To think that equestrian events are ridiculous

[BFrazzled]

In the Olympics.

Poor horses. This ridiculous dancing in dressage, who the hell thought of that?

There was one winner of the dressage contest who supposedly also won in the nineties. No mention of the horse, guess it was with a different one then

[Tiddleztheelephant]

I love equestrian events, they take as much skill and dedication as any other. More in some ways because the human athlete has to maintain their own fitness and their horses too.
The horses are extremely well cared for and often loved by their owners so I don't think you need to feel too sorry for them.
If you're not keen on the events, don't watch. I hate the golf myself, so I switch the TV off. Problem solved!

[Notimeforaname]

Yep. Utter shite.

[VaggieMight]

I don't see the problem. The horses are beautiful and I assume well cared for. I was wondering how they are transported though. But if they were at all stressed I don't think they could perform as they do. They seem to trust the rider.

[Salanda]

I agree - flying horses halfway across the world to ‘compete’ in high humidity and heat can’t be in the horses’ best interests. I’m sure there’s a lot of skill behind it but that doesn’t mean it’s ok.

Off on a tangent but did you see this in the news recently? www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jul/19/thousands-of-ex-racehorses-being-sent-to-abattoirs-bbc-investigation-claims

[Tippexy]

Much loves horses... who are sometimes left behind when the owner flies home...

[Smartiepants79]

Dressage is an ancient discipline. Stems from the training of horses to perform in battle.
It requires a very high level of skill from the rider.
It’s not necessarily my favourite sport but can you explain why it is ‘utter shite’?! Any more than any other sport? Just because they make it look easy doesn’t mean it hasn’t required years of dedicated training etc….

[ChiefClerkDrumknott]

Don’t watch it then 🤷🏻‍♀️

It’s pretty much all I’m interested in. People cycling in circles, moving a ball around in various ways or running around a bit is boring. But each to their own.

Our eventing team were magnificent. The dressage was superb. All highly skilled and the horses looked fit, healthy and happy in their jobs. It was a pleasure to watch the GB riders do so well.

Of course it would be a different horse the rider rode than one in the 90s. Are you aware that humans have a longer lifespan than horses?

[Polkadotties]

Stupid post. If you don’t like equestrian events don’t watch them

[Saidtoomuch]

Oh for God's sake. Switch it off if you don't want to watch it or understand it. Its just as valid as any other sport.

[budgun]

Of course it was a different horse in the 90s

[Carthief]

What would you rather see in the olympics?

Sexually abused half starved gymnasts who are permanently stunted due to the training regime since they were 3?

13 year old skate board enthusiasts who fall off every 3 minutes whilst wearing no safety gear?

Testosterone laden athletes running 100m?

People assaulting each other in the name of sport aka “boxing”

Oh wait, you can watch those too.

Of all the events in the Olympics the horses are possibly the least ridiculous and the ones with the greatest welfare standards, it’s not the horses I worry about.

[Dobbyafreeelf]

@BFrazzled

In the Olympics.

Poor horses. This ridiculous dancing in dressage, who the hell thought of that?

There was one winner of the dressage contest who supposedly also won in the nineties. No mention of the horse, guess it was with a different one then

I don't understand your problem @BFrazzled! Riders compete on lots of different horses over the years. A horse in its prime in the 90s wouldn't still be today! There is nothing wrong with that!
It takes huge amounts of skill and dedication by both horse and rider to achieve those dressage moves. They are movements that the horses do naturally but are refined and perfected by the rider.
The horses are treated very well. Huge amounts of time, energy and resources go into keeping them well and happy. Flying them round the world to competitions is normal for them and is arguably less stressful for them than being driven on a lorry! They are most certainly not poor horses!

[Regularchoice]

I'd rather watch the horses than the gymnastics. Each to their own.

[CrotchetyQuaver]

Lots of other sports I don't really get or like watching much such as golf or wrestling, but the skill, dedication and years of practice (not to mention the financial cost) to get to the Olympics as an equestrian cannot be underestimated. Then there's the horses, who are equally as talented and brave.
You should get on a horse and try yourself, it really is very difficult, not least because the horses have minds of their own, you don't just push a few buttons to get them to make the correct move. Those Olympic horses whatever the discipline l are outstanding athletes in their own right with a value of hundreds of thousands of pounds each.

[DaphneDeloresMoorhead]

Actually equestrian events appeared in the original Olympic Games of Ancient Greece along with running, combat, discus, long jump and pentathlon.
Maybe we should chuck out the rowing/hockey/insert alternative sport instead.

[Ylvamoon]

Most top competition horses have their own grooms that travels with them. They are far from "left behind".

[Cherrysoup]

Yet another thread about this? Don’t bloody watch it, then! Christ!

[pinkcircustop]

“Poor horses”? Whatever next 😂

If you don’t like it, don’t watch it. Problem solved.

[LtDansleg]

@Carthief

What would you rather see in the olympics?

Sexually abused half starved gymnasts who are permanently stunted due to the training regime since they were 3?

13 year old skate board enthusiasts who fall off every 3 minutes whilst wearing no safety gear?

Testosterone laden athletes running 100m?

People assaulting each other in the name of sport aka “boxing”

Oh wait, you can watch those too.

Of all the events in the Olympics the horses are possibly the least ridiculous and the ones with the greatest welfare standards, it’s not the horses I worry about.

I haven’t been able to watch the Olympics since the baby camps were exposed in China a couple of decades ago.
*MNHQ redacted disturbing imagery*

[Hollyhocksarenotmessy]

I think the music is a double edged sword.

It has made dressage more entertaining, as otherwise it can be a slightly dull technical sport. For the non-horsey I'd compare it to figure skating.

But then the music creates an illusion of dancing, which it isn't really. I think some people imagine horses having to memorise dance routines and odd tricks, which they don't.

Dressage, in the sense of training and the various movements, is hundreds of years old.

[DroopyClematis]

Isn't the Olympics about a human's prowess, not a horse's?
Not a fan of using any animal for sport as it involves coercion.
Just wrong.

[XelaM]

Why don’t you try it to see how easy it is to make a horse “dance”

Equestrian sports have centuries worth of history unlike some ridiculous skateboarding/surfing/cycling in a circle events

[powershowerforanhour]

This ridiculous dancing in dressage, who the hell thought of that?

Xenophon is considered to have laid the foundations of dressage in his treatise on horsemanship written in about 355 B.C., although it references earlier works which did not survive. ¹

[XelaM]

@DroopyClematis Are you seriously suggesting the horses train themselves?

[Kittii]

The horses are treated much better than the human athletes. And they love their jobs. If you watch the cross-country, for example, the horses are so eager to gallop and jump. Just because you don't understand something doesn't make it ridiculous.