Am I the only one? Spanish riding school.

C

CanterTrot

Active Member
Joined
23 June 2012
Messages
30
Location
Cottingham
Visit site
Loved Carl Hester and Lee Pearson today opening for the SRS in Sheffield.
However, it went downhill from there...
The horses are amazing for what they have to put up with -
Am I really the only one that thinks it's disgusting to see the horse's being whipped to make them do their tricks? Personally, I thought the SRS stood for horsemanship, trust, bonding, elegance, etc etc?! I didn't think anything of it until they made the horse's jump in the air (which i was very excited to see) and all I could hear was the smack of the whips hitting the horses. I was possibly the only person not clapping tonight.
 
Love Carl Hester too, but I have no respect for Lee Pearson , not a kind rider at all. The SRS has gone hill in my opinion since it started letting riders get away with using rolkur and other methods that are not classical at all just cruel.
 
I believe the SRS got part of their state/arts funding cut coupled with an overhaul of business strategy. Hence the increased number of tours etc.
They are by far the most high profile and accessible due to that touring though. That would also have a knock on effect on the health of horses (long distance road touring is hard on them) and their working life. It might be that the "prima ballerina" horses are younger than previously/ slightly less established in their training. Regrettable all round.

The portugese riding school has always impressed me, though it doesn't have the cachet. Or necessarily the big moments to impress non-horsey types.
 
I've never seen them so can't comment but I always feel uncomfortable about the way the horses are kept. It seems they are kept inside the vast majority of the time and rarely breathe fresh air.

As beautiful as the stables etc are, it doesn't sit quite right with me.
 
I've seen them many times in the past, and fairly recently, and never seen anything I find particularly distasteful. Lee Pearson on the other hand... Ghastly rider.

southerncomfort said:
I've never seen them so can't comment but I always feel uncomfortable about the way the horses are kept. It seems they are kept inside the vast majority of the time and rarely breathe fresh air.

As beautiful as the stables etc are, it doesn't sit quite right with me.
Click to expand...

There's loads of turnout at Piber. The youngstock and mares spend most of their lives out. The working horses less so by virtue of the fact they're often on tour, but I believe they have dedicated time off in the field too.
 
bakewell said:
The portugese riding school has always impressed me, though it doesn't have the cachet. Or necessarily the big moments to impress non-horsey types.
Click to expand...

me too and I've been lucky enough to watch them schooling privately in Queluz. They've also suffered massive funding difficulties and all their riders are amateur (i.e. have to work for a living as well as train for hours a day). I would rather watch the Portuguese School long rein than anyone else and its my understanding they only have one horseman there specialising in this (or they did last year).

I don't think its generally possible for a horse to perform the airs without tension, by definition they are difficult and require a high level of athleticism and concentration plus the atmosphere of doing it in an exhibition, pressure of having to earn a living etc. One horse tends to specialise in a particular air and it takes many years for them to become proficient. I do understand some people being uncomfortable with them, I am not sure these days whether I find them relevant.

I also love to see the Cadre Noir, they always look like they are having a ball :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top