Dressage

[unsureofneighbour]

Anyone else watching?

It always amazes me how incredible these horses and riders are. I wonder if they all started riding numb ponies as kids and had to flap their legs to get them to move like the rest of us

@Beetlebrooker

This has sent me down a dressage rabbit hole online. I used to work as a dressage groom, not directly for but at the same yard as two international dressage riders, one of whom trained a current Olympian at Young Rider level and apparently now - or previously? - a head coach for the para-team.

Both brilliant riders and trainers, sadly I found one of them "not very nice".

But I did enjoy looking at the amazing photos of the old horses I occasionally sat on for a stroll.

Spill???!!! Initials will do!

Yes I wanted to ask too!!

Oooooh

I will say that the incident I witnessed (horse in training) only happened once and was presumably a regrettable and one-off loss of temper probably traumatised the horse for life. I just never saw the person the same way again. And I once got bollocking for patting a horse too loudly...

Nope, I daren't because they are both still active - I'll PM you so it isn't public!

Thank you for that very useful link @FlemishHorse

There is definitely a lot of cruelty in equestrian sports. If some people on here knew what goes on, they'd be horrified. People find ways to abuse animals that are unthinkable. The showing world, for instance, is riddled with cruelty. However, there are many more people who dedicate their lives to giving their animals the best possible life. Carl and Charlotte are fantastic examples of this.

@Naaaaah

There is definitely a lot of cruelty in equestrian sports. If some people on here knew what goes on, they'd be horrified. People find ways to abuse animals that are unthinkable. The showing world, for instance, is riddled with cruelty. However, there are many more people who dedicate their lives to giving their animals the best possible life. Carl and Charlotte are fantastic examples of this.

I've been in equestrian sports at some level all my life and in the last 20 years I haven't seen any cruelty. Even British Eventing have an excessive use of the whip rule. Tack and gadgets are policed and banned if necessary by all the affiliated organisations. Of course there are individual rotters and many welfare cases, but to suggest it is some how widespread and kept quiet is just not true

Yes I agree and was about to post the very same thing Bryonyshcmyony. I don't know anything about showing or show-jumping (except at very, very local village show level) but I think it is more than fair to say that horse welfare in the major disciplines has massively improved over the past two decades and the rules of the governing bodies who run affiliated competitions reflect that.

My own personal (please note personal!) opinion is that the only cruelty I see these days is overweight riders riding horses with no shoes on and then, when they inevitably go lame, feeding them turmeric instead of paying for a good vet!

Bryony, you're conflating a few issues there. Overweight riders is a definite welfare issue and one that causes very robust arguments within the equestrian community. In and of itself though, it has no bearing on the health of the hoof. Barefoot, done correctly, is fantastic. Shoeing can cause many issues and remedial shoeing is a contentious issue in its own right. All these subjects are complex and hotly debated.

Alan, Carl's head groom and I were really good friends at school. He started off volunteering with RDA and has done so incredibly well. I burst with pride when I see him.

@Lepetitpiggy

Alan, Carl's head groom and I were really good friends at school. He started off volunteering with RDA and has done so incredibly well. I burst with pride when I see him.

He always seems such a cool bloke! You must feel proud!

He's just lovely. Funny and charming and so kind. I really am!! We went to drama classes together and 'hung out' at discos!! I got back in touch with him about six years ago, not really realising how incredibly well known and respected he is and it was just like we were 15 again!

That’s lovely Lepetitpiggy.

Anyone going to watch the eventing? I’m staying up for Oliver’s dressage tonight.

@Honeyroar

That’s lovely Lepetitpiggy.

Anyone going to watch the eventing? I’m staying up for Oliver’s dressage tonight.

Me!

What time is the eventing being shown in the Uk?

@loopylindi

I noticed with some of the routines that the music played for different segments had quite different tempos. Does anyone know how much the horses recognise that to put moves to music?

The judges look for any preempting from the horse. If they are too familiar with anything they'll go a fraction too soon before the aid and will be picked up. This is why they need to train the horse to listen and respond to the rider not to just learn a routine over and over

@Thekormachameleon

What time is the eventing being shown in the Uk?

Oliver T is on at about 0030 tonight, Laura Collett is on about 0930 and Tom Mc is on tomorrow night/sat morning at about 0130