H&H pentathlon article

Honey08

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change the rules and make the riding a make or break part of the competition. A fall of horse or rider and you're eliminated. You cannot go round a fence if you've had 3 refusals at it. You get eliminated instead.

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Yes I think this would be better, with a smaller course.

They shouldn't be in the Olympics if they are not professional in their sport !

Up until recently Olympians were not allowed to be professional and who has ever heard of a pro pentathlon athlete...

Lower the fences to 1m and introduce a mark for horsemanship. So those riders who do the right things, such as not socking the horse in the gob on the approach to a fence or otherwise booting it around, are rewarded. The score for a polished riding performance should cancel out - say - two fences down? That should give some incentive to the riders who are currently winging it to have a few more lessons.

I think the mark for riding is the way forward, but doubt it will happen.

Interesting to hear it used to be XC - I guess that would take more preparation.
 

Wizzkid

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What ever way you slice it, it was scary to watch.
I agree that it should be changed for the safety of the riders & horses.
 

silu

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Gawd suggesting it would be better that it was a x country test! Safer??? If they make the show jumps all at the height they were at the beginning of round this Olympics then they should change the discipline to hurdling as that is what the majority of riders were doing. Give them bikes to ride over the BMX course. All the competitors would have the same equipment so no lottery involved with who gets which horse and no big deal if a few bikes get trashed .
 

PucciNPoni

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They shouldn't be in the Olympics if they are not professional in their sport !


Eh??? Actually, it's not all that long ago that professionals were even allowed to compete at hte Olympics. Olympics has always had a tradition of being amatures. And was it not at Beijing that a dentist by profession (from Germany) took a medal (gold?) in the Eventing? He's not a professional rider - just a bloody good one!
 

Koala Kate

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Where live animals are concerned, its essential that their welfare is paramount. It was so painful for any true horse lover to watch . Mouth jabbing , kicking and whacking when the novices didn't understand how to ride a horse
 

KingfisherBlue

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Lower the fences to 1m and introduce a mark for horsemanship. So those riders who do the right things, such as not socking the horse in the gob on the approach to a fence or otherwise booting it around, are rewarded. The score for a polished riding performance should cancel out - say - two fences down? That should give some incentive to the riders who are currently winging it to have a few more lessons.

I agree that that is a very good suggestion. There's something very satisfying about winning or getting well placed in such a competition :)

In the Modern Pentathlon, it could even be beneficial for the riders, if after the event, they could read the constructive criticism of the judge/s. In the long run, the riders could then take on board their weak points (!) and improve themselves, especially for the sake of the horses. Have to say that if I'd lent my horses to the M.P. organisers, I'd be furious and wouldn't bother doing it again.

Ps:I found the majority of the Modern Pentathlon jumping cringe-making to watch. I had to pinch myself and say "This is the Olympics?!"
 

pbrequine

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What page number was this article on?

I also need the page numbers for the following quotes, all from this issue.

Flora Watkins :- 'Is pentathlon jumping up to scratch?'

A. Mathieson :- 'Riding schools see boom in trade'
 

Darremi

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The roan horse trinidad was so genuine and sweet. It completely ignored the rider's dodgey signals and jumped all by itself. There was a lovely big chestnut which had two clears in the men's competition, although I think it's riders were actually quite good. What I found strange was the start box they had to go into and halt. Getting the horse going again seemed to flummox some of the riders and I think the chestnut that sadly reared got very upset by being pulled up in the box. Why not have a rolling start line the way SJ and Eventing do in order for the riders to be able to keep the horses going forward?
 
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