Basic Training for a young horse with Charlotte Dujardin

I absolutely love the journey of starting young horses. There’s nothing more rewarding than taking them through the levels and watching them blossom. Plus, I’m a sucker for an underdog – if someone tells me a horse can’t do something, it makes me even more determined to prove them wrong.

However, it can be tricky – and a bit of a leap of faith – when searching for the right youngster, because they often only show just a glimmer of what they could grow up to be. So, here’s how I go about the selection process and the steps I take to develop a young horse’s early training.

Ticking all the boxes

Monet is one of the most incredible four-year-olds I’ve ever ridden. He takes up a lovely soft contact, carries himself well and has a natural swing to his gait – so my only real job at this age is to give him confidence.

However, most young horses aren’t that easy and I have to work much harder with some of my others. Some can be too strong, too light or a little lazy – Valegro, for example, was very strong and powerful as a young horse, but was always sensitive to my aids. Florentina, on the other hand, was the opposite and I couldn’t get her to take the contact forward.

The main things I look for when I go to view a new prospect are innate self-motivation, enthusiastic energy and a quality walk and canter. I say this because an average trot can easily be developed to become spectacular by teaching a horse suspension. However, your life will be made far easier down the line if your horse naturally has a rhythmical, loose and balanced walk and canter. This gives you more scope for collecting and lengthening work further down the line.

Starting at the beginning

Training a dressage horse is like building a house – if the foundations aren’t strong, it won’t stay up. So, when I start my young horses, my focus is always…

• Relaxation
• Transitions
• Reactions
• Straightness

Find out more about what Charlotte looks for in a young horse and how she starts their basic training in June Horse&Rider magazine, on sale 19 May 2022.