Life lessons: Dressage rider Alice Oppenheimer *H&H Plus*

The international dressage rider talks pre-test rituals, diesel engines, and what she’s learned that’s helped her climb back to the very top of her game

The warm-up is the most important part of a training session. My trainer, Erik Theilgaard, taught me this. People think you can just slop around on a loose rein but the warm-up prepares the horse for the main session.

I work hard on stretching and getting the horse on the leg and responding to my aids. The type of warm-up depends on the horse; some need a quick walk, trot and canter while some take a little more to get going — we call these the “diesel engines”.

Alex Robinson

Freelance equestrian journalist

Born and raised in the Lake District, Alex has grown up on the showing scene. She has qualified and competed ponies at the Royal International, Horse of the Year Show and Olympia and has first-hand knowledge of the current issues in the showing world as well as the horses, ponies and riders who compete in the sport. Alex joined H&H in January 2018 as showing editor, cementing its place as the leading equestrian publication for both showing reports and current showing news in the UK. She moved on in October 2024 to pursue other opportunities, but continues to write for us on a freelance basis.