Dressage? Please explain.

[Fordian]

I don't get it (obviously). But surely the horse has been well trained, and just does it's thang, presumably well, with someone sitting on it.

Are you saying that the horse would do the dance just as well without the rider on top?

Uhm. So I don’t understand horses. But - are you labouring under the impression that the horse would come and pirouette, tap, zigzag and do a variety of fine movements of its own fucking accord, if you put on a mix tape for it?

I thought that. It's the horse that should win the medal. Not the person sitting on it surely?!

Yes the rider is just there for decoration

Hahaha this is priceless

@NavigationCentral

Uhm. So I don’t understand horses. But - are you labouring under the impression that the horse would come and pirouette, tap, zigzag and do a variety of fine movements of its own fucking accord, if you put on a mix tape for it?

🤣

The horse does its thang because the riders legs, hands and seat (backside) tell it to afyrt having been trained for many years by said rider

Why would you think that? Even without knowing anything about horses, can you not see that the riders are actually moving a bit? I have ridden all my life and am a decent rider and yet if I got on one of those horses, I'd be off within seconds. They are such hot, sensitive, finely tuned animals and the riders are skilled beyond all measure. They have extraordinary balance, timing, coordination, core stability, fitness etc. They look like they're not doing much but I can assure you they absolutely are.

Dressage is extremely difficult to perform well.

@NavigationCentral that gave me a laugh...

I now have visions of the horses dancing across fields
Seriously though do people not think the horses are highly trained to do this with a rider on top, need to be 'told' when etc

Despite the rider seemingly sitting on top (which shows how good they are) they are actually giving signals, instructing the horse via minimal movement and aids...

I am actually only asking a question!

I have already apparently stuck a stick into a wasps' nest! 😳

I have competed to national level in a different equestrian sport.

The less the rider looks like she or he is doing, the more talented and skilled they are.

Copying my post off another thread

Basically the horse and rider have to do specific movements in a specific pace at a specific marker so as a really easy example, enter in trot down the centre line (the arena has letters, movements are done at or between letters)

The difficulty is basically making it look as easy and as effortless as possible, it should be fluent and horse and rider as one, as if they are dancing I guess! The aim is to make it look as though you are doing nothing while using your hands, seat, weight, legs...

The work to train the horses to do the movements from the riders command is insane. Years and years of training, it's a perfectionist sport. Plus the riders have to be incredibly fit with core strength.

Hahaha, you've never "sat on" a horse, have you?

There's very little sitting involved. The fact you can't see the riders aids is due to decades of experience and skill at the highest level.

Horses have a mind of their own and while the moves are exaggerated versions of what they might do in a field when excited etc, they certainly have to be trained and ridden well. Also a novice rider wouldn't be able to get the well trained horse to do any of the moves as their hands, legs and seat movements would not be subtle enough and the horse would be so tense and confused. I think it's a shame when people ask a question about a sport and then get slammed for not knowing. The Olympics is a great time to see things which the media judges as minority sports.

horseymum thanks for recognising why I might not 'get it'!

@Fordian

I am actually only asking a question!

I have already apparently stuck a stick into a wasps' nest! 😳

Well come on now, did you really need to ask? Could you maybe have spent 5 seconds thinking about it and come up with the answer?

I am laughing at the aggressive patronisation I'm getting!

I rode daily as a kid. I could get my reasonably ok pony to do shoulder in, flying changes (only one, not a sequence) etc whilst working on a correct outline.

My friend was an Olympic dressage groom. Her stupendously expensive dressage horse I really struggled with as I couldn't ride sufficiently long and was not refined enough for him!!

It's a tremendously skilful sport

We use dressage training as ground work. Its the basis for anything in either the riden or driven (competition carriage) work. In a 3 day event it is vital as shows that your horse is well trained, extremely fit, listens and is flexible. Dressage shows off paces - collected trot and extended trot show control and balance which is essential. Imagine showjumping or cross country without balance, bending or a control in paces - either lengthening, shortening, quickening or slowing. The horse must be able to move backwards, forwards, side ways and halt with just a twitch of the riders backside. You won't even see the rider asking the horse to perform, the directions are so subtle. The ground work, which is the very basic form of dressage, gets you out of so many dangerous or difficult situations. I miss it.

But really OP? Did you really think the horse would just dance by itself when the music starts?

@NavigationCentral

Uhm. So I don’t understand horses. But - are you labouring under the impression that the horse would come and pirouette, tap, zigzag and do a variety of fine movements of its own fucking accord, if you put on a mix tape for it?

Brilliant

When was the list time you saw a horse shimmying across a field sans rider?!

I love that I've seen more questions about dressage the last couple of days than ever before. The eventing is also good to watch as it combines show jumping, cross country ( fixed jumps) and dressage. We also have really strong medal prospects in the paradressage. Ask any other questions, it's ( obviously) one of my favourite sports to watch!

I'm howling at the mental image of horses boogie-ing on down to a mix tape :D
(But I had no idea either OP..you are not alone!!)