title since turning her full attention to dressage, winning the HorseHage prelim silver at the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships (15–19 April), riding her own Intello (In My Mind x Danone) to a score of 73.6%. The result…
Alice Begg and Kolita win the advanced medium silver on Kolita at the Petplan Winter Area Festival Championships.The closing classes of day three at the Petplan Winter Area Festival Championships and the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championship (15–19 April) produced three silver titles at Addington Equestrian – a second of the week for one rider, a wild card turned champion and another…
The owner and rider of a horse who went from eventing success to veteran dressage – and who “gave me my life back” after serious injury – have paid tribute to him after his death aged 26. Salvation, owned and bred by Tina Ure, evented to intermediate level with riders including Owen Moore and Sarah […]