Carl Hester – The Horse Magazine

Carl Hester talks to Rebecca Ashton

September 26th, 2023
It never gets boring chatting with British dressage superstar Carl Hester. Always fresh and with new irons in the fire. Rebecca Ashton caught up with Carl at Aachen this year to talk about new horses, and the lead up to Paris. You keep giving your hopes away to Charlotte. (I’m talking about Charlotte’s latest star […] Read Article 2 Comments »

Riding the canter with Carl Hester

January 10th, 2023
“If you describe to someone what an extended trot look like, it is very easy to do, but when you say to someone what is an extended canter, lot’s of people think you just go flat out from one end to the other." Read Article Comments Off

Carl Hester – Tips on creating Suppleness

February 4th, 2022
“The main thing for many riders is the stabilizing of the outline of the horse. That is really what is lacking, consistency of outline. The next step is the suppleness, which is also lacking in lots of horses, especially event horses. Charlotte and Valegro demonstrate – Kit Houghton image “I think a lot of the […] Read Article Comments Off

Carl Hester Top Tip

September 20th, 2021
Carl talks about a ‘dip in front of the wither’, it’s not good, what we can do about it? With correct stretching you can see the dip fill up – Carl demonstrates “There were two horses in the Clinic that had it. The first horse I felt it was more just conformation – its neck […] Read Article 4 Comments »

The walk, what’s important? Tips from Carl Hester

September 14th, 2021
One thing Carl Hester warns about is a lateral walk… “The use of the head and neck is so important in walk, it should be like a rowing motion, the horse has to take your hand forward and not fiddle and get behind the vertical. Practice a lot of correct walk at home and get your […] Read Article Comments Off

Carl Hester talks about starting the young horse…

September 3rd, 2021
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 […] Read Article Comments Off

Working with Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin

May 9th, 2021
Vanessa Way tells us about working with Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester, a great insight into the famous twosome’s philosophy: “I think you’ve got to get the horse balanced and you’ve got to get the engine quick. That’s what Carl always says. First of all we’ve got to get the horse forward off the leg. […] Read Article Comments Off

Carl Hester chats

May 7th, 2021
Rebecca Ashton talks to Carl Hester about the responsibility of a top athlete at the Olympics, training, his horses, Valegro and more... Read Article 12 Comments »

Top Tip on Riding Piaffe with Carl Hester

April 17th, 2021
“When you piaffe, you should be sitting over your knee, not sitting on your backside.” “I was told by ‘Rocky’* when you go forward you bring your body forward and when you want to come back, you bring your body back. And it is amazing how most of us do the opposite to that. He […] Read Article Comments Off

Balance, self carriage, and the importance of rider position

February 10th, 2021
Words Chris Hector, pictures Ros Neave Carl Hester talks about the development of Valegro’s balance, self carriage, power and expression, and that elusive quality, positive tension: Kit Houghton image Can we talk about positive tension? It looked to me, when we have been watching Charlotte working Valegro, that the incredible quality that she was showing […] Read Article 4 Comments »