To be held to that standard of perfection in every ride would surely develop a horse and rider to be the best they were capable of, and it appeared that every horse and rider were capable of meeting that standard though sometimes he did have to make significant changes to the way the rider was doing a movement or to the horseвЂ™s response to the aids to help them achieve the perfect movement. IвЂ™ve ridden in clinics where IвЂ™ve really been worked hard and I leave thinking вЂњthat was great and I learned a lot, but IвЂ™d quit if I had to do that dailyвЂќ but I left Robert DoverвЂ™s clinic wishing I could train with him daily. There was no вЂњgood enoughвЂќ and he was very demanding about the gait quality and throughness of the horse throughout the exercises. But the difference was the perfection he wanted the exercises done with. On the surface, these are the same exercises that most of us are doing at home on our own or in lessons with whatever trainer we train with. For the advanced horses, a favorite of his was a canter serpentine with no change of lead (seemed surprisingly difficult, horses preferred to change leads). Many lessons covered big trot, little trot. In my lesson we worked on a 20 m circle, and spiral in, leg yield out. To briefly summarize the exercises that he had everyone work on, you would wonder what makes him so much better than someone else, and why people would pay what they do to ride with him. Did you tell him he was good?вЂќ encouraging each rider to remember to praise their horse for a job well done. In every lesson he was saying вЂњGood horse. He is also very kind, to both rider and horse. He took the time to explain correct work, dressage theory, and the aids. He is funny, smart, well spoken, and very passionate about what he does. Robert Dover did a clinic at Wyngate Equestrian Center, and I got to audit on Saturday, and take a lesson on Sunday! It was such a great opportunity to see one of the riders I admire most in action, and to see him transform horses and riders during a single lesson. 4 at 7pmET, Dover will be hosting a conversation on Instagram Live and Facebook Live talking about his new book.This weekend was amazing. You can pick up a copy at Trafalgar Square Books, Amazon, or just Google the title and youвЂ™ll see other options. Whether youвЂ™re a fan of dressage or not, there are some great insights and stories in the book, and itвЂ™s a fun read. In 2016 he was named Chef dвЂ™Equipe for the US dressage team and again helped lead them to a bronze medal. вЂњThat competition was fantastic and one of the highlights,вЂќ he said.Дover retired from competition a few years after those Olympics with four Olympic bronze medals. вЂњThat was embarrassing, but it spoke to exactly what the world of sport was like back then, that they would make that kind of a joke about it.вЂќДover also talks about some incredible ups and downs in his career, with one of his great performances coming at the Athens Summer Olympics in 2004. вЂњThe next day I found out that the international jumping riders who were at the show had formed a pool and had put money into this pool, either that I would go to bed with her or I would not,вЂќ Dover said. The woman hit on him pretty hard, and Dover - in the closet but knowing he was gay - was left trying to brush it off without looking disinterested. Leading up to his public coming out was an incident with a woman at a competition. вЂњAbout three days later, Greg Louganis hit the diving board and bled into the pool,вЂќ Dover said, вЂњso there was no discussion about Robert Dover after that. You can order your copy of The Gates To Brilliance at Trafalgar Square Books.

Robert dover one moment in time