New Podcast: Steffen Peters on Freestyle Joy, Olympic Lessons, and Riding for the Dance Floor

For six-time Olympian Steffen Peters, dressage has always been about connection. Between horse and rider, yes, but also between sport and audience. His partnership with Suppenkasper (“Mopsie”) captured the world’s imagination during the Tokyo Olympics, when their electric freestyle earned millions of views and a nickname that stuck: the Rave Horse.

“I knew when we designed that freestyle that it would likely be my last,” Peters shared on the US Equestrian Open of Dressage Podcast. “I wanted music you’d play at a party — something that makes people want to get up and dance. That’s the essence I wanted to share with Mopsie.”

And, it almost didn’t happen. Fifteen minutes before the Olympic freestyle began, Peters realized he’d submitted the wrong music file.

“We were calling Florida at three-thirty in the morning to get the right version sent to Tokyo,” he laughed. “The tower was not happy, but it worked out.”

The Energy of a Crowd

From Tokyo to Aachen, the crowd has become part of the performance. In a normal Grand Prix test, Mopsie, who is a fairly noise sensitive horse, would probably react. But in a freestyle? He feeds off it.

"The American crowd gets so into it. They bring the score up. There’s no doubt in my mind.”

That bond — between horse, rider, and audience — is what Peters hopes to see again when he joins the US Equestrian Open Final commentary team this fall. “I’m excited to be there with empathy,” he said. “When someone has a mistake, I feel it. When someone has a great ride, I’ll react to that emotionally. I know what it feels like to be in that moment.”

The Power of the Open

Peters also sees the US Equestrian Open of Dressage as something transformative not just for riders, but for fans discovering the sport. “It’s such a wonderful idea to have this Series here in the United States,” he said. “It’s bringing dressage into the mainstream, where people who might not know the sport can suddenly fall in love with it. We saw that with Mopsie — millions of people saw him online and thought, this is dressage? That’s what the Open can do, too.”

He highlighted the Open’s coast-to-coast reach and the significance of holding its inaugural Final in California — a reflection, he said, of the strength and depth of West Coast dressage. With world-class footing, an energetic atmosphere, and a venue built to bring fans closer to the action, Thermal represents exactly what the Series stands for: connection, excitement, and exceptional sport.

For Peters, it’s also about community. “It’s not the Pan Ams, it’s not the Olympics, but it’s still a big stage,” he said. 

“It gives riders and horses the chance to shine under pressure and fans the chance to be part of something special. That’s what keeps the sport growing.”

Words of Wisdom

As for advice to riders fine-tuning their freestyles ahead of the Final? Peters encourages balance and intuition. Success, he believes, comes from partnership rather than pressure. “Let your horse tell you how far you can go,” he said. “Don’t ride the scoreboard. Ride your horse.”

Listen to the full podcast here.