Can you define horse-rider harmony – and how do we measure it? Experts debate
Discussions are ongoing in the dressage world around how to describe harmony.
H&H reported that among the 2027 FEI rule changes proposed in dressage, British Dressage (BD) – via British Equestrian – had called for a “clear definition of harmony” (news, 6 August).
BD CEO Jason Brautigam told H&H “harmony is fundamental to the object of dressage”.
“The object is the development of the horse as a happy athlete through harmonious education, allowing the horse to be loose and flexible but confident and keen, achieving understanding with the rider,” he said.
“These qualities are revealed by the partnership between horse and rider and measured in performance; through the paces, movements, engagement of the hindquarters, originating from impulsion and without tension or resistance.
“That gives us a clearer basis for describing harmony in practice. The challenge is to ensure this is articulated clearly enough that judges know what they are looking for, and riders and coaches understand what they should be seeking. If we want to encourage harmonious riding, the judging needs to recognise and reward it consistently.”
Mr Brautigam added that BD believes harmony should be assessed in individual movements, rather than a general impression or collective mark, and reflect movement quality and how it is achieved.
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
“Rather than reintroducing another collective, we believe the aim should be to embed harmony within the assessment of the performance itself,” he said.
“Harmony should not be treated as an additional aesthetic alongside the fundamentals of dressage. It is integral; the harmonious education of the horse in a positive mental and physical state, resulting in a confident and willing athlete.”
Mr Brautigam said the next step is “a clear and usable definition”, then to ensure judging reflects this throughout the test.
“The proposed changes to FEI rules, and review of tests that will follow, provide us with the opportunity to achieve this,” he said.
International dressage judge Isobel Wessels told H&H good judges, riders and trainers know what harmony is.
“Everyone has their own measure of harmony; in countries that don’t have a history of horse sport it might be more difficult to put a heading to it, but I do believe most dressage people recognise harmony when they see it,” she said.
“For me, harmony is when the horse goes seamlessly from one movement to the next with lightness and from small aids. That shows a willingness to work with the rider – but if the rider isn’t asking anything, that’s no good either.
“As judges, we read the horse from the moment it goes around the edge of the arena. If a horse spooks at something, for me that isn’t lack of harmony, it’s a live animal reacting to the environment. But if I see a horse reacting in a negative way because he’s stressed or the rider isn’t very competent, I come down on the mark and comment accordingly.”
Isobel added that judges follow FEI rules and attend annual training and exams.
“If anybody has sat in the judges' box and seen how many seconds you have to give a comment and mark, without falling behind, it’s an enormous task and we’re all very conscious of the influence we have,” she said.
“This word ‘harmony’ has always been in the front of our minds. It’s nothing new, it has always been part of the training scale, that’s not one person’s opinion – it’s part of the manual we follow to be able to ride, train and judge.”
International animal welfare consultant Natalie Waran said a definition of harmony is “only useful if it leads to something that can be seen, described and agreed on”.
“That is why measurement matters. It doesn’t replace the judgement of experienced horse people but it gives that judgement something solid to work from, and several parts of what is termed ‘harmony’ can now be assessed in this way,” said Professor Waran.
Professor Waran said evidence suggests harmony can be “defined well enough to be scored”, if it is “treated as more than aesthetic impression”.
“Describing it as the interaction between communication, the behaviour and affective state of the horse, biomechanical function and longer-term welfare outcomes makes it possible to define, teach and increasingly measure the qualities that sit underneath a successful performance,” she said.
“Seen that way, harmony isn’t an indefinable artistic ideal but an evidence-informed feature of good horsemanship, and one that can be assessed fairly when science is there to support it.”
- To stay up to date with the latest from Burghley, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website
Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.