I love talking to Laura Graves. She’s articulate and thoughtful which makes for super answers and a great conversation and we’re lucky to have another chat with her. Just to recap, Laura, burst onto the international dressage scene in 2014 at WEG in Normandy where she finished 5th in the Freestyle with her gelding Verdades. Two years later at the Rio Olympics they were part of the bronze medal winning US Team as well as just missing the podium to finish 4th individually. More recently she won silver in the Special at the WEG in Tryon as well as team silver.

Laura was out in Australia earlier this year to give a brilliant Masterclass at Brisbane CDI. This interview touches a little bit on the themes she raised, so I’d really recommend that you read the Masterclass notes, the link to which are below. In this interview, Laura talks about US Dressage and what that actually means, the high scores we’ve been seeing recently in the dressage arena, the importance of experience, competitiveness, what exactly is rider fitness, the elusive half halt, the importance of having high expectations, how she likes to obtain her horses…….and fomo!

Link to Masterclass notes: http://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/2019/08/laura-graves-a-masterclass/