Music for Dressage – Testimonials
“Over a year ago, when I needed some music for my horses competing in affiliated freestyle dressage to music classes, I was lucky enough to be put in contact with Abigail Todd. Hitherto my compilations had been existing tracks of music, from different sources, simply joined together. However, when I commissioned a completely new compilation, Abi’s expertise and compositional skills really became apparent.
As Abi is a dressage rider herself, as well as a professional musician, she understands what is required from both perspectives. First we discussed preferred musical styles and what was likely to suit the horses. Then she gave me lots of musical suggestions, all of which could be played in the chosen style, and in the horses’ personal rhythms. The end result was a new composition, recorded in Abi’s own studio using her individual instrumentalisation and so is completely unique. The judges liked the homogeneity, the way the music reflects the horse’s way of going and character, the smooth musical transitions between the paces, and the audiences like the these toetapping versions of wellknown tunes.
My horse VanDamme competed at last year’s Winter National Championships in the open novice and open elementary freestyle to music classes and was well placed in both. Abi’s music was undoubtedly an important factor in that success so I would like to recommend her services to everyone who enjoys riding to good music and particularly those who need a professional, quality accompaniment for their horses.”
Kath Cunningham (Pictured above right)
“Over the years I have always ridden my horses to suit the music that I have chosen for Freestyle tests. It is such a luxury that with Abi’s help the music now fits the horse and I can just concentrate on riding the movements as well as possible.
Our first competitive collaboration provided a win in the X-Factor dressage to Music so we will be working with Abi on all our freestyles now !”
Lucinda McAlpine
Listen to some samples of my music for dressage on Soundcloud