To think horses do not belong in the Olympics

[StunningCunt]

They've got this horse prancing sideways with a toff in a top hat on the top, and they are devoting hours of TV coverage because we might get a gold medal in this nonsense?

Why don't they just have a dog show there and be done with it?

Competitive sheep herding?

Motor racing?

noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Oh no

Fingers crossed for the Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle tomorrow...

DSis is at that

Bugger.

Am mildly, if irrationally peeved, that Cian O'Connor gets a medal when he didn't technically qualify for the individual, didn't jump yesterday and is therefore on a comparatively fresh horse.

Oh no! Poor Nick, But he's still amazing, And so gracious about it. I want to give him a hug.

I was impressed that both Clare and Nick got through that interview so professionally. But if horses teach you anything I guess they teach you to be philosophical and patient.

Fireandashes
But none of them jumped yesterday... it was the dressage.
They all jumped on Monday, including Cian O'Connor - although, as you point out he was reserve for the individual rather than qualifying outright, and his horse didn't have to do so many round on Monday.

And his round in the jump off for silver was inspired! Such a shame he flattened over the last in his efforts to beat the time. I was really sad for Nick Skelton 'though. He gave it everything, and he is such a nice competitor... (Shudders at the memory of being collecting ring steward with the Smiths jumping.....only at a local show, before anyone imagines I stewarded at the HoY)

LOL at the Smiths, they were v scary!!

Was GUTTED for Nick :( poor guy, but he and his team have done us proud in this competetion. That course was EVIL and it was just so much bad luck, one fence down and the rest of the round fautless and in the time.

They should be proud of themselves, as i am of them

This thread is hilarious! Some people really are incredibly naive and ignorant.

But that aside I guess it really is horse's for courses!

What makes you think I have never ridden? Not at a high level but as a child I had riding lessons for several years.
To put it into perspective can I quote Olga Korbut,who after retiring from gymnastics became a nationally ranked equestrienne described dressage as 'very piece of cake'

Funny she didn't do better at it if it was so easy

I have looked, but can't find any reference to Olga Korbut riding horses, competitively or otherwise... could you give me a reference for the quote?

I heard that! She and matt baker (?) were talking about it on the gymnastics coverage yesterday.

I heard about that too. As has been said, if it is so easy why is she not riding at the Olympics?

Or riding anywhere at all? Google as no record of her amazing dressage results

I find swimming "very piece of cake", but then me and Michael Phelps probably define swimming a little differently

To be fair Olga has said that about pretty much every sport going in the past week

By the same token I suppose you could ask why Nick Skelton isn't up there doing a Yurchenko triple twist

Sancerreity You don't need to tell us you've never competed at high levels, the fact that you think "several years" of lessons on fat riding school plods no doubt is even comparable to riding a competition fit horse shows it.

Meet Phoebe Buckley, rising eventing star and Romany Gypsy, whose parents live in a caravan and frankly have sod all.

Her best horse cost her just £200, but her most famous ride was Little Tiger, (most riders do not own their own horses but ride them for their real owners, much like jockeys do in horse-racing) - a horse that cost just £1500.

www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/jan/01/phoebe-buckley-show-jumping-horses

Just a thought!

In a way it's actually a compliment because the better the rider the less they look like they're doing anything!

It's taken me many years (having several restarts due to kids!) to get my mare to the level she is at now (elementary/medium) and several years of training at college which involved me working out at the gym at least 3 times a week!

We equestrians also live in a world that would make even the bitchiest of mumsnet threads look like The Beano!

We also compete at jumping when we can (although I'm not BSJA any more as I just don't have the time!) and we generally get placed in classes of 1.10. The only times we've had issues with either dressage or jumping is when I have not been riding fit.

These aren't classes and levels that are anything like what goes on at the Olympics but everyone who does compete at these levels is fit and needs to maintain it if they want to have any kind of success.

I don't think it's comparable I was just replying to the poster who said I'd never even been on a horse.

Donkeys dont count......... :)

If you anti-actual sports want to take a pop at useless 'athletes' have a pop at footballers.

I know, I know, it's the daily fail, but tell me they don't have a point (for once)

footballers - tuh
I mean, when was the last time a football team actually tried to win anything?

And Dolomite, I'm sorry about your horse, so sad, Catsgirl, I'm sorry about yours too. :( xx