Carl Hester talks about making Medal winners from the start, using Valegro as an example:
“There are no short-cuts -you  have to stick to your basics of waiting until you get the stretch from the horse, waiting until you get your relaxation. That’s where people need help sometimes.”

Valegro as a young horse images: Kevin Sparrow Photography

Valegro and Carl at the 2006 National Titles in Great Britain 

“Anyone who remembers Valegro as a four, five or six year old, he had a very strong, Cobby, trot, there wasn’t the sort of power and expression he has now. He has a hanging moment now and he looks like an incredible mover, but back then, he had all the mechanics, but he didn’t have the lightness, he was always a bloody strong horse. He always had the hock action, that I don’t believe you can change.”

Starting out with Lucy Cartwright in 2005

“There are two types of seat, active and passive. Don’t ride hard all the time: active, passive, active. The main thing is to think about the horse’s back a lot.”

More with Carl in 2006 

“We don’t need to worry about the trot, what we need is a good walker and a good canter, we need that hind end engine, that’s what we really need. It’s the mechanics of the hind end. You’ve got to know when you are looking at a walk, how will that walk make a piaffe? And you’ve got to know when you are looking at a trot, how will that trot make a passage? Then when you are looking at the canter, how will that canter make a flying change and a pirouette? Those are the visions you need to have when you are looking at a young horse for the future.

I’m also looking at the trainablility and rideability. How are you going to keep a big, flamboyant mover sound into Grand Prix? You want an easy mover. You need the first thing on the scale of training: rhythm.”

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And  wins with Charlotte in 2007

And the last word from Charlotte Dujardin in the lead up to Rio…

“That’s the thing, he’s now been doing this Grand Prix business for years, and I think a lot of horses lose their enthusiasm and the will to do it, but he just loves it. You really feel that when you ride him. He loves it, and he wants to do it. I always feel that he is trying to please, he never wants to make mistakes, he always wants to do his best.”

“He’s very sensitive. He is not a horse that you could be like, right we are going to do this. He’s such a sensitive horse in the way he thinks, and is off your legs, he is always going, and you are always re-assuring him.

“He gives me so much confidence as a rider as well, and I give him the confidence, and between the two of us, it’s such a fantastic feeling. He’s like driving the fastest car in the whole world, you put your foot on that accelerator and you have that power. You just go – yes, you touch him, and he comes back, it is such an incredible feeling.”

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