JULIE HARDING
MISSED A PREVIOUS PART?
Buy Your Horse back issues at shop.kelsey.co.uk/ issue/YHR
OLLY STAFFORD HAS been working on getting the flatwork movements of his dark bay gelding, Brownie, less ‘shuffly’ in a dressage arena. When Olly turned up at dressage rider and trainer Alex Harrison's yard with the dark bay gelding last year, the horse was pretty green and had never seen a pole or learned what a contact was. He has since made huge strides, but there is still work to do to get him shining in front of a dressage judge at a horse trials.
“The aim is to get him to use his body better — for his whole body to be involved in movements—and to providemore of an answer to his rider's leg,” explains Alex.
After Olly has warmed up Brownie, the pair trots a 15m circle “to make sure that he's listening to your leg”, Alex says. “You need to make sure that you have control over his body.”
