Playful Rainier 'plays' the Game

Robert Dover's Rainier has evolved in a positive way since the 2000 Palm Beach dressage Derby in March. The dapple grey Oldenburg by Ronaldo x Figaro especially excelled in his Grand Prix test at Arnhem but in Bad Honnef he was a bit mediocre. The gelding got long in the neck, opened his mouth and got behind the verticle. Furthermore, he regularly lost his rhythmic balance.

In general the extensions were good but the hind legs could have been positioned more underneath the body. The extended walk was especially nice. The Oldenburg's main assets are the piaffe and the passage which seemed more controled in Florida, than in Europe. All transitions from an extended trot to a collected one looked too passagy. The tempi changes were very nice, although the ones every single stride had to be more straight. Rainier, who used to be owned and ridden by Frank Lamontagne, is only 9 years old and still has so much to learn. "He is so clever, the most clever horse I have ever ridden. He really knows what is going to happen in the test and he just wants me to sit there. He needs to learn to listen to me," Dover said. This was obvious in the final passage on the centerline where Rainier preferred to piaffe. Dover kicked him forwards which didn't please Rainier at all. 65.08 was a fair score.

Image copyrighted Phelps Photo