I know I often post videos of me riding Biasini in our lessons but I thought you might like to see a video of one of the world’s dressage masters, Isabel Werth, winning the Freestyle recently at Stuttgart German Masters competition. For those of you who are not familiar with dressage the Freestyle to music has required movements that must be completed but the rider can choreograph those movements into any order they wish and usually this is done to display the strengths of the horse.
In this video Isabel is riding the mare Bella Rose. There is a story behind this partnership. Isabel was riding this horse to victories four years ago when the mare sustained an injury. This injury was exceptionally difficult to treat and there was a four year gap when the mare was not competed. But Isabel never lost faith in this mare. She brought her back and won the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special at the World Equestrian Games last September. She says this is her “horse of a lifetime.”
This video is edited and has commentary. Unfortunately the commentary makes it hard to hear the music but is interesting. My pointers to you would be to notice the beautiful trot half pass near the start; Bella Rose moves so fluently sideways and with such wonderful lift of her legs and she glides across the arena. I would also like to point out the transition to walk. Bella Rose stretches out and walks in such a relaxed manner. For some horses this is not so easy.
During the video you will hear the commentators remarking on the scores . A 10 is the highest possible score for a movement and it is not often awarded to a horse and rider. When they refer to a “jokers line” this is a place in the test where the rider can repeat a movement, usually something like the tempi changes (changes of canter lead). Isabel and Bella Rose had a mistake in the two tempis (change of lead every second stride) but this is not shown on this edited video. The commentator says that Isabel does not plan a “jokers line” as she usually is always aiming for near perfection.
Enjoy this !
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