CHARLOTTE DUJARDIN’S brilliant individual bronze in Tokyo has left me on an adrenaline high. The standard of riding at the top end of the freestyle was awe-inspiring.
What struck me about almost all of the final group of big-hitters – Charlotte, Cathrine Dufour, Isabell Werth and Jessica von Bredow-Werndl – was their maintenance of unwavering focus while under extreme pressure.
These riders’ technical skills, competitiveness and training ability are already proven and are arguably on an equal level. So what about the qualities of their horsepower?
Each of those four riders rode faultlessly (that does not usually occur at an Olympics) and none of those horses made any significant mistakes (equally not usual).
So on the night, as neither the riders nor their horses could go any better, did it come down to which horse had the fewest inherent, if minute, weaknesses?
Of course, the freestyle provides the opportunity to camouflage weaknesses to some degree within the floorplan, while also capitalising on scoring points from the horse’s strengths. And that is exactly what each of these riders did.
So I am going to say that since the riding standard was equal and exemplary across the top four combinations, on the night each of these riders could not have produced enough extra points from their horses to have changed the order.
Denne historien er fra August 05, 2021-utgaven av Horse & Hound.
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Denne historien er fra August 05, 2021-utgaven av Horse & Hound.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Gemirande provides 24-carat magic
Venetia Williams sparkles again in the December Gold Cup and jockey brothers dead-heat
‘Happy hunting, everyone'
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'Monaco deserved this victory
Seemingly destined always to play the bridesmaid’s role, Harrie Smolders’ great partner Monaco finally tops an incidentpacked Rolex grand prix
'It had to end sometime'
The closure of beloved Hampshire saddlery Calcutt Sons is a loss to the hunting and wider equestrian worlds, as Octavia Pollock reports
'You couldn't want for more
The Ludlow's peaceful country makes for a day in \"hunting paradise\"
The greatest gift of all
Christmas is fast approaching and while we all like a bit of tinsel, the festive season is also a perfect time for giving to a horse charity. Niki Hinman finds out some of the options
Winter him well
A horse's winter routine can differ dramatically from his summer structure but what’s the knock-on effect? Ellie Hughes asks vets how to optimise routine management for the season
Neat feet
Excellent hoof care is a year-round concern but the winter months present their own problems. Richard Stephenson MRCVS explains the seasonal challenges afoot and how to stay one step ahead
In bygone days
Modern vets have much scientific knowledge behind them, but what about their forebears? Kieran O’Brien MRCVS opens up the world of Victorian vets in London
'When I joined the Pony Club it was just two boys and 48 girls'
Pepsi Kohler on being delightfully outnumbered by girls in the Pony Club, a leg-up from a royal and the H&H advert that changed his life