Dressage European Champs France

Could see that Indigro was lame whilst he was trotting around the competition arena. A professional dressage rider should feel that and now immediately his horse isn't right. His face when the bell rang said it all, he knew, and yet, he continued, hoping that no one would see or notice? It would have been especially easy to feel in the extended trot and half pass, where he was very, very visibly lame. It would have felt horrendous to ride surely. Maybe Andrew felt pressure to continue as it is his first major championship, or maybe he did say something to the team coach or team vet, and they urged him to still try? There are so many details to this situation we don't know, any will likely never know.

However very sad it got this far, and it will food for discussion for the animal welfare groups.

I do want to point out that I very much enjoyed Nicolas Wagner Ehlinger's ride. I've seen him ride up close before, and he is so incredibly light with his aids. He is sometimes too light, but honestly, prefer this so more. He really is undervalued in his scores IMO. How he rides, for me, is how dressage should be.

Ingrid had a tough ride on Vayron. Something at C spooked him and poor Ingrid really had to ride just for damage control.

Will be interesting to see the best of the best ride against each other today.
 
Surely if you've got a horse that is competing at a level where a vet inspection trot up is required then it should be part of the training at home to regularly practice this?

I know that the atmosphere at a competition situation is more 'exciting' but still, as above, doing a sane trot up should be normal for all horses, if for nothing else than lameness diagnosis at home....

I'd rather see others admit, like Lottie, that they need someone slightly stronger to hold the horse for a trot up then risk a loose horse.
 
I don’t think it is something you can train easily at home. See my previous post, I discovered the atmosphere was exciting on steroids 😅.

with time you can probably work out what set up keeps your horse saner in the moment/manage it but that’s a bit different to schooling for it.
 
www.eurodressage.com

All Horses Pass the Inspection at the 2025 European Dressage Championships

All horses have passed the horse inspection at the 2025 European Dressage Championships in Crozet on Tuesday morning 26 August 2025.
www.eurodressage.com www.eurodressage.com

A pic of Indigro at the trot up is there if you scroll down. Maybe the horse hasn’t misbehaved at the trot up before, but he is wearing a snaffle bridle with regular length reins and Andrew is uncomfortably close to being knocked over.

Maybe bit couplings and a long line would have been safer? Just musing, really.
 
reynold said:
Surely if you've got a horse that is competing at a level where a vet inspection trot up is required then it should be part of the training at home to regularly practice this?

I know that the atmosphere at a competition situation is more 'exciting' but still, as above, doing a sane trot up should be normal for all horses, if for nothing else than lameness diagnosis at home....

I'd rather see others admit, like Lottie, that they need someone slightly stronger to hold the horse for a trot up then risk a loose horse.
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I can trot up at home no issue - in a show, however, we are airs above ground nonsense.

Very hard to train atmosphere at home.
 
Having watched the video I am appalled he carried on riding what was visibly a lame horse, so must have felt awful. Embarrassing doesn't cut it and as for not getting off, he was already eliminated, if he felt it wasn't safe to do so he should have got his groom to come over to assist. It was a catalogue of errors of not what to do at top level and yet another blow for Dressage. Riders must try harder. Well done that judge.
 
If it wasn’t safe for him to do it why would it be safer for his groom?

It had been said there is an FEI rule that you have to leave the arena mounted after elimination but I can’t find it. I’d be surprised if that was the case as if something more catastrophic happened you’d be off regardless/what would the sanction be if already eliminated
 
Carl's test was really harmonious. Sometimes Fame is a bit tight or deep but Carl rides with such poise and a light touch. His pirouettes were beautiful, like he had all the time in the world.

Freestyle looked lovely and working very within herself so was comfortable to watch.

Perhaps unpopular opinion but watching Isabell Werth now and it's bloody ugly and forceful riding.
I don't understand why it scores so well.
 
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millitiger said:
Carl's test was really harmonious. Sometimes Fame is a bit tight or deep but Carl rides with such poise and a light tough. His pirouettes were beautiful, like he had all the time in the world.

Freestyle looked lovely and working very within herself so was comfortable to watch.

Perhaps unpopular opinion but watching Isabell Werth now and it's bloody ugly and forceful riding.
I don't understand why it scores so well.
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Agree with you on Werth. Could see Wendy's mouth being jabbed open with every canter stride, cause Werth can't sit the canter properly it seems.
 
millitiger said:
Carl's test was really harmonious. Sometimes Fame is a bit tight or deep but Carl rides with such poise and a light tough. His pirouettes were beautiful, like he had all the time in the world.

Freestyle looked lovely and working very within herself so was comfortable to watch.

Perhaps unpopular opinion but watching Isabell Werth now and it's bloody ugly and forceful riding.
I don't understand why it scores so well.
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It scores well for the name, if I rode the test like that would be a different mark 🤣.

I also like glamourdale but his movement is too big and he really lacks the ability to truly collect which is why his piaffe and piris are so bad
 
Four Seasons said:
Agree with you on Werth. Could see Wendy's mouth being jabbed open with every canter stride, cause Werth can't sit the canter properly it seems.
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For 90% of the test, she'd have flown off the back of Wendy if the reins had been cut. She was absolutely hauling on her mouth for the majority of it.

It actually made me angry to watch, no wonder non-horsey people think horse sport is cruel.
And the commentary blowing smoke up her bum was also appalling. Either they're pretending they can't see it or, even worse, they actually think it looks good.
 
U.N.Owen said:
It scores well for the name, if I rode the test like that would be a different mark 🤣.

I also like glamourdale but his movement is too big and he really lacks the ability to truly collect which is why his piaffe and piris are so bad
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I thought Lottie's riding was nicer though and it at least looked softer than it has in the past.
Although I agree, his piaffe wasn't actually piaffe at all.
 
millitiger said:
I thought Lottie's riding was nicer though and it at least looked softer than it has in the past.
Although I agree, his piaffe wasn't actually piaffe at all.
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I much prefer Lotties test of Werths and and slightly 👀 at the scores but that's top dressage for you
 
Yes it was beautiful. I liked Katharina Hemmers ride too and a massive well done to Becky Moody. I didn't find Isabell Werth's ride to be nearly as harmonious as the others named and I wouldn't have placed her second...
 
My good horse was lethal at trot up in public you had to pray you nailed it first time because she just got worse .

They fully fit they know it’s a big occasion the adrenaline hangs over the holding area .
 
Did anyone watch today , luckily a friend has CMH so I could watch all of it. Becky was amazing and just missed out on a medal and Zonic Plus was fabulous and a well deserved winner. So nice to see a new face in gold position and a lovely harmonious test. I thought most of the riders were more sympathetic and were riding with horses necks more open. Let’s hope this will continue
 
Agree @splashgirl45, today was nicer viewing.

I thought the winner was beautiful and his music was understated but added to the performance.
Shows his quality with the mistake he made and to still win.
He is still very young at this level, I hope he has a long career.

I didn't really like Lottie's new music and I think Glamourdale agreed. I love it when the music is a bit more modern but I thought this was just loud and jarring and didn't really 'sync' with the test.

Becky's test was really nice, the ones above just had more of the wow factor.
 
I think you will get them on YouTube…I watched the winning Grand Prix special there…if it’s not up tonight, it will probably be there tomorrow
 
I watched quite a lot yesterday. More enjoyable than usual because you could hear the music and the commentary was kept to a minimum.
Loved the winner, Isabel and Becky. I agree with you UN Owen.
Glamourdale was slightly below par all week. They said Lotti set the music too loud and it upset him.
 
Becky and Bomb were fabulous and wish they'd clinched third.
Justin is incredible and has been winning in Belgium for a while. A bit worried that it's a lot for a 9yo horse but he does have a varied life and good semen! We'll see a lot of mini Zonics in a few years.
Dufours horse was trained by the Brits so good reflection on the UK.
Lots of tests on YT.
 
The two lame horses were very obviously not right going round the outside of the test arena prior to starting. Quite embarrassing.

The GB commentary was exceptionally aggravating, I watched the Dutch version in favour of keeping my heart rate in check.

Lottie never trots up Glammy and always rides him to the trot up area, seems to work for all involved. Nice bits really nice but they were not singing off the same sheet for sure, not their comp.

Becky did a great job with Bomb throughout. Wish Carl rode the first half of his tests how he does the second half, conservative, but he knows the horse best.

Justin & Zonik 1000000000% deserved the win twice over and showed what we should be aspiring for with dressage. Light, harmonious, sound, expressive without being bizarre, energetic without being tense. Lovely horse and lovely rider.

And my final thought - utterly horrific shoeing on most of these ‘top’ horses.
 
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