If you have ever hugged a horse and received comfort you have felt the spiritual connection that can exist between human and equine. We need to be receptive to tune into the horse’s mind and body when we ride. Mary-Anne Horn, a List 1 able-bodied judge and an FEI para judge, believes we can forget the magic ingredient of ‘feel’ as we strive for achievement.
Read MoreIT WAS GREAT to open Horse & Hound this week to find that there has at last been national public recognition of Dane Rawlins' huge contribution to dressage in Britain in funding, developing and maintaining Dressage at...
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Dressage riders and fans up and down the country have been asking, ‘when is Hickstead going to restart?’ The sad fact is that glorious Dressage at Hickstead, like dressage at Glorious Goodwood, has passed into history. It’s official.
This statement was made by Dane Rawlins, Dressage at Hickstead’s founder and director early this week.
One of our South East-based List 1 dressage judges and trainers has regretfully decided to say, ‘no’ to Area Festival judging commissions. She explains why she came to her decision in this Opinion piece.
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Dressage has become big business and the most talented horses and riders are its shop window. However, most shoppers and competitors are amateurs. How do they find a suitable equine partner? A very experienced Kent-based horse dealer and trainer offers her thoughts on the subject.
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Freelance rider and instructor Frances Morrissey says: “I am extremely fortunate to have some lovely owners — a few of whom I would call true lifelong friends — but just occasionally you come across people who just have no regard or respect for their riders’ welfare”
Read MoreMany find current BD judge training rigid in formula and constraining in its emphasis on ‘correct marks’
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“YOU WOULD think that Government would recognise the value of equestrian business to our economy and in our society by supporting it instead of burdening it with such high levels of taxation.”
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The Hickstead International (25-29 July) was a wonderful show and, importantly, it took place in the South-East, underlining how precious venues like Hickstead are. If we want to enjoy the spectacle of top riders and horses performing without expending precious hours and fuel travelling out of the region we must support them.
Read MoreDRESSAGE JUDGING is a highly moral activity, writes judge Wendy Jago, “This is not simply because we do our best as judges to discriminate wisely and accurately about the differing qualities of specific movements, or horses'...
Read MoreCOMPETING would be so much easier if we didn’t have a dressage judge eyeballing our every move making us feel nervous and putting us under additional pressure, when we already have enough to think about! Danielle Olding, who...
Read MoreRUMOURS about the continued existence of various BD Southern venues abound and with the fall in numbers of riders attending dressage competitions in Kent, Surrey and Sussex, fewer venues might be no bad thing. We need a...
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