I find it quite disheartening.........

[Halfstep]

that, despite a demonstration of near perfect dressage yesterday (Charlotte and Valegro), all I see on Facebook and other fora, including this one, is criticism of the state of dressage, dressage riders and competition, prompted by the pictures of Totilas.
Can't we celebrate the good, positive way the sport has gone? That a quietly produced horse correctly ridden and allowed to be a horse, has broken a world record? I'm not saying ignore the bad - just celebrate the good as well. Dressage has come a hell of a long way in the last five years or so. Seeing horses like Valegro, Uthopia, Damon Hill, Desperados, Eremo all scoring in the 80s and all trained in a traditional manner is a real turning point for the sport.
Here endeth the lesson LOL

 

[Booboos]

I read your post and immediately thought there was a post recently drawing attention to Charlotte's achievements and the excitement for Team GB at London. Took me five minutes to find the thread again to show you...turns out it was your thread!

I think that thread was very positive and complimentary and there always is a positive thread on big dressage comps, especially when the British team do well.

 

[AbFab]

It just seems to be the way the country as a whole is going. People feel they can't say anything happy or uplifting without it being served with a big dose of misery. I often bound up to the yard, enthusing about how sunny it is (a rarity, I'll admit!), only to be met with 'uhhh well it's going to rain all next week' (said in broad lancashire accent).

Why can't we be happy any more?! Miserable people.

 

[BigRed]

My only comment is that we seem to be getting very near to the 100% mark. What will happen then ? I think the judges are marking very high now.

 

[horseywelsh]

I agree, what a spectacular performance(s) for dressage worldwide and British alike. I do think there has been good coverage on forums celebrating though.

...and not forgetting the acheivement of Laura and Alf, setting a new British Record in the freestyle

 

[horseywelsh]

My only comment is that we seem to be getting very near to the 100% mark. What will happen then ? I think the judges are marking very high now.

I disagree with the judges marking very high now and think it's more to do with the fact that the standard has shot into a new dimension over the last few years!

 

[rachel_s]

The Times has three quarters of a page on it (pay wall)

 

[Tempi]

Everyone seems to dwell on the negative and not celebrate the positives in pretty much everything, not just sport........

 

[Scarlett]

Does anyone have a link to a vid of the test? I've been looking forward to watching it since reading the results but can't find it?

 

[Bustermartin]

I quite agree. I was looking for the video yesterday and couldn't believe how difficult it was to find it. I thought it would be at the top of this forum still!

For those that haven't seen it:- http://www.topdressage.tv/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=190&t=5018

Absolutely brilliant!

 

[crabbymare]

Scary thing with Valegro was the fact if the judges at B and E had marked as high as the other 3 in some movements he would have scored even higher they must have seen something the pothers didn't from their viewpoint but she could easily have hit the 90% Roll on the day when whatever those judges saw is improved and she gets even higher marks

 

[PucciNPoni]

I agree! There does some to be lots of negativity around - on this forum, in real life, in general. I posted last week -- my comp report. It wasn't stellar, but I was feeling rather positive about it even though it wasn't great on paper. I got *one* comment, and it was very quickly shuffled to page 5 or 6 within the space of a few hours as the forum was taken over by umpteen pages of people slating someone else's misfortune in the dressage arena that same day. People would rather comment on the negative rather than the positive it seems.

I have commented negatives, and have been a cynic - but by and large I try to look out for any reason to comment something nice whether it's to make someone chuckle or pass a positive comment.

 

[Alibear]

I think it was fantastic and both she and Valegro have had wonderful tutoring to get where they are now and thoroughly deserved every % that they got.

 

[Booboos]

It just seems to be the way the country as a whole is going.

Superbly ironic post! My favourite post of the week!

 

[Achal theke]

I agree with you an hope that the times are changing. Currently I am in Germany. The hard riding style here is shocking. It's time to pay tribute to a fine horesewoman like Charlotte.

 

[angelish]

agree

very exciting for charlotte and the rest of team GB
what a fairy tail it will be if she brings home gold

 

[MrsMozart]

Bump

 

[j1ffy]

You'll be pleased to hear that my only Facebook status update over the past few days has been to congratulate Charlotte, Laura and WFP

It is a shame that only the negatives get commented on - I've just watched Charlotte's test and it is beautiful. Alf still looks very heavy in the hand but it was brilliant to see such a good score when there were still a few obvious improvements to make by him and Laura (and wow, what a complex floorplan!).

While I'm guilty of commenting on the Totilas warm-up pics, it's exciting times for Team GB and we should focus on the great progress and training, not on the poor training techniques of some riders.

 

[Halfstep]

I don't think there is anything at all wrong with commenting on the more unpleasant aspects of the sport. However, I hate it when the unpleasant seems to be getting more coverage and interest than the good. I'm also irritated by people who seem to be incapable of seeing the good in anything: of course Charlotte's test wasn't perfect - 88% isn't perfect! There were a few areas for improvement, but overall, it was pretty darn good and lovely to watch. I hate it when a test like that gets slated for ONE slightly dodgy transition (for example). What is it about dressage that seems to close people's minds?

 

[Ali16]

What is it about dressage that seems to close people's minds?

LOL.. we have a sign in our tack room saying:

"Dressage: The passionate pursuit of perfection by the obsessively imperfect"

It is just too true, even if the 'obsessively imperfect' is not the rider... just someone sitting on their bottom watching at home

 

[Halfstep]

LOL! Ali, I think I know you!

 

[Maesfen]

Thanks for the link, lovely to watch and great to see the pat on the neck after the changes too.

Roll on Olympics!

 

[LEC]

Agree - it drives me nuts seeing uncorroborated things getting all the press while the good stuff is allowed to go unrecognised.

 

[Bright_Spark]

I quite agree. I was looking for the video yesterday and couldn't believe how difficult it was to find it. I thought it would be at the top of this forum still!

For those that haven't seen it:- http://www.topdressage.tv/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=190&t=5018

Absolutely brilliant!

That was amazing to watch! It's about time everyone celebrated the fact that Team GB is doing so well in dressage.

 

[BethH]

Well I just saw that test - was almost in tears to see a horse so beautifully ridden and with such a wonderful rider who was obviously thrilled with her horse. What a lovely change - more please, as an utter novice it was rather inspiring to see it done properly, how on earth is it possible to train a horse to be that good!

 

[Queenbee87]

Valegro looked very pleased with himself at the end of the test as they were walking out of the arena

 

[tigers_eye]

The other amazing thing is how young the pair of them are!