GREAT BRITAIN'S dressage team won an Olympic silver medal in Deodoro this evening - and that meant a medal in his first ever games for Reading's Spencer Wilton.

The Hare Hatch-based rider was part of the quartet of reigning Olympic individual champion Charlotte Dujardin, Carl Hester and Fiona Bigwood who finished second behind Germany.

The Germans reclaimed the crown from Britain, who triumphed in memorable fashion at London 2012, while the United States took bronze.

"It is like a dream come true," said Wilton. "I had always hoped we would get a medal.

"If you had asked me four years ago that we would get a medal, I wouldn't have believed it. It is unbelieveable."

As for dressage golden girl Dujardin, she has now matched British cyclist Victoria Pendleton's feat of winning two Olympic gold and one silver, and will go into next Monday's individual freestyle final as title favourite.

German consistency shone through, with their three top riders on day three all posting scores of above 80 per cent.

Dujardin and the brilliant Valregro were the sole British combination to manage that in both her team tests.

In both elements on Thursday and Friday, Dujardin collected 14 maximum 10 scores, which augers well for the individual event in three days' time.

Dujardin holds Olympic, World and European team titles, in addition to all three dressage world records.

The Germans, though, led by Kristina Broring-Sprehe,will be lining up to knock her off the sport's summit, and it should be a spectacular freestyle showdown.

Hester, riding Nip Tuck, Bigwood on Orthilia and Wilton, riding Super Nova II, all played their part, with Bigwood and Wilton enjoying memorable Olympic debuts.

For Wilton, he has won 13 national titles in his 20-year career, but the 43-year-old’s selection for Team GB in Rio was his first senior call-up.

Reflecting on the result, team-mate Hester said: "We are very happy.

"Any medal we would have been very happy with because any Olympics produces a lot of nerves, different atmospheres and different rides.

"But the whole of the GB team has ridden beautifully. Everyone coped with the pressure, and the fact these horses have come halfway around the world and performed like that is testament to the grooms and support staff.

"My horse performed great today. I loved riding him. He was very genuine."

Germany finished on a score of 81.936 per cent, with Britain on 78.595 and the United States 76.667.

Dujardin, Hester and Bigwood, meanwhile, have qualified for the individual final, along with Ireland's Judy Reynolds, riding Vancouver K.