Back at the beginning of 2016, THM was fortunate to be at the CDI in Jerez de la Frontera, where Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester were escaping the cold in the UK, and enjoying some relaxed competition and training.

We asked Charlotte about her new young Grand Prix ride, Barolo:

You must be excited about Barolo – he looks like a gold medal horse too…

“Yeah I’m really excited about Rolo, I’ve had him four years now. Last week was his fourth Grand Prix and he has literally done three low-keyed shows at home. He did our National Championships, that was his second Grand Prix. He’s had 70% every time. He’s still green, I could feel in the Grand Prix here last week, things were moving in the crowd, and he’s What’s Happening! He has only done ten shows in his life, he’s really not been out, so to be able to come here, and educate him, and let him see the world. He’s a bit scared of other horses. It’s been fantastic to get him out and get him to relax and be able to enjoy himself.”

Barolo meets children from the local school on warm up day

more  follows

Next Carl talks about preparation work at home

Carl tells us:

“Our horses are strong in their hind legs, strong in their front legs, and strong in their bodies, but we are not training them dressage movements all the time. Just walk, trot and canter on long reins, that is basically teaching them in a natural way to look after themselves, they are not under the sort of constant pressure that is expected in the competition arena.”

When your horses are in full work, what does a week’s program look like?

“A normal week would be: Monday and Tuesday, they do full work in the school, they would be out for about an hour in the morning, and they go hacking for half an hour – my groom takes them up the road so they walk on a hard surface. Then I work them in the arena for 45 minutes. Then they get turned out in their paddocks when they have finished work, then they come in just after lunch, then the grooms hack them for me in the afternoon. Now we are in full work, they are out twice a day. Mondays and Tuesdays, it is schooling and hacking in the afternoon, Wednesdays, they do hill work, Thursday and Friday they are in the school again, with a lunge in the afternoon or a hack. Saturdays, hacking and Sundays, just in the field and a little walk in hand. I am thinking all the time about getting their fitness up, but without all the schooling.”

You can breed to Barolo’s sire, Breitling, or many other top European stallions right here in Australia – go to www.ihb.com.au