Shall we dance?

From FEI to riding clubs, more riders are feeling the lure of dressage to music. Helen Triggs gives you the lowdown to help you show off your best moves

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DRESSAGE to music was born in 1980, when British Olympic rider Jennie Loriston-Clarke staged a demonstration with Gaynor Colbourn riding Dutch Courage and Dutch Gold. From there, music freestyle was debuted at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 — which was won by Isabell Werth and Gigolo — and has been a compulsory part of Olympic competition since.

In 2012, Charlotte Dujardin’s gold medal-winning Olympic performance on Valegro introduced a whole new audience to “dancing horses” and inspired riders at all levels to give it a go. Today, the freestyle bug has spread far beyond the international Grand Prix circuit, with classes at affiliated, unaffiliated and riding club competitions; this year, around 650 combinations contested the British Dressage (BD) music regionals from novice to advanced medium. Technology has made the process of designing and creating freestyle programmes easier, and there is a wide variety of professional help available.

In freestyle tests, riders can choose the order of the movements to display the horse to his best advantage — and avoid areas where perhaps he doesn’t shine. They are also a good introduction to dressage for young horses, as the lines can be a bit easier and the music keeps the horse’s attention from what’s happening outside the arena.

Grand Prix rider and judge Nereide Goodman has helped to boost the sport in Britain with freestyle gala evenings run at Wellington Riding, Hampshire, for over 30 years, helping inspire amateurs to have a go. She acknowledges the vast improvement in standard since the early days: “The whole picture has changed and modern technology has brought it within anyone’s ability to make a professional music programme.”