A Spring Festival with Unkempt, Frisky Horses at the Trot Up for the 2023 CDIO Compiègne

Spring has sprung. It's official. The last few days a grey overcast sky has been replaced by blueness, sunshine and wonderfully mild weather. The birds are chirping, the swallows have arrived and after a restless night, I jump into my car for the 3h30 min drive to Compiegne for my favourite spring show of the year. 

Explosion of Yellow

As soon as I cross the border from Belgium into France, a totally different country and culture are visible. One drives across a huge agricultural area with hectares of turnrip rape fields in full bloom. An explosion of yellow painted in between acres of lush green grass land that stretch out to the horizon. Absolutely gorgeous. 

It's 22 C° when I arrived in the equestrian park of Compiegne, where the organizers have succeeded once again in making the event even prettier and better than the year before. In 2022 they boasted a brand new main arena and this year the trade fair has been made extremely cosy and inviting with wooden seats, stools, high tables around a big "orangerie" style central bar. Fantastic!

I'm right on time for the start of the horse inspection. 

Unkempt

Confusion is key when it sometimes comes to FEI rules. A few weeks ago, an urban legend started floating round the dressage world that an FEI steward at the CDI Beloura had told riders horses were no longer allowed to appear braided at the horse inspection. I had to rub my eyes because I couldn't believe the nonsense I just read.

I immediately checked with two stewards and they confirmed that no rule change had taken place and braids were certainly not banned from the trot up. A quick look at the horse inspection rules (p 33) actually does not even mention whether a horse needs to be braided or not. It seems to be free choice.

I have lamented about it before, but I find it totally unstylish to present a horse unbraided. This unkept or dishevelled look seems proof of laziness, a lack of style and care for tradition (most of these riders even have full-time grooms working for them. To braid a horse takes 15-20 minutes). If you look at the eventing trot-up, horses are groomed to perfection, riders and handlers are dressed to a tee. In Compiègne some appeared in their stable clothes, shoes dirty from mucking stalls, t-shirts with stains on. Only the French team seemed more co-ordinated with all wearing the team shirts. But I saw way too many mane flying. I think it's my pet peeve.

Jack Out of the Box

Another big difference with eventing horse inspections is the manner in which dressage horses behave. With eventing, the horses gently trot in a relaxed pace next to their rider, while with dressage horses, some see the opportunity to act like jacks out of the box  and behave like lunatics.

I often wonder if these horses get proper turn-out so they get rid of their excess energy, or do they stay boxed in a paddock with only hand-walking or the horse walker as their moment of freedom?  A well mannered trot up is something that can be trained.. bring in the natural horsemanship cowboys!  And am I being too drastic if I wish for all stallions to be cut if they are not licensed breeding stallions. haha. Those balls are absolutely useless props. 

Training

After the vet inspection, riders are allowed to train in the competition arenas and wherever you turn your head, you see horses. There are no less than seven arenas at these show grounds and they were filled to full capacity with riders practising their tests, suppling their horses and familiarising them with the surroundings. 

I see that all is in place for a fabulous three days of competition and cross my fingers that we will have more of the same weather. 

- Text and Photos © Eurodressage (this article expresses Eurodressage's' eye-witness account and opinion about the competition).

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Related Links
Scores: 2023 CDIO Compiegne
Exceptional Line-Up of World Elite Riders for the 2023 CDIO Compiègne