Olympian gives workshop in the art of making dressage look easy

The sport of dressage is about the union of horse and rider in ease and grace of motion, but it's anything but easy. In fact, it only comes through endless hours of hard work, frustration, sweat and tears.

That's the message Olympian Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu will bring to a group of P.E.I. dressage riders at a workshop this weekend.

"It's a lot about patience," said Fraser-Beaulieu.

"Knowing when to stop, knowing when to reward, knowing when to bring [the horse] out at certain levels. And horses want to have to do this job as much as the rider wants it."

Humans may get all the glory, but dressage is a team sport. Fraser-Beaulieu's teammate is called All In, and she rode him in Tokyo this summer to an 18th place finish in individual dressage in her Olympic debut.

"All In has a huge heart. He loves working," she said.

"He loves competing. He goes into the ring and he's like, OK, let's do this."

Island dressage riders may have had moments of frustration watching Fraser-Beaulieu this summer, watching her make moves they have been struggling with look so smooth and effortless.

It's a feeling Fraser-Beaulieu understands, and one she knows can lead some young riders to give up the sport. A key message she will deliver at her workshop this weekend is that feeling is natural, and just another barrier to push through to find success.