Dressage

[unsureofneighbour]

Anyone else watching?

It always amazes me how incredible these horses and riders are. I wonder if they all started riding numb ponies as kids and had to flap their legs to get them to move like the rest of us

I think @blobby10 is talking about Totilas. - he was sold from under Edward Gal who trained him (with somewhat controversial methods) and never had the same success under the rider he was bought for.

Charlotte would never be parted from Valegro (anyway he does not belong to her but to Carl Hester and Roly Luard)
He is retired from competition now but still does some of the demos that Charlotte and Carl both do.

@HelenRose1111 Thank you so much for clarifying! The information I originally posted came from my mum who is wonderful but does get confused sometimes . I do remember reading about how only Charlotte could get those performances out of Valegro though ..............! Thus proving that some horses and riders definitely have a special connection 😀.

In all honesty I have seen Carl ride Valegro just as well, but being the generous and skilled trainer he is, (as well as a brilliant rider), he recognised their partnership was gold & he could ride Uthopia their other Olympic standard horse better, so stood aside for Charlotte to take the ride on Valegro.
What a guy.

Likewise En Vogue was originally Charlotte’s ride but was given over to Carl

Carl currently 1st after 7 riders

3rd place now for Carl

Not sure we'll medal in this tbh

Pumpkin is gorgeous but not flashy enough

They did really well to get the bronze yesterday- it wasn’t really expected as they’re such green (inexperienced) horses at this level.

I absolutely love watching Carl and Charlotte. They’ve revolutionised dressage. I used to find it quite sad as the horses were often clearly trained by quite unnatural methods, but Charlotte and Carl’s horses are kept and trained in such natural, kind ways that it shows in the horses. And it’s filtering through to other riders and the whole discipline. I was never a fan until these two came along.

Pumpkin reminds me of a show hunter pony. Very compact. He's only a baby though, he needs the next few years to mature up. En Vogue is young too. Actually exciting for Paris next time

There’s a brilliant film on YouTube about how they shipped the dressage horses to Tokyo for those who are interested. I found it fascinating.

Who is pumpkin?

Charlotte Ds horse (Gio) I'd Pumpkin at home.
Valegro is Blueberry

Oh that's sweet

Didn't know their stable names!

Lottie Fry 8th

Before the break

80.6

That was still a fantastic mark for Lottie Fry considering the little blip spoiled a couple of movements. I wonder what her mark would have been without that?? It was a lovely test otherwise. He’s a very flashy horse, albeit fiery!

This has sent me down a dressage rabbit hole online. I used to work as a dressage groom, not directly for but at the same yard as two international dressage riders, one of whom trained a current Olympian at Young Rider level and apparently now - or previously? - a head coach for the para-team.

Both brilliant riders and trainers, sadly I found one of them "not very nice".

But I did enjoy looking at the amazing photos of the old horses I occasionally sat on for a stroll.

Dds fave now - the tractor dressage 😂

@Honeyroar

That was still a fantastic mark for Lottie Fry considering the little blip spoiled a couple of movements. I wonder what her mark would have been without that?? It was a lovely test otherwise. He’s a very flashy horse, albeit fiery!

I really felt for her there, especially after yesterday

Yes I felt for her too. I think that would’ve been a really good score otherwise. He looked hard work in the lap of honour yesterday!

Yes he was a bugger! Beautiful horse though.

Best test so far! Amazinv

87.5 for the Danish competitor! Beautiful beautiful test and horse

Blown away by Total Us - what a stunning, expressive horse!