Kauto Star

[Bonkey]

Sooo...have you seen the footage?

Link

I know I'm not the only one that will have flinched whilst watching :(

[Ebb]

I haven't watched it yet but my fb feed was full of people who were shocked and said the horse looked doped.

[frostyfingers]

I think all the fuss is a bit of an over reaction tbh. Laura explains quite clearly that she'd got it wrong and worked him in too much to avoid him lighting up and he got "stage fright".

He looks fantastic, and actually I think what he's doing is much better than being thrown out in a field to pootle away the rest of his life.

[Booboostoo]

To me it looks like the atmosphere got to him and he shut down. Stress doesn't make every horse flighty, some just freeze. I have a horse which does similar, he will block himself and get stuck in walk, sometimes even in halt and if pushed will reverse at great speed.

[Bonkey]

Either way, whether he was doped/over doped , stressed, over worked etc - would it not have been kinder to him and her reputation to gracefully pull up?

It could easily have been explained better than what crap she is probably having to deal with today.....animals are unpredictable - most people are happy to accept that and would have applauded her judgement .I imagine and she could have come out of it all alot better than she has.

And I still believe that no matter what the horse is doing...jabbing them in the mouths is out of order! Its not going to help anything at all! :(

[Incapinka]

Poor girl. I really felt for her. At the end of the day the horse's owner wants her to have him and 99% of the time he seems to be happy. Olympia has a very different atmosphere and if you have seen one of the demos at Barbury or a racecourse he looks a different horse. Yes she should have given up but she isn't very old and hindsight is a wonderful thing.

[bonzo77]

Horrible to watch. Booting him in the ribs, grabbing at his mouth. Either the horse goes as requested when asked properly, or you accept that one or both of you are not up to the job, either today or ever, and bow out. There is no way I'd get away with riding like that.

[Floralnomad]

She should have stopped , poor horse can't have known what he was supposed to be doing with the way she was carrying on .

[Goingintohibernation]

Its certainly not nice to watch. I feel for her though. I'm sure she is kicking herself now wishing she had just stopped.

[horseygeorgie]

I have worked with top level horses for 12 years and I know a doped horse when I see one!

But then I can understand why, he may not be the easiest ride and she will be under pressure with him to do well and maybe thought it would take the edge off. After all she wasn't actually competing. Unfortunately It hit him like a ton of bricks. She really should have taken him out, like my mum observed 'it's heartbreaking seeing such a fantastic horse like that'. Plus to be fair she is known in the circuit as being a good, quiet rider and she completely trashed that in the footage.
Rather her than me, I've never fancied riding something that out of it!

[mrslaughan]

It defiantly does not show her riding in a good light - hand seat legs constantly thrashing about - with him showing no reaction.

But then none of us are perfect and hindsight is always 20/20

[EnlightenedOwl]

The greatest chaser of recent times and this is what he is relegated to. Devastating to watch

[gailforce1]

What a contrast to see Kauto's old stable mate Denman clearly enjoying his retirement. What a pity they could not have spent their retirement together.

[Butkin]

In hindsight taking him to Olympia was a mistake but I've seen him doing low level dressage before and he's perfectly fine. I'm sure that Laura does loads of other things with him as well. Remember she is an eventer, not a pure dressage person. It was a chance to showcase retrained racehorses which backfired. Let's move on..

[Stillyummy]

Anyone got a link to this? I want to see and be outraged, or not.

[bonzo77]

about a minute in here

[Stillyummy]

Oh my goodness. I would be mortified if anyone saw me pony club kick and use my hands like a conductor! Poor horse must have been confused and must have a good nature not to buck her off. It is a shame after the start, she should have got off and kept her dignaty.