Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro in Rio.

© Eric Knoll

By Equestrian Life

The world saw a brilliant, polished performance by Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro in the Grand Prix Freestyle in Rio - a performance that resulted in them taking home the gold.

As dressage fans know, a lot of preparation goes into producing a flawless freestyle performance - from selecting the music to perfecting movements.

However, choosing the right music is about far more than listening through endless tracks and picking one that ‘sounds right’. At Grand Prix level, many riders take on a far more tailored approach.

Charlotte and Valegro’s gold medal winning soundtrack was created specifically for the occasion by composer Tom Hunt. Hunt, who originally hails from Bristol, specialises in creating music for dressage riders.

After studying composition and performance at the Leeds College of Music, the talented composer has since gone on to forge a career creating music for top dressage riders across the globe - talk about serving a niche market!

Hunt’s piece for Charlotte and Valegro strived to capture the spirit of Rio - an aim that was evidently achieved. Hunt chose every note for their test, effectively showcasing the dynamic duo as they danced their way to victory.

Hunt will also be providing music for the Paralympic Games in September.

Equestrian Life's Rio 2016 coverage was proudly brought to you by Barastoc.

Read more News.