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

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

[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

[/quote] Dogs learn commands using sign language really well - because it's completely consistent and doesn't vary with tone / pitch / accent etc. Mine is a fully hearing pet dog but has been taught using a mixture of words and sign - and can do all his commands using sign alone.

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

MNMN

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

@Disneyblue

I'm from an equestrian background and I do have a little chuckle to myself when people describe dressage as 'dancing'. It isn't, but anyway, trying to explain why to anybody non-horsey...

It takes an incredible amount of skill and training to compete on a horse at that level.
The horse isn't born able to do that either. Oh and it isn't cruel, at all. These horses are bred for that exact purpose.

Same, it's so ignorant. Dressage movements are the natural movements horses make in the field on their own or in the wild. They are not "taught to dance." Astounding ignorance

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

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.

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?

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 love that Q-horse video.

@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

🤣

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

Wait, they fly the horses to Japan? Don't they have horses over there? I just assumed the olympics provided the horses.

Why are knocking a sport because its participants can have long careers and enjoy partaking at a high level into their 60s?? How is that not a positive thing?

Of course it different horses to previous Olympics. It's also different bikes for the cuclists, different shoes for the runners etc.

@garlictwist

Wait, they fly the horses to Japan? Don't they have horses over there? I just assumed the olympics provided the horses.

No, it's a partnership built over time.

@a8mint

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

LOL at think Oliver Townend is a toff🤣🤣🤣🤣.

I love it. It’s hilarious. If it’s not dancing horses it really does look like dancing horses.

It's not my cup of tea but my SIL and my two nieces are obsessed with it.

I'd say horse events might be some of the trickiest Olympic sports because you have to control another entity as well as yourself - and a bloody big entity at that. People can be a bit sniffy about equestrian sports but horse riding is a dangerous sport.

I'm not keen on the wrestling or boxing either, so I don't watch them OP.

My issue with dressage (which I love and dabbled in as a young rider) is how inaccessible it is to people without a LOT of money. There's no crowdfunding yourself into the Olympics in dressage - you'd need millions of investment over decades.

But I do love how fit riding can keep you well into your latter years. Whenever people comment disparagingly on the Queen 'sitting on' a horse I want to shake them and ask how many 90-odd year olds they know who could get in to a saddle, let alone safely stay there.

The problem is that so many don't, cant' and won't ever experience or understand horses and riding as they become less and less a part of everyday life - which has obvious everyday implications on the roads, etc.

In terms of utter shite sports, I'd say BMX biking and skateboarding. Who the hell put those in the Olympic games.

Why would they mention the horse? The skill is all the riders. What was it another poster said here on another thread: do you think any horse would just get up and prance around if you put on a mix tape?! 😁

They don't mention the horse as the skill is all the riders.

You can’t get a horse to do much unless they enjoy it, they are powerful animals. The relationship between a horse and a rider is on the whole a loving one you really don’t need to worry.
Regarding the other horse, it was retired.

You want ridiculous? What about the beach volleyball girls in their compulsory skimpy bikini bottoms? Those revealing "panties" have nothing to do with playing in heat and humidity. The Norwegian girls were absolutely right about the sexualising of sport.

So, OP, did you think Carl Hester just hopped off Georgioni after they’d competed at the Barcelona Olympics and just left him there or something? Were you going to go on Twitter and tell him a horse is for life, not just Christmas/the Olympics?

@ChiefClerkDrumknott

Don’t watch it then 🤷🏻‍♀️

It’s pretty much all I’m interested in. People cycling in circles, moving a ball around in various ways or running around a bit is boring. But each to their own.

Our eventing team were magnificent. The dressage was superb. All highly skilled and the horses looked fit, healthy and happy in their jobs. It was a pleasure to watch the GB riders do so well.

Of course it would be a different horse the rider rode than one in the 90s. Are you aware that humans have a longer lifespan than horses?

Absolutely this 💯 from me too!

I think what's often missed about the dressage is that it's not teaching tricks like at the circus. The engagement needed from the horse to perform various exercises correctly takes years of training not in terms of cues though obviously there's that too, but to build the athleticism, strength and conceptual understanding to achieve them. They are as others have said actions performed naturally by horses but to do so consistently as in the dressage arena takes at least six years for a horse, starting from the beginning

The reasons riders get medals is that it's extremely difficult to do this and much more technical than it looks.

As for the eventing - I'd have thought anyone watching the competitors go through dressage, cross country and show jumping can see the skill

Of course the horse plays a huge part but riding is also a huge skill to be accomplished at and worthy of a medal like anything else