Have just found this article ... am speechless!

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spotty_pony

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I know it is old and has probably been discussed before but I have just found a huge thread about it on another forum. I am speechless, as to how anyone could be so ignorant! The writer of the article clearly knows nothing about horses or Dressage and is making invalid accusations about the sport!
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Here it is:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/aug/16/olympics2008.olympicsequestrian

What do you think?
 
LOL! That's David Mitchell, he's a comedian. He's on QI as well as Peep Show and Mitchell and Webb.
Think he's just being ironic - he's really very very funny! I don't think it's a serious article.
 
Bloody terrible, I actually used to find him quite funny on QI, but will not any more. He is clearly not qualifyed to comment and has no understanding of the hard work that goes in, or the sence of achievement and enjoyment that both horse and rider get from the sport! Grrrrrr.....
 
I think it is sort of tongue in cheek but, to be honest I can also sort of see where he's coming from! To a non-horse person it must seem very bizarre (and I think he actually knows more about horses than he makes out). I don't think it's a brilliant spectator sport and also is often ruined by the commentators - certainly in the dressage to music anyway as they talk OVER the music and the whole thing looses it's effect.

I don't think he's being ignorant I actually think he is pointing out what the majority of people who don't know horses or dressage would think about it.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I think it is sort of tongue in cheek but, to be honest I can also sort of see where he's coming from! To a non-horse person it must seem very bizarre (and I think he actually knows more about horses than he makes out). I don't think it's a brilliant spectator sport and also is often ruined by the commentators - certainly in the dressage to music anyway as they talk OVER the music and the whole thing looses it's effect.

I don't think he's being ignorant I actually think he is pointing out what the majority of people who don't know horses or dressage would think about it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto all of this
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Blahhhh, i couldn't be bothered to read it all. I find David Mitchell a bit hit and miss anyway but that's a rubbish article. If you don't like/get dressage then turn it over. I don't like snooker or tennis or most other sports tbh. I solve this dilemma by not watching them.

I didn't like the dancing bears 'torture' bit. Makes me think he's a bit of an idiot really... thought he was supposed to be intelligent?
 
TBH I found it quite funny. (I do love David Mitchell though!)
I agree with what LadyT said whole heartedly.
I'm not into dressage and understand what he means to an extent. Unless you love your flatwork, it can be difficult to follow, understand, and indeed give a toss about! I can pick out the best performances and the worst, but thats about as far as it goes. I agree about it being very subjective when it comes to judging and also that some of the top dressage moves can appear a little OTT.
 
I think its hilarious. Lets face it, dressage is never going to be a spectator sport with mass appeal. I ride and understand the concept (even if I can't do it!) and I think its like watching paint dry! This just tells us how it looks to the untrained eye!
Its obviously a humerous article but it caused such a fuss on here when it came out during the olympics. I really don't understand why people have to take it so seriously.

For what its worth, I do think he makes a valid point about what constitutes a sport. To me it is something where people (or horses
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) run faster, jump higher etc than their competitors. I don't view anything that is purely marked by judges as true sport and I wouldn't class things that involve no physical effort such as snooker and darts as sport either.
 
seriously, that article has made you speechless???

i love dressage but totally understand what DM is saying.

and i understand his 'dancing bears' reference- most of the horses DO look un-natural and forced in their piaffe and passage.

if you don't have any interest in horses dressage does look pointless and is boring and the subjective judging can be hard to understand.
 
I thought he made a valid point about whether somthing is really an olympic"sport" or not.Dressage may well take endless patience and skill,but then so does making models from matchsticks.
 
Why would anyone normal be reading the guardian!!! its for people with beards or wimmin in sensible shoes,or those who dont do anything usefull for a living, or are educated above there intellect.... I wouldnt take it seriously.. if normal folk do read it they will soon become anoyed by most of the hand wringing trendy lefty bilge that it has as it's staple...
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