AP to ride a dressage horse

Spilletta

Spilletta

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Yes I bet he will be great, you imagine him throwing himself 100% into anything he does.

I imagine he will be better than Victoria Pendleton is at flat racing!
 
Clodagh said:
Yes I bet he will be great, you imagine him throwing himself 100% into anything he does.

I imagine he will be better than Victoria Pendleton is at flat racing!
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That is rather an unfair comparison. Send him off to win multiple Olympic and World Championship golds track cycling and see how he'd get on!! There's plenty of other amateur jockeys (some with serious racing credentials in terms of family) out there on higher caliber horses pointing that are embarrassing to watch. There is also plenty of young jockeys who have been unseated when a horses jinks or gives a false step.
 
McCoy will probably do a bloomin good job of it too!

Pendleton - fair play to her for doing what she is doing but I think she should drop the idea of Cheltenham this year and aim for next year. If she can't keep her balance on the flat how is she going to cope with fences? And unless she buys herself a load of point to pointers she isn't going to either have a horse or have enough rides/experience to be allowed to ride at Cheltenham. She has a very, very tall order to fill before March.
 
I would think this will be very interesting to see how he gets on. Two complete opposite styles of riding I would think, the jockey is nearly always up and off the horses back isnt he? His balance must be superb though so any unexpected high jinks and he'll be fine :) Hope the TV covers it properly!
 
amage said:
That is rather an unfair comparison. Send him off to win multiple Olympic and World Championship golds track cycling and see how he'd get on!! There's plenty of other amateur jockeys (some with serious racing credentials in terms of family) out there on higher caliber horses pointing that are embarrassing to watch. There is also plenty of young jockeys who have been unseated when a horses jinks or gives a false step.
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Not just unfair, but uncalled for. Basically a nasty (bitchy) pot-shot taken at VP for amusement.
 
Lisa2manyponies said:
this looks fab does anyone know if and when its going to be on tv ?
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I wouldn't like to say for sure, but I'm guessing C4 Racing might show some, if not all. It would be unbelievable if they didn't cover it, especially as AP's signed up to join them to do some presenting over the next year. Programme's on air tomorrow 12.40pm to 3.10pm.
 
I think he has coped with retirement, he knew it would be tough, and I am glad he stlll rides. He never was the most stylish, but if he hd a few weeks dressage I am sure he would be more than competent.
 
I think the trouble mis that racing people have no idea how hard dressage is. I felt the commentators were slightly dismissive of being able to ride a horse going so slowly. If only they knew!
 
Hey, he did alright! Riding a GP horse is NOT easy, and compared to the jockey's job it's about as different as you can get. Good man!
 
We were there & he and Charlotte were given a very warm welcome & the racing crowd really appreciated his efforts. Charlotte won herself some new fans too with her ready wit & charm. AP did well. With some practice he could probably be quite competent.
 
People forget that AP might have been a jockey but its not all about going fast and blasting into fences. He will have spent a lot of time, especially in his youth, bringing on youngsters, teaching horses to jump from scratch where stride, balance and flexibility are key. Like everyone he wont have gone through his career thinking - im the best I cant learn any more than I already have. Loads and loads of jockeys get regular lessons with Yogi Breisner and the likes (I say regular, probably 6-9monthly lol!).

AP was not just a jockey, he is a true horseman and I would expect he could turn his hand to anything he wanted to.
 
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