Four-time dressage Olympian Richard Davison reflects on British success abroad and difficult questions closer to home
This season may have got off to a troubling start for some, but the past few weeks have offered plenty to celebrate. Becky Moody and Carl Hester have done more than fly the flag on their travels – they’ve restated our position as a nation that strives for harmonious test riding.
At the notoriously demanding German show in Hagen, Sadie Smith and Swanmore Dantina pulled out a strong result, and Dannie Morgan shone with his up-and-coming ride Fever Tree in the small tour.
Looking ahead to the World Championships at Aachen in August, a number of contenders are vying for the fourth team slot alongside Lottie, Carl and Becky, who are certainties.
Despite being only 10 years old, Fiona Bigwood’s chestnut mare Donna Bella shows great talent across the board and especially in piaffe and passage. Her temperament seems exceptional too – hardly surprising, given that she is out of Fiona’s former Olympic mare Atterupgaards Orthilia.
Gareth Hughes continues to make steady progress with Mowgli-Olympia MC, as does Annabella Pidgley with Vamos Amigos and Gio.
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Currently these combinations are returning consistent scores in the low 70s. With plenty more in the tank, it’ll be fascinating to watch them all progress.
Sympathetic use of the aids
When Owen Slot lobbed British Equestrian (BEF) a hypothetical hand grenade in his Sunday Times piece earlier this season, he forced a question our governing bodies struggled to dodge. Citing a video of one of our riders at an FEI event, he asked whether the techniques on display accorded with the BEF’s own welfare codes.
As Laura Tomlinson pointed out in her recent column, that was a valid question, particularly when many of our top riders are publicly funded through the BEF’s World Class Programme. Other parts of the federation also benefit directly from this funding. So even on this narrow point, what the public perceives matters.
The jurisdiction question is academic – my view is that, as the rules currently stand, it would be a stretch to argue the welfare codes of British Dressage (BD) apply to British riders in FEI competitions. But that was not Slot’s point.
Ad hoc discussions between international riders also identified that this was not solely a matter of rules but more significantly a tangible example of social licence in action.
Accordingly, riding and coaching techniques need to keep up with the public’s ever-changing perception and expectations.
BD’s rules state that artificial aids such as bits and spurs must be applied “sympathetically”, and if they are not, their use is deemed abusive. Every British rider should be especially mindful of how that term is interpreted.
We have countless ambassadors for the sympathetic application of the aids – Carl and Gareth among them – and on the international stage, riders such as Justin and Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour.
Not one of us is perfect, and any of us can unintentionally misuse a bit or a spur, especially in the heat of competition.
When that happens, the best response is to look through the eyes of others, own the error and strive to ride better. That serves our horses, preserves dressage for younger generations and eases the burden on those who administer the sport – many of them volunteers – who are too often left to defend it when we fall short.
Looking ahead to Royal Windsor
Let us hope that the remainder of the season delivers more British successes. With that in mind, I’m looking forward to the dressage masterclass at Royal Windsor on Thursday (14 May) with Carl and Becky, before heading to Hickstead CDI – I hope to see you all there.
● Who would you pick for the fourth team rider slot at the upcoming World Championships? Let us know your thoughts at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your thoughts published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine
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Richard Davison is a four-time dressage Olympian and former British World Class performance manager, who has been at the forefront of international dressage for more than 30 years.
