How many times have you been driving down the road with the radio on when you've heard one of your favorite songs and thought, 'That would make a great dressage freestyle'? Or, how many videos have you seen of darling children on sweet ponies, in costume, riding a fun test to a catchy tune? I know I have done both, but then when you watch the extremely complex and polished Kurs of the top level competitors, it's obvious that making such a freestyle involves more than a couple of hours fooling around with a CD player! So when an opportunity to watch an actual freestyle to music clinic came up, I jumped at the chance to learn more about what was involved in putting together a competitive Kur!

This clinic was offered through the auspices of the Equestrian's Institute, a USDF General Member Organization in the Seattle area. The clinician was Karen Robinson who has herself competed through the FEI levels. Many of you probably know her through her other 'day job' as a journalist reporting on horse sport in Canada and throughout the world. Pacific Moon Equestrian Center was the host farm – a gorgeous facility in Arlington, Washington.

Karen at the control panel

So, the first thing I learned was that a good musical freestyle is indeed a whole lot more complicated than simply picking out a fun piece of music and trotting around to it. In fact, the first thing that Karen has participants do, after discussing the level at which the horse is competing and the rider's preferences for styles of music, is to have the pair do some warm up work at all three gaits including exercises that they will need to perform in the test. This gives Karen a chance to get a feel for the kind of music that will suit the horse's 'personality,' rhythm, and way of going. She said at one point, riders usually have some ideas in mind for what they want, either serious or more light-hearted fun music, but that half the time the riders who wanted serious end up with fun music, and those who wanted fun, end up with serious. What is most important is that the selections suit the horse.

consulting about choices

Karen brings with her an impressive library of music she's collected over the years she's been providing this service. She was able to pull out two or usually three pieces of music within genres such as 'big band,' 'broadway musicals' or 'modern pop' that would be appropriate for the horse at trot and canter. Then the rider rode the horse to each of the selections. This part was great fun to watch as it was almost uncanny how obvious it was which piece was most suitable for each horse. Generally the auditors and riders agreed strongly on the 'winning' selection!

I also have to comment on how much fun the riders were having – I've never seen so many big grins on clinic participants! One rider made the comment afterwards that she had been a bit nervous going in to her session, but that once the songs started playing, she felt like she 'owned the music.'

Lots of grins during the rides

Once selections had been made for the basic gaits, the first day's session was complete. A couple of riders deferred a definite choice, needing some time to mull it over – it was useful for them to have video of their session to watch that evening in order to confirm (or change) their initial choice. (A professionally made video/DVD was available for purchase within a short time of finishing the ride.)

The second day was devoted to the choreography of the test. Karen had quite a few preferences and tips about how to put the different required elements together in a way that emphasized the strengths of horse and rider. This process also involved placing the movements that were still in the process of being developed in locations within the arena where the judges would see the most positive elements of the exercise. I think that this is the area in which Karen's experience as a rider and competitor is most useful – and this is probably where it is most obvious whether a Freestyle is home grown rather than put together by a professional.

Another rider enjoying her session

At the end of the second session, most of the major decisions had been made so that Karen could take away the music and the basic choreography, and begin the next process of matching them together, making fine adjustments, then mixing the pieces of music to fit the flow of the test. While a few participants were not completely ready to move to the next stage, most of the participants will see the development of their freestyle through email updates with her. They can then expect to make the initial run through and final adjustments at a second clinic to take place in the late winter. That will give them some time to get the whole test down cold by the time the competition season begins in the spring.

I'm seriously looking forward to attending the next clinic to see how everyone's freestyle turns out!
--------
The second part of the clinic will be held February 5 - 7 at Bear Creek Farm in Woodinville, WA. For more information here are links:

For Karen Robinson:
http://www.applausedressage.com/

For Pacific-Moon Equestrian Center:
http://www.pacificmoondressage.com/Pacific_Moon_Dressage/Home.html

For the Equestrian's Institute which has more information about the clinic:
http://www.equestriansinstitute.org/
or
http://www.equestriansinstitute.org/wroot09/education/clinics/frees...