To think that equestrian events are ridiculous

[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

Maybe someone could loan the OP a horse - just a normal average horse - so that she can try and get the horse to do ‘dancing’, but definitely without those lethal, awful spurs. Then perhaps a round of solid cross country fences - they are about 1.2 metres high, and can be 1.8 metres wide - over a distance of 4.5km. Although better make sure it’s a bitless bridle - and NO KICKING the horse. And then to finish off, some show jumps at 1.6 - 1.8 metres high.
Following this, the OP should really be involved in some further torture of the horse via grooming throughly, icing and bandaging legs - possibly some equine massage or hydrotherapy. Then finding the right rugs for the current temperature, and ensuring that the poor creature is fed the correct ratio of hard food, supplements and hay. After that, she will need to give all the tack a thorough clean, make sure that everything else is washed, dried and checked over for safety and comfort so that it can be put back on the victim at a later date. The fields will still need to be poo picked, fences checked and if the stable hasn’t yet been mucked out, that needs doing too… in winter, she had better come back to see how cruelly they horse is treated when the owner spends time defrosting water troughs in the fields, as well as pushing wheelbarrow loads and of hay across muddy fields. The horse will be further tortured by having the mud washed off it to prevent mud fever.
If anyone has a horse they can provide to the OP, can they please video it and post on here?!?

Training a horse to Grand Prix level requires years of patience and building of trust between horse and rider, it is a partnership. Very few riders have the skill and dedication to reach that level . Of course the horse is as important as the rider and most dressage enthusiasts know the horses at least as well as the rider . Some are so superb, they attain almost mythical status .
As for the music , they are trained to do the various movements at specific places in the music , and they certainly do respond naturally to changes in the rhythm . A horse will only perform like that if it has complete trust and understanding with its rider.
I cannot understand why golf and tennis, for example, with hugely prestigious and monetarily rewarding competitions already(masters golf, Wimbledon tennis) are in the Olympics .Seems totally spurious , and I don’t watch it , and don’t like the constant doping in many other sports, either.

Each to their own and watch what you find interesting

@Standard

Why doesn’t the horse get a medal instead/as well as the rider?

If you were to attend any equestrian event in the UK, you would see that they do. They get a rosette on their bridle and a lap of honour. And believe me, they know it means they have won. Then of course there's praise and treats and affection.

Agreed - the horses are doing all the work while some lazy posho in fancy dress sits on their arse - not really a "sport" is it

Someone has their goady pants pulled up nice and high.

Maybe read the thread? Lots of people explaining how physically hard riding is. Also lots of people sharing their backgrounds and de-bunking the rather ignorant view that you must be ‘posh’ (whatever that is) if you ride.

Finally, anyone involved in any way with horses will tell you that equestrians are probably the least ‘lazy’ group of people ever - horses are hard work.

Why doesn’t the horse get a medal instead/as well as the rider?

I suspect a lifetime’s supply of polo mints on demand would suffice

@VaggieMight

I don't see the problem. The horses are beautiful and I assume well cared for. I was wondering how they are transported though. But if they were at all stressed I don't think they could perform as they do. They seem to trust the rider.

They are transported in luxurious, air conditioned horse boxes (speciality kitted out lorries) and on aircrafts - again with air conditioning. The stables at their destinations are also the best and air conditioned.

Sweeping generalisations! Try and understand the skill involved to do this sport. I love it.I didn’t really understand why anyone would fo a marathon swim but for those who do it, fabulous- am full of admiration for the dedication and fitness it takes

@FanFckingTastic

Agreed - the horses are doing all the work while some lazy posho in fancy dress sits on their arse - not really a "sport" is it

Someone has their goady pants pulled up nice and high.

Maybe read the thread? Lots of people explaining how physically hard riding is. Also lots of people sharing their backgrounds and de-bunking the rather ignorant view that you must be ‘posh’ (whatever that is) if you ride.

Finally, anyone involved in any way with horses will tell you that equestrians are probably the least ‘lazy’ group of people ever - horses are hard work.

I remember my teens well. Up at 6, bike to the yard, muck out, groom, feed, bike back home, shower, change, walk 30 mins to school.

God I was skinnnnny!

Do the posters saying ‘give the horse a medal’ imagine the horse would actually gain anything from that…?

What the horses want, and get in abundance, is good quality food, comfortable stalls, grooming, time to graze and chill in the field, interesting training, and strong relationships with those who care for them.

You only have to listen to the commentary to know just how much appreciation is shown to these horses. Anyone who is a fan of equestrian sports knows the horses as well as the riders, if not better. When Ben Maher won the showjumping earlier the commentator cried because he loves Explosion W so much and was overcome to see him win. Charlotte Dujardin’s previous Olympic horse Vallegro has a fan club of thousands. He is now retired and living the life of Riley, and people still flock to see him in droves if he ever does demonstrations etc.

Just because you’ve turned the tv to an equestrian sport for the first time in your life and fallen victim to A Thought™️ about how the horses are unacknowledged or under-appreciated doesn’t actually mean you’re right, and creating a thread claiming that your ignorant hot take is going to lead people to start thinking critically about a sport they’re much more knowledgeable about than you is, in fact, laughable.

If you were to attend any equestrian event in the UK, you would see that they do. They get a rosette on their bridle and a lap of honour. And believe me, they know it means they have won. Then of course there's praise and treats and affection.

At that level they get a big sash round their neck too sometimes even a sash of flowers, and a rug with big letters noting their achievement. More actually than the riders and bigger/better too

Not into horses..but love dressage.If you dont like it..don't watch it.."utter shite".what a intelligent comment.....

The whole thing is madness ,if all the money and effort was put into
fixing worldwide food production
Imagine the difference that could be
made, all those motivated people coming together to make something
that really matters happen.
WE SHOULD be fostering cooperation between nations not competition

Well, all sport is fundamentally ridiculous from a utilitarian point of view, not just dressage. Why compete to run 100 metres fastest when a horse/bicycle/car is far faster? Why not drop the little ball into the little hole if you want it there so badly, rather than whacking it with a club?

I personally have no interest in elitist sports like equestrian events. Same with sailing. Bunch of rich people doing rich people stuff
LOL.

The sailing club that I know the best is incredibly socially mixed. Ditto the riding stable with which I am most familiar.

I watch every sport being shown, (except golf, just tell me who won, cos I just don't get it)
I'm proudly an armchair expert on all of the sports being shown (except golf). I think these people are amazing, to put all of that time, effort and dedication into training deserves our admiration.
The dressage is amazing, imagine being able to ask a horse to do something at the exact moment so as to be in time with the music and the horse does it..mind blowing..I've ridden a couple of times and watched loads on the telly so I'm obviously an expert...I'm gonna say if the horse didn't want to do it..it's just not gonna do it!
Anyway...back to cheering on the weightlifter from Georgia, he just broke the Olympic and World records dontchya know

@BlithePilgrim
Why not drop the little ball into the little hole if you want it there so badly, rather than whacking it with a club? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I don't care for sailing, rowing or any other of the water sports. Not big on table tennis, beach volleyball and an awful lot of other sports. I don't watch them. It's not even something I'd give a shit enough about to even think of suggesting it's not a worthwhile sport it's just not for me.

I'm also a lifelong horse lover and former competitive rider but dressage was never and still isn't my thing at all but there's no mistaking it's an incredibly disciplined skill.

I haven’t been on a horse since childhood, but I adore watching dressage and cross-country, the same way as I love the non-horse-related stuff that almost never makes it onto tv other than during the Olympics, like gymnastics, triathlon, synchronised swimming, diving, modern pentathlon, and within athletics things like hurdles, pole vaulting, long and high jump, discus etc.

This year the new sport climbing was fascinating, especially the speed climbing where they looked almost as if they were swimming up the wall.

@BlithePilgrim

I haven’t been on a horse since childhood, but I adore watching dressage and cross-country, the same way as I love the non-horse-related stuff that almost never makes it onto tv other than during the Olympics, like gymnastics, triathlon, synchronised swimming, diving, modern pentathlon, and within athletics things like hurdles, pole vaulting, long and high jump, discus etc.

This year the new sport climbing was fascinating, especially the speed climbing where they looked almost as if they were swimming up the wall.

If you haven't already seen it, you'll love ladder climbing.

[quote lizbethb37]@BlithePilgrim
Why not drop the little ball into the little hole if you want it there so badly, rather than whacking it with a club? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣[/quote]
I’m with @BitterestPill on golf. (It might just be the kind of almost-extinct wazzock who plays it socially and bags on about ‘lady members’ and ‘the 19th hole’. Or just the stupid clothes, though the plus fours, loud jumpers and a single glove in the ass pocket seem to be dying out, too.)

I have never seen that @PinniGig. My mind is blown.

It's intense AF I love it.

Agree

@GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman

I personally have no interest in elitist sports like equestrian events. Same with sailing. Bunch of rich people doing rich people stuff LOL.

The sailing club that I know the best is incredibly socially mixed. Ditto the riding stable with which I am most familiar.

Socially mixed? Are you having a laugh? How many kids from council estates do you think can afford riding and sailing lessons ?

How many kids from council estates do you think can afford riding and sailing lessons ?

Any of the ones willing to take the working student path, for riding. It's not easy to shovel poo in exchange for lessons but there are many, many yards with opportunities for those willing to take them, if a kid really wants to ride.

I wasn't from a council estate but I was an utterly broke student when I started riding, and I earned my lessons by working at the yard.