Equestrian Life Magazine September Issue 220 | Page 45

usually develop in to some really
lovely work, resorting back to
these if your horse becomes a bit
flat or drops away from the leg.
I also thoroughly enjoy sending
a horse across the diagonal in a
medium trot, as we reach X keep
the momentum and forwardness
but change the horse into a
lateral position such as a legyield for the remainder of the
diagonal. This loosens the horse
up and the quick changes in body
positioning, with positive riding,
really keeps them thinking.

springy. One of my favourite
exercises is to ask for a rein-back
followed immediately by a trot
or a canter out, again followed
by a tap with the whip and
gymkhana pony thinking if he
doesn’t respond quickly enough.
Some horses vary with this
exercise. You may find letting go
of some of the contact on the
front end encourages the horse
to go forward and then you can
gradually pick it back up as he
gets the idea of what is being

asked. Others may be better
keeping the contact constant
to encourage weight to be
taken on to the hind legs. This
exercise can be swapped and
changed between the paces and
transitions; i.e. halt-to-canter, to a
halt-to-a rein-back, to a trot-out
etc. The transitions must be as
direct and sharp as you can get
them to get your horse really
listening. The more transitions
you can do, the better. I find a
five-minute blast of these will

Bespoke Music
Service launched for
Dressage contestants
Olivia Aldridge Thomas,
a professional composer
for stage and screen,
has introduced a service
that provides dressage
competitors with bespoke
music.
Olivia has already been
commissioned to compose
an original piece of music
for Dane Rawlins, founder of
Dressage at Hickstead, and his
horse Sydney.

a resounding success
resulting in a really good
international placing.”
Olivia, who composes from
her country studio near
Romsey in Hampshire, also
creates bespoke music for
ballet and theatre. She has

Exercises can be made hard or
easy. If the horse is struggling
then he will lose momentum. You
may find you have to compromise
something else such as balance
until he gets the idea. If the horse
is losing power in an exercise,
ride positively out of it and ask
for something else. For example,
if your horse drops down and
behind the leg whilst trotting
a 10m circle, finish the circle
then ask immediately for canter
and push the canter forward.
Return to the trot and send the
trot forward to encourage the
hind leg to remain underneath.
Make sure you balance the horse
yourself as much as possible on
your outside rein and ask for
the 10m circle again and repeat.
Quick exercises containing more
than one ‘ask’ will really keep their

been a musician since the age
of twelve when she began
training as a classical singer
and has always been inspired
to pursue a musical career.
Olivia has composed for BBC
radio drama and has just
merited her first accreditation
to the Cannes Film Festival
2013.
“Music can create moments
of tension, drama, suspense,
anticipation, romance and
beauty and add great
dynamic to a routine, all
within one seamless piece

attention on what is coming next.
If they are not quick off the mark
or don’t respond then repeat the
very initial steps with a tap with
the whip sending them forwards.
Make sure you are still sitting soft
and loose and not nagging. The
more you can back yourself up
with determination and positive
riding in the first instance, the
sooner you will realise actually
you do not need to do that much
anymore.
Ten minutes of power and
positive riding from you will
achieve much more than one
hour of kicking. Both you and
the horse will finish feeling like
you are refreshed and that it was
enjoyable. Short walk stretching
breaks are very important to
allow your horse to relax and
open his back up and also a very
good indicator as to whether
he is listening when you gather
him back up. Exercises such as
counter-canter (and counterflexion exercises) during sessions
will naturally enhance balance
and suppleness. So you may only
be working on one thing, forward
thinking, but you will achieve a
much greater output.
For more information please visit
www.kirstylovedaydressage.co.uk,
www.britishhorsefeeds.com or
British Horse Feeds 01765 680300.

of original music,” said Olivia
“The music can be written to
fit the natural rhythm of your
horse and highlight each
movement, whilst capturing
the unique personality of
horse and rider.”
Once commissioned, the
music is tailor made to fit the
rider’s strongest routine and
combinations. This ensures
that music is then crafted to
synchronise perfectly.
For information visit
www.oliviathomas.co.uk

Image by Paul Harding of Lewis Harding Ltd. Featured rider: Harriet
Lewis-Wortley riding Chantadu.

Dane says: “I was pleased to
meet Olivia and her ability
to ‘get it!’ in terms of creating
a score for the Freestyle to
music competition. Olivia
has created a superb
backing for my horse
Sydney who was a reserve
for the London Olympics.
The first use of the freestyle
was in Vienna international
horse show in 2012. It was

www.equestrianlifemagazine.co.uk

EL-SEPT13-S3.indd 45

45

22/08/2013 22:43:33