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Equitana - Charlotte Dujardin Specialist Dressage Clinic

Charlotte Dujardin and Judy Harvey

For Dressage enthusiasts the Charlotte Dujardin clinic was set to be a highlight of Equitana Melbourne, November 22, 2014.

Charlotte is the reigning No 1 Dressage rider in the world and her achievements with Valegro have heralded a new era of softness and harmony in the sport, which many find refreshing and in the spirit of working as a partnership with the horse and not as an overbearing master.

Charlotte started her riding career at a young age, beginning in showing where she achieved much success, winning at Horse of the Year Show four times and Hickstead three times. On leaving school, Charlotte went to work for top dressage rider Judy Harvey for four years.

  Charlotte Dujardin and Judy Harvey
Charlotte Dujardin and Judy Harvey
 

Charlotte was spotted by Carl Hester as part of the British Dressage Young Professionals award and subsequently began helping out in his yard.   In 2007 Charlotte took a full-time role with Carl Hester and began her record-breaking journey with Valegro.
 
Her London Olympics wins (2012) with individual gold and team gold for Britain, began a swing from the long standing European dominance and this has made the world a more equal playing field for the sport.   Charlotte and Valegro continued their winning way in Normandy, France at the 2014 World Equestrian Games where they took top honours in the Grand Prix on 85.942%, the Grand Prix Special with 86.120%, and Grand Prix Freestyle with new European championship record freestyle (91.250%); helping the UK to walk away with a team silver medal.

Charlotte was assisted in her Equitana Melbourne Clinic by her original coach and mentor, Judy Harvey who is an accomplished international Grand Prix rider and one of the driving forces that guided Charlotte Dujardin into stardom.  Judy coached Charlotte for four years before recommending her to Carl Hester.

The Charlotte Dujardin/Judy Harvey combination worked extremely well for this clinic, as the pair understands each other very well and their interplay added an extra dimension to the lessons.  Judy was able to explain Charlotte’s work when she was riding and they ”bounced” off each other like old friends.   Their close relationship gave the clinic a very relaxed, insightful and informative style.

Judy got the show on the road by explaining what they would be looking for in the perfect dressage horse. “A horse with 3 correct paces, a clear 4 beat walk and quality trot with regularity.

The first horse to come into the big atmosphere under the Equitana “big top” was Lilah Nieuwland riding the 4 YO mare Bloomfield Furst.  Charlotte explained, “With a 4 year old, we work on the paces, walk trot and canter, straight and on the bit, relaxed and easy.”

Bloomfield Furst was quite tense and worried about the environment, neither Charlotte nor Judy were fazed by this and worked to help Lilah to gain the horse’s confidence in order to establish rhythm and relaxation – the basis of all work!
“Lilah, do some transitions, keep the contact, use your voice, and pat her.” 

Judy explained, “We must give young horses time to grow up, let them relax and get used to surroundings. Give her a nice experience, massage the wither, and see if she will drop her neck and relax!”

Judy asked Lilah to drop her whip, which she felt might help the young mare to relax. Charlotte added,  “For young horses we ride lots of transitions – not 2, not 10, not 20, the work must be a constant series of transitions.”
 
“This horse has great canter expression with front legs, she has really nice paces” enthused Charlotte. “Keep her calm forward and open.”

The crowd appreciated Charlotte’s frank style, she asked Lilah for a transition to trot, she felt it was not well prepared and quickly retorted, “Bad transition, pat the horse and slap the rider.”

Charlotte acknowledged the improvement in the two days that she had worked with Lilah and said, “two days ago she was trotting in snail pace, this would have been penalised in competition, today we see much better rhythm and energy.”

It was refreshing to see the problems and shortcomings discussed.  So often in a clinic environment, the faults are not addressed - perhaps as a way of avoiding any embarrassment for the rider.   But for a knowledgeable audience such as this, it is the problem solving that they have come to see, not individual performances.

Charlotte said, “That was a sloppy transition Lilah, you just pulled with your hands.  You must think of the horse’s head, neck and chest being in front of the hand.  No more sloppy, disgusting transitions Lilah!  Rule No 1, don’t be a lazy rider.”

Charlotte advised.  “Lilah should spend her time working on these basics.  She must ask, is that transition good enough?   It is all about transitions to get the horse more connected. Don’t go slow; go more forward when riding young horses. We must ride to preserve the paces. Lilah must remember to ride the transitions – terrible transitions!”

“Allow her to stretch Lilah.  Really good, she shows natural suspension.  Now come back to the walk, do not shorten the reins.  Good…Classy walk too!”

The walk brought to an end the session with Lilah and the 4 YO Bloomfield Furst by Bloomfield Furst Romance, a lovely mare.  The sessions showed much of Charlotte’s attention to detail and requirement of self-discipline and care to preserve the young horses’ natural paces.

Bloomfield Furst Bloomfield Furst
Bloomfield Furst Bloomfield Furst
The big screen kept every angle covered.
Roger and Charlotte Dujardin

Charlotte and Roger

The next horse was an interesting addition to this clinic - the 6YO imported Friesian stallion Braggo of Terrarossa ridden by Bonnie Kingsley.  Judy Harvey said, “This is a great example of the breed and Charlotte added, he looks like fun… great bend in his legs and loose front legs.  This breed has natural self carriage, but they can become strong in their under-neck.”

Charlotte said, “We will start with some lateral work, using leg yield to prepare for the half pass.”

“Bonnie must stay in charge of how much sideways to go, look up, look ahead, he is trying to take over.  The trot should not change just because you are going sideways.  Close your legs and now go straight, keeping control of every step.  He gets a little tight, keep him loose, Bonnie, hands down towards the neck.  This exercise (leg yield and then straight) shows how the rider can get control of the leg yielding – the rider presses the refresh button.”

“Bonnie, can I have a sit on him?” asked Charlotte.  There was an air of excitement as Braggo of Terrarossa has wonderful expression and this demonstration promised much.

Judy added, “The reason for Charlotte’s success is that she is SO self disciplined.  She goes to the gym and has a personal trainer – everything she does, she does to perfection and applies great attention to detail.”

Charlotte added, “I had to improve my hands.   In the early days, I was called “Edwina Scissor-hands”, so I worked hard to improve my feel.”

Judy noted how deep Charlotte rode into the corners, compared with the previous rider – this is part of her self-discipline.  He is starting to relax and trust her.” Judy observed.

Charlotte stated her objective, “He must stay exactly the same in my hand.”

She explained to the Equitana audience, “When horses are said to be lazy it is often that the rider stops the forward – you must allow the horse to go forward.”

From the saddle Charlotte said, “His canter is good enough to try a flying change!” 

From a well-prepared canter, Charlotte achieves a change and says “thankyou God!” to a giggle from the appreciative crowd.

Judy said, “He is 6 years old and he needs to start learning the changes.”

Charlotte’s transitions and attention to engaged hind legs were paying off and she said, “I have a much easier contact now, I can give more rein and he stays there.  He wants to stretch.”

As Charlotte came to the end of her ride on this magnificent stallion, Roger Fitzhardinge spoke to Bonnie Kingsley who marveled at the experience of spending time with the world No 1 dressage rider and the improvement in her horse.


Bonnie riding
Braggo of Terrarossa
Charlotte riding
Braggo of Terrarossa
Braggo of Terrarossa Bonnie talks to Roger
Roger Fitshardinge talk to Bonnie.

Next up was the elegant black brown gelding Heathmont Echo, ridden by Edwina Hutton-Potts.  This horse was quite overwhelmed by the big atmosphere and Edwina was urged to push him forward to encourage him to loosen and relax.

Charlotte said, “Start him in the canter and then he will be much more loose and supple when you trot.”

In most sessions, Charlotte urged the riders to develop more strength and learn to RIDE the horse without relying on the whip.  She said, “It is easy to use the whip to make the horse go, then at National championships you cannot use the whip.  The most important thing is not to hold.”

“Edwina, allow him to move forward … yee haa!”  Heathmont Echo is now in a strong canter and Charlotte says, “He will not win races!  You have been stuck at snail’s pace, he is now much better and there is more jump in the canter.”

“He must learn, when she kicks, he must go.  Now, she kicks and he has learned that he does not have to go.  He must not take over, it is about having the horse in front of the leg, you can see it in his face, he is enjoying it now!  She must continually make him think … what next?”  Don’t be afraid that if you take your leg off, he will stop.  He has to learn to keep going.”  Charlotte insisted.

Charlotte observed, “He is much straighter from the left to right than the right to left.  Make sure you do transitions and changes on the wall, so that the wall does the work of keeping the horse straight. We (Carl Hester stable) always keep them on the wall until a week before a competition, then we go on the diagonal.”

Judy explained, “Charlotte does not avoid the issues and cover up, she addresses the problems – you have to be strict with yourself.”

Charlotte said to Edwina, “Keep his canter and try one change on the long side, then 1,2,3 and change back.  Count the steps and 1,2,3, change, then 1,2,3 and back.  There was a mistake and Charlotte scolded, “You did not wait for me and then you had a mistake.  Come on 1,2,3, leg and again, 1,2,3, leg, that is better. Have a rest.”

Charlotte added, “It is important to practice stopping and restarting work as often in competition there will be a time delay and the horse must accept an interruption and then recommencing the work.”

“ We (Carl Hester stables) are schooling horses 4 days a week and 2 times a week we hack out as this gets them on different surfaces to strengthen their legs. They get stronger and better on different surfaces.”

Charlotte said to Edwina, “Go rising ‘til the horse is in front of the leg, think forward, don’t look down.  When he is forward, he goes into the hand and the mouth is closed.  When he is not forward and accepting the contact, he is off the bit and his mouth is open.  When horses are lazy, they go “into themselves” and lack confidence and they will open their mouth.  Once the horse goes from the back to the front, the mouth will close.  Thankyou Edwina.

Heathmont Echo
forward to start, Edwina.
Heathmont Echo
Heathmont Echo Heathmont Echo

The next rider was popular Queenslander Nicole Tough who rode the beautiful grey Borsato a Dutch import, owned by Traci Bolt, the proprietor of International Training Connections.  Nicole spoke prior to her ride and thanked Traci for her support and the opportunity to ride such a wonderful horse.

Charlotte immediately took Nicole’s whip away and said, “No cheating, you have to be able to ride the horse without the whip.”

Charlotte said to the crowd. “The rider must sit into the direction of travel and be careful not to lean out or sit on the outside seat bone. Put weight into the inside stirrup.  It is a common problem that riders sit to the outside –we must stay on the inside seat bone.”

“Nicole’s hardest side is to the right and she started her work that way today.”   Charlotte explained that they were going to work on the canter pirouettes.

“In the canter, ride forward then back, this is a really good exercise.  Keep his hip in (travers) – use leg yield in the canter as this helps to show the horse sideways and gets him looser. The whole time, the rider must be motivating the horse, be careful that he does not slow down when you collect.  This horse really engages his hind leg when he comes back – we say, he really takes weight on the hindquarters!”

“When preparing to ride the pirouette right, use shoulder-fore to get the horse off the left leg as he likes to fall in.  It is hard work for the horse to bend the hocks and carry weight, so DO NOT train the pirouettes every day. 

Nicole gave her horse a break and Charlotte shared an insight.

“The Grand Prix test never changes.  How do you stop the horse taking over? Never ride the test at home!”

Charlotte explained that she never rides the test, but works on exercises that improve the various movements that are in the Grand Prix test. That way, the horse will not take over and anticipate the movements that are coming up.

“If the horse’s head rocks up and down in the canter pirouette, he has become too slow (and not carrying weight on the hind legs).  In the first 2 steps we need to turn the horse in front, don’t push with the outside leg and the rider must finish the pirouette. Many riders do not finish off the movement properly.”

Nicole comes back to the trot and into extension.  Charlotte observes, “There is lots of extension, but he has to push more – you have to be brave, a few more hours at the gym??   It is about being brave for more forward, more expression, more crossing … and you do not get this by riding slow!”  Thankyou Nicole.

Nicole Tough
Nicole thanks Traci Bolt

Borsato begins with canter
Borsato
Borsato
Borsato Borsato

Next to go was 15-year-old Tayla Desmet riding Rodrigo lll.  Tayla had worked with Charlotte for 2 days before this clinic and Charlotte acknowledged that Tayla had to work quite hard to keep the forward inclination.

Judy said, “With a lazy horse, start the work a bit more forward.  When Charlotte gets on, we will se a “Yee Haa” moment!”

Charlotte said to Tayla, "we will do some changes, he must be sharper to the leg, test one change out and then one change back."  Everyone’s aids are a little different.  With Valegro, I just think it, breathe it and he does it.”

Charlotte put on her helmet and took over the ride on Rodrigo.

“He swings his bum out, so I am going to use the wall to straighten him.  Bend him, soften him – good.  See how much easier the changes come when he is straight!”

Judy Harvey acknowledges, “That was class riding!”  Charlotte responds, “Thanks!”

Charlotte says, “He knows when we get on the diagonal that we are going to do the changes. On the wall, the horse learns to be straight.”

“We have to ride for 9 to stay in the top 80’s.  So, I have to take risks but avoid mistakes as they are costly.”

“At WEG before the Special he felt so good, so I went for more and made 3 big mistakes.  But you have to take risks … luckily it did not cost me a medal.”

The demonstration moved on to the piaffe/passage and Charlotte said that she checks to see what she has.  She again warned, “Never train how it is in the test.  I ride and train more forward.”  Charlotte gets some very nice steps from Rodrigo and is quick to reward the horse with stop and pat.

“Take the passage feel into the trot to create more suspension and expression – this takes the mark from a 6 to 9.   Create energy, sit quiet and let him do the work, if he loses energy, ride a transition forward then back.”

Charlotte warmly congratulated the trainer of Rodrigo lll (Maree Tomkinson) and said, “Huge credit to the person who has trained this horse, they have done a really good job. Tayla is so lucky to have a horse like this.”

Judy said with a giggle, “Charlotte, I think we should take him home!” Charlotte agreed.

Charlotte recapped “Tayla will work to keep him straight and more active.  She must wean off the ”whip dependency habit” where she always rides with the whip.  He is not SO lazy – she needs to get stronger and ride more forward.”

Tayla was all smiles as she took the reins … and some valuable lessons from Charlotte Dujardin, the world’s No 1 dressage rider.

Rodrigo lll Rodrigo lll
Rodrigo lll
Charlotte on board - she refreshed this trot with the passage and piaffe.
Rodrigo lll
Rodrigo lll
Charlotte congratulates Tayla for her horse's great training.

Maree Tomkinson and Tayla Desmet

Tayla Desmet with her regular coach Maree Tomkinson.


The final rider in Charlotte Dujardin’s Melbourne 2014 clinic was the talented combination Shanon McKimmie and the 9 YO imported gelding Ambassi – an imported horse that was purchased from Shanon’s coach Mary Hanna.

“Drop the whip Shanon – no cheating.”  Charlotte noted that as soon as Shanon dropped the whip, the horse changed.  She said, he is 9 years old and has started at Intermediate ll, so nearly Grand Prix – Impressive!  Shanon is at a level, where she cannot rely on the whip!”

Shanon had earlier told Charlotte that the horse’s highlights were the canter zig zag movements and Charlotte said, “So we’ll see!”

Charlotte explained, “How I train the zig zag … I start on the wall in leg yield with 6 steps over and 6 steps back, then I observe how far over I go and back.   It is easy to see (the lateral equality) when you start on the wall.  In leg yield, it is easier to get sideways.  The zig zag (counter changes of hand) are really hard to ride and it is important to get it right as it carries x 2 marks.”

“Shanon, he got too long and too flat, be careful with quarters leading … 1,2,3, 4, straight, change etc. count and control.  He gets longer going down the school and this is why you cannot fit it in, he must stay shorter and more collected to fit in the required steps.”

“Look up, there is nothing on the ground, don’t hold with the hand and kick with legs.  You leg says GO and your hand says NO.  Look up, you come round the corner looking down, there is nothing there.” Charlotte asked for more attention to these details.

“For a 9 YO this is impressive!” Charlotte acknowledged Shanon’s achievements. “This is what training is all about, you make a mistake and then you fix it.”

“Do transitions, do not go round and round.  Get the horse working with you, know your horse and adjust the work accordingly.” Was the Dujardin message.

Shanon finished her ride and is sure to have taken much from her sessions with Charlotte Dujardin and Judy Harvey.

Shanon McKimmie
Shanon McKimmie
Ambassi

Shanon McKimmie Ambassi
Ambassi Charlotte Concludes

With the ridden demonstrations were over and the audience was invited to ask questions.

The first was “What age would you commence flying changes?”

Charlotte said, “When the horse is 5 years old I start to play with the changes.  He already does them in the field, so I start to have a little play.”

Charlotte was then asked, "If the horse sways in the passage and piaffe, how do you fix this?”

The answer Charlotte gave was, “If the horse is not in front of the leg it will sway.   The passage is a pushing movement and piaffe is a sitting movement.  Use transition to strengthen the horse.

The next question “Is there a thing as too big or too small a horse for dressage?”

“I ride a horses from 15.2 to 18 hands, so no.  For big horses, it is harder.  I love small horses as they are physically stronger.”

Then Charlotte was asked, “What was your biggest moment.”

She said, “I am lucky, as my job is my passion, so everyday I have lots of horses to ride and this puts a smile on my face.  I love teaching and seeing improvement.”

Another question, “What stage do you start wearing spurs?”

Charlotte answered as follows, “I depends on the horse! If lazy, small spurs … but with young horses, they are weak and they must learn to be reactive to the leg.”

The final question.  “Name 3 qualities a person needs to be successful?”

1.  Feel.    2.  Hard working and self disciplined.    3.  Be honest with yourself.
Oh, yes, a 4th one … Take notice of your trainer!  Judy agreed.

This ended a fascinating insight to the training strategies, self discipline and daily work considerations of Charlotte Dujardin and no one went away wondering how she has become the No 1 in the world, as it was very clear to the thousands of people who took in her Equitana Melbourne 2014 clinic.

  Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro
Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro
Picture from the FEI
 


Saddleworld Story: Copyright Saddleworld
Pictures and words by Berni Saunders
Dressage Judge and Coach.