Grumbling about gear

[stangs]

Now that the eventing championships are over, I thought it time to complain about them.

For starters, since when did horses get ridden with multiple nosebands? Schivo, for example, appeared to have both a cavesson and a drop noseband in the SJ. Then there was this set-up, can’t remember whose, in the XC, that I don’t understand either:

Spoiler

I’d appreciate if someone would explain these set-ups to me, as my instinctual emotion is absolute repulsion. Just thinking of all those pressure points…

(On the plus side, it was lovely seeing Samran’s Uster de Chanay ridden in just a cavesson for both the XC and SJ. Made my day.)

Moreover, spurs. I continue not to see any justifiable reason for their usage in showjumping (XC too, though I appreciate that there are those who argue they’re required for the safety of horse and rider). And not only do they seem pointless, but the slow-mo shots made for very uncomfortable watching, with spurs frequently grazing the horse’s sides as the rider’s leg moves over a jump. Feels like an easy fix to improve horse welfare, and yet I can't see it happening anytime soon. Mind you, I thought I saw Ambros riding without spurs for the SJ, but that may well have been the trick of the light.

Anyone else have grievances they'd like to share?

 

[teapot]

Comments online that continue to try and pull the sport apart because riders wear spurs for 90 seconds over a 1m40 sj course and see it as a huge welfare issue is one of my biggest grievances...

Do you have any thoughts on the Austrian chap (I think) who's horse was so tired, he had the good sense to stop at the last fence? Or the fall that ended up with a dead horse at Blenheim today?

 

[Lois Lame]

I'm not a fan of the headgear on that horse.

 

[asmp]

I commented to my daughter yesterday as we were watching the Worlds that there were some strange looking contraptions - I think I was referring to the one in the pic above, which does look pretty OTT. However, there were a lot who had kept things simple.

 

[LEC]

Actually I would hate to xc and sj without spurs. Especially at 1.30+. If a horse drops off the leg you are screwed and it can be such a minor drop off.

The bit I have also used on a horse who was very sensitive to mouth pressure. It’s effectively a combined hackamore and bit.

The combined noseband combination is for a strong horse who shifts the jaw. You shouldn’t use it xc only Sj.

I hate nit picking comments like this as well.

 

[AmyMay]

Deleted

 

[stangs]

Comments online that continue to try and pull the sport apart because riders wear spurs for 90 seconds over a 1m40 sj course and see it as a huge welfare issue is one of my biggest grievances...

Do you have any thoughts on the Austrian chap (I think) who's horse was so tired, he had the good sense to stop at the last fence? Or the fall that ended up with a dead horse at Blenheim today?

a) How am I trying to 'pull the sport apart'? I only raised some questions and concerns about gear choice.
b) I didn't watch all of the XC so can't comment on the Austrian. And I haven't been reading the news on Blenheim, but you bringing it up sounds like you 'pulling the sport apart' much more than I have.
c) Do you have any thoughts on the dead horse? It's perfectly possible to have two threads running discussing various eventing-related concerns.

 

[teapot]

Can't be arsed, aside from I was asking if you had an opinion on something that happened over the weekend. Yes I feel it is far worse than whether spurs should be banned, especially with the rider still in hospital.

That is not pulling apart or criticising the sport, purely trying to put your post into context of bigger, worse issues happening, something critics of equestrian sport seem incapable of doing at the moment.

ETS: make that two horses. Georgie Spence lost one Saturday night

 

[eahotson]

IMHO horse sport needs cleaning up if it is to survive.While I wouldn't wish any rider to be injured they are at least volunteers. horses are not and one of them died I gather.

 

[RachelFerd]

I actually don't think the Austrian horse was horrendously tired. He jumped the combo before the last well. I think the rider presented him very badly and a stop was the result. He jumped it well on re-presentation.

On the spurs point - lots of horses respond much better to use of the spur than just the leg. Major benefit being that you can use them quietly in a way that keeps your leg still and secure - kinda helpful if you're about to jump a massive xc fence. Some horses are super sharp and don't need them, but I don't think you'd find many works champs level riders who'd willingly go without them. I certainly wouldn't want to, even at the lower levels that I do.

 

[Auslander]

I think the bit is a Trust Inno Sens combi hackamore, which will divvy up pressure across the nose as well as the mouth. I imagine it would be great for a horse who is over-bold, but sensitive in the mouth,
Grackle presumably used as intended, to stop the horse crossing it's jaw (and promptly fecking off!)

 

[Caol Ila]

Fin went better in a combi hackamore (Myler's version) than he did in a bit. They work for some horses. I thought the Myler combination bit was overkill for him, because he doesn't get strong and pull (and we aren't, ya know, eventing) and ended up with a normal hackamore, but if he got stong cantering in company or whatever, I'd use my combi bit instead of a normal bit.

 

[Fabel]

Actually I would hate to xc and sj without spurs. Especially at 1.30+. If a horse drops off the leg you are screwed and it can be such a minor drop off.

The bit I have also used on a horse who was very sensitive to mouth pressure. It’s effectively a combined hackamore and bit.

The combined noseband combination is for a strong horse who shifts the jaw. You shouldn’t use it xc only Sj.

I hate nit picking comments like this as well.

I couldn’t agree more! very well said