To think that equestrian events are ridiculous

It would be a bloody impressive horse to still be going after thirty years given the average lifespan of a warmblood is about 25.

I love that Q-horse video.

I have loved it and as others have said you are quite ignorant in what you are saying.
I had the please of riding a retired top dressage horse for my lessons for a short period of time, she was amazing. It was like floating on air. I had never ridden such an educated horse as the rest of the time I was riding young horses and breaking in youngsters. Previous to that I rode difficult horses including my own. Believe me those horses love what they are doing. Yes they are trained but they also love it as they wouldn’t get a horse to that standard otherwise. You do realise they are doing that for years and other competitions in other countries including their own.
As for the rider competing in the 90’s as the above poster says of course it is a different horse as it is unlikely to be alive. Our darling pony lived till 30 but believe me that is quite unusual for most horses and ponies.

I have been able to watch a lot of the Olympics this year and DH and I have really enjoyed it. If you don’t like turn over and watch something else or do something else.

I am not at all horsey but I have loved the dressage, eventing and show jumping at the Olympics, and not just this Olympics.

The close relationship between the horses and the riders is clear to see. They are absolutely a team and the horses are extremely well cared for.

This thread has been informative around the origins and purpose of dressage despite OP's ignorance and stupidity. Thank you to those who have explained it.

OP, don't watch it if you don't like it. No need at all though to show yourself up by making ridiculous and uneducated posts about it.

As for your comments on the 62 year old rider who also competed in Olympics in the early 1990s, words fail me regarding how ridiculous you are being. The horse that he rode in the 1990s would be well into it's late 30s if still alive (just about possible, but unlikely due simply to old age). So of course it is a different horse. It couldn't possibly be the same one and there's nothing untoward or sinister about that.

If you don't like equestrian events then nobody is forcing you to watch. Doesn't your TV have an off button?

You're so ignorant. I can't even be bothered to try and explain the nuances of dressage to you.

I must say though, the media's portrayal of 'dancing horses' has done nothing for the sports reputation among the wider public, who honestly believe that these horses perform intricate movements all on their own whilst the rider just sits there

Charlotte Dujardin also make a mistake with the title of her book IMO 'the girl on the dancing horse'. That really didn't help.

Its just a way for the toffs to pretend they are athletes

Most Olympic sports are a bit ridiculous when you distill it down - there are many events where grown ups literally run around in circles.

Lol this. Best not to overthink the Olympics otherwise you'll realise people get accolades for swinging metal balls around and jumping over sticks

MNMN

[quote GameofPhones]There is something similar done with dogs. The dogs appear to enjoy it, though I was disappointed to learn that dogs don't hear music in the same way that we do. In this clip you can (just) hear the handler giving commands

As far as a dog is concerned a specific dance move can be sign languge - so all you have to do is pair a human dance move with a dog trick. For instance, the dog could learn that a human doing a forward shimmy is their sign language command to walk backwards, or doing a 'lasso' type movement is their command to spin on the spot.

When you get to Crufts standard stuff, the sign language is more subtle, and sometimes the dog has learned to do a sequence of movements in response to one signal (e.g. spin twice then sit) but that's fundamentally what's going on

TBH outside of attracting the dog's attention, I find that voice commands are relatively superfluous even though I speak to him in full sentences

I think you should phone 999 immediately if someone is holding a gun to your head and forcing you to watch it.

Astounding ignorance of equestrianism.

Do you know anything about horses OP?

Most Olympic sports are a bit ridiculous when you distill it down - there are many events where grown ups literally run around in circles.

No sport outside equestrianism, however, has 'equipment' that has a mind of its own. You don't see BMXers having to persuade their bike to do a jump, or shoes refusing to be worn. It adds another layer of complexity.

The horses ought to get a bit more recognition though!

m.youtube.com/watch?v=cReoBXA-Jm4

This horse has some good lateral moves!

The thing is, they're not tricks. As in me teaching the cat to give me his paw is a trick because he wouldn't naturally do it
The movements in dressage are movements that horses naturally do, even when they haven't been "taught"
So it's harnessing that movement and teaching that a specific aid equals that movement

It's incredibly skilled but people don't see it because the skill is making it look like you are sitting doing nothing. There's a million things going through your head (you have to remember the test for one!), your stomach muscles are screaming, and the slightest wrong move of your weight and your horse will respond. It is years and years of work

So not only do you have to have a skilled and fit rider, you have to have a skilled and fit horse AND they have to be a perfect partnership

Well nobody is forcing you to watch them OP.

Personally I think they are great, I mean I couldn't get up on a horse and hold on as it galloped about and jumped over things...I'd be in a and e!! And it clearly takes stamina and muscle. Those athletes look knackered afterwards.

I'm not a fan of the shooting, I mean it's a skill I'll give them that, but doesn't really scream "sport" at me, bit like darts. So guess what....I don't watch it.

I love the artistic swimming, loads of people mock it, but I think it's amazing.

There is something similar done with dogs. The dogs appear to enjoy it, though I was disappointed to learn that dogs don't hear music in the same way that we do. In this clip you can (just) hear the handler giving commands

[quote XelaM]@Carthief Let's not pretend that Russian athletes were the only one doping! Plus they are now all tested a lot more vigorously than some of those swimmers and track and field athletes[/quote]
I don’t think this quite makes the statement you think it makes….

Just because it wasn’t only the Russians…does it make it any better?

You don't have to watch, I don't watch things I don't like.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=wI094Rs1AR4

Can somebody explain to me how this horse is being coerced?

@Carthief Let's not pretend that Russian athletes were the only one doping! Plus they are now all tested a lot more vigorously than some of those swimmers and track and field athletes

I love the fact that the horse whose official name is London 52 is actually called Dan

I do think they should put the horses' names on screen alongside the medallists' names though

Animals shouldn't be used for entertainment.

Haha the horses getting left behind, do you k know how EXPENSIVE those things are? Hundreds of thousands sometimes, no one is dumping them!

They also get flown earlier and worked softly often to acclimatise.

My favourite fact that makes me smile is the main airline used is “Air Horse One”.

Just to clarify the horse and rider that won, won in the 90% not the year!
Dressage is out off 100%

I love dressage, but I can't spend hours watching the same test over and over.

Please see Carl Hester and Charlotte's Instagram for the treatment of their horses, some riders are not great at allowing the horse to be a horse but our GB riders are fab!

A horse of dressage breeding will naturally show the high level movements when they play, the skill in dressage is gentle communication to get them to do it on command.
There is no better feeling as a rider when you manage to get your horse into self carriage, feels like you are floating!

Trust me, most horses will only perform if they are 100% happy too, sadly there are also saints of horses that put up with a lot from their riders and sadly this has been seen in this competition.