It’s wonderful to watch dressage at its best in the competition arena, but what does it take to actually go down centerline and put in a test worth watching?
During NorCordia’s Dressage at Devon Master Class Thursday night, World Championships team gold medalist and individual silver medalist Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour of Denmark gave us an insight into the techniques that are building blocks in developing a grand prix horse.
Cathrine made the techniques easy to understand, always with an eye on the comfort of the horse. No dressage diva, the pony-tailed expert in casual clothes stood center arena to refreshingly emphasize kindness, lots of breaks and pats on the neck after a horse has done a movement (or tried to). She’s all about encouraging harmony with the horse.
The Olympian (she was on the fourth-placed team in Tokyo) doesn’t do many master classes like the one at Devon, but she noted she’s in the off-season at the moment, which offered an opportunity to share her knowledge.
Her top horses have been sold, but she’s now working with Vianne, trained by Catherine Haddad-Staller. During the summer, the mare was ridden by Hope Beerling to the top 10 in the FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses.
Catherine Haddad-Staller worked on flying changes with Sola Diva during the Master Class. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
With five of the six participants in the presentation, Cathrine worked on developing such high-level movements as flying changes, pirouettes and piaffe.
The quality of the horses was quite impressive, and Cathrine appreciated the fact that “they weren’t too schooled.
“I like that they were like on the stepping stones to bigger shows,” said Cathrine.
Most of us won’t be doing those fancy movements on our own mounts, but her work with eventer Boyd Martin offered a treasure trove of suggestions that any rider can use to their benefit.
In the class, Boyd took the place of his wife, dressage professional Silva Martin, who gave birth this week to the couple’s third son, Koa. (In case you’re wondering, Boyd told me that’s an aboriginal name; the riders’ roots are in Australia. Check out the baby’s photo in the On the Rail section of this website.)
“I was a bit nervous coming in, thinking, `What have I got myself into here?’” Boyd, who normally trains with his wife and Bettina Hoy, admitted in his usual candid style.
Cathrine Dufour working with Boyd Martin and Commando 3. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“I’m from a different sport and probably way less of a rider on the flat than these guys,” he continued, referring to the five others who took advantage of riding with Cathrine during the evening presented by Running S Equine Veterinary Services.
They were Beerling, Hope Cooper, Lauren Sammis, Haddad-Staller and Lindsay Kellock Duckworth. Lauren, Catherine and Lindsay each have competed at championship level, but on different horses.
They do, however, have something in common with anyone trying to acclimate their horses to a new venue.
“We’re all in this sort of place where we get to a show and the horses are nervous and they’re tight and fresh. It was just amazing to me how calm and patient she was,” observed Boyd.
He told Cathrine that was what he wanted to focus on while riding his new horse, Commando 3.
“To me, the biggest lesson I got is, usually I try to push them through and pressure them through the nerves.”
Working with Cathrine, “I did the exact opposite through transition and softness and relaxation. Usually, when you have these master classes, it’s a bit of a dog-and-pony show just to impress the crowd. I was expecting that and couldn’t have been more wrong. The half-hour I had with Cathrine was exactly the process I felt was made for me and my horse.”
Boyd Martin was grateful for Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour’s help with Commando 3. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Cathrine could relate to Boyd’s situation of dealing with a cross-country fit horse in dressage, explaining, “I’ve had quite a few dragons myself,” referring to horses that get charged up when they arrive at the showgrounds.
While often dressage riders “want to show off” for the judges when they are going around the outside of the arena before entering, Cathrine said she would use that time to simply walk around the edge of the arena, trying to get her horse calm and lower his adrenaline level.
“Breathe,” she advised.
Relaxation can bring a bit of softness, even into an event horse, she said, as Boyd allowed Commando to lower his head, using the inside rein, while they walked and made small transitions from walk to halt and walk again.
She noted that on arrival at a new showgrounds, using that type of simple technique and avoiding all the “fancy things” can give a horse the opportunity to survey his surroundings calmly.
She suggested a rider not go on autopilot, but rather take advantage of “simple tasks” in getting a horse acclimated.
“He needs to listen to you,” Cathrine cautioned Boyd, rather than having the rider follow the Holsteiner’s quick rhythm.
With the others in the clinic as well, she advised counting the rhythm: “One, two three four.”
Cathrine works with Lauren Sammis and Heilen’s Oh Land. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Cathrine told Boyd that would enable him to feel when the horse is getting too quick. “Stay lazy,” she counseled.
“You have to be a bit creative sometimes finding that relaxation, knowing that tomorrow you want them with fire, like full power.”
Another technique to slow the horse is to stand up for two steps and sit down for one, then repeat, as the rider works to get the horse’s focus.
A big surprise came when Cathrine took out a leather device she called “a magic strap,” as she searched for the right description in English. It’s a grab strap (also known as a panic strap).
I was surprised, and I’m sure the spectators felt the same, as I heard them murmuring when she put it on the front of Boyd’s saddle. Of all people, Boyd is the last one I would think is in need of something to hold onto in order to stay aboard his horse on the flat.
Of course, I was wrong about what it was for. Cathrine explained that it can be used to help push the rider’s seat deeper into the saddle, and I could see the difference when Boyd used it.
Summing up the way riders should relate to their horses, she said, “You want to build up their confidence. Because if they don’t trust you, you can forget about it.”
Cathrine advised, “if you want to ride on that positive energy, no matter what, then you are going to perform so much better.”