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Original poster

To think that equestrian events are ridiculous

936 replies

BFrazzled · 02/08/2021 23:05

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 Hmm

OP posts:
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XelaM · 02/08/2021 23:52

@ Kittii Exactly! Those horses are SO well-cared for and love their job! All the horses looked incredibly fit and healthy and had teams of trainers/vets taking care of them. They are by no means expendable commodities! Riders work with their horses for many many years to achieve that level of riding

bluewanda · 02/08/2021 23:52

No, just that they shouldn’t be trained at all, to perform tricks for humans , to win medals.

I agree. What’s the difference between this and the circus?

Pedalpushers · 02/08/2021 23:50

And no, I can absolutely say that the rider is working far, far harder than the horse.

MiddlesexGirl · 02/08/2021 23:50

I'm not a rider but I'm always fascinated by the dressage. How to get the horse to perform the steps just like that. Amazing.
I don't watch the taekwondo, boxing, wrestling, weightlifting etc. Should the Olympics get rid of those because I don't like them?

Snoopsnoggysnog · 02/08/2021 23:50

I find them a bit ridiculous as well but I accept that I am absolutely not interested in horses or anything to do with them. have been educated by this thread actually on the history of equestrian events.

Pedalpushers · 02/08/2021 23:49

I'm sick of people saying dressage is dancing horses. I studied dressage for 7 years and rode for 16 and I fancy my chances in the 100m sprint better than the olympic dressage. It is RIDICULOUSLY difficult. If they made the same horse compete from one games to the next people would moan about that too. Abolish all events involving animals fine, but don't undermine the utter skill on display.

Clammyclam · 02/08/2021 23:49

I think all sports have their Merits and the equestrian is equally as interesting to watch as the BMX , diving or gymnastics for example.

Adding modern sports (such as surfing and skateboarding) is exciting- I don't think any should be discredited just because they don't appeal to everyone.

I find I watch a plethora of sports I wouldn't usually- isn't that the joy?

I think the beauty of the Olympics is there is likely to be something of interest to everyone (or most people)

XelaM · 02/08/2021 23:48

I prefer watching beautiful healthy horses and amazing riding than women lifting 180Kg. Looks appalling to me

Kittii · 02/08/2021 23:48

It's coercion in the same way as taking your dog for a walk is coercion. 😆

DroopyClematis · 02/08/2021 23:48

[quote XelaM]@DroopyClematis Are you seriously suggesting the horses train themselves?[/quote]
No, just that they shouldn’t be trained at all, to perform tricks for humans , to win medals.

LtDansleg · 02/08/2021 23:45

@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.
No, all humans perform the same moves, it’s how the horses respond
Kittii · 02/08/2021 23:45

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.

XelaM · 02/08/2021 23:45

@DroopyClematis Are you seriously suggesting the horses train themselves?

powershowerforanhour · 02/08/2021 23:44

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 · 02/08/2021 23:43

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

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

DroopyClematis · 02/08/2021 23:43

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.

Hollyhocksarenotmessy · 02/08/2021 23:42

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.

LtDansleg · 02/08/2021 23:41

@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
pinkcircustop · 02/08/2021 23:40

“Poor horses”? Whatever next 😂

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

Cherrysoup · 02/08/2021 23:39

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

Ylvamoon · 02/08/2021 23:39

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

DaphneDeloresMoorhead · 02/08/2021 23:39

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.

CrotchetyQuaver · 02/08/2021 23:39

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.

Regularchoice · 02/08/2021 23:37

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

Dobbyafreeelf · 02/08/2021 23:36

@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 Hmm

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!
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