kauto star at olympia. Oh my

There is a long thread about this in Competing and Training. I think she did as well as she could under the circumstances, she must of been mortified, very embarrassed and I'd like to see you do better under such circumstances!

Poor girl is getting a lot of criticism for it, but horses will be horses and will always surprise you. It wasn't her best riding no, but she is a very talented lady and was clearly trying to make the best of a bad situation!
 
I have no doubt she is a very talented rider and you can see she's done a cracking job with him , all horses are going to have an off day! but what the bloody hell is she doing with her hands??
 
I understand that every horse and every rider has their good and bad days. However, she looks like she's only just learnt to ride- flapping her arms about so strangely!! The horse must have been so confused!
 
Sorry but those who are defending her have you seen the video?!

Either way, she's a professional rider and he hardly acts up in the arena. But being 'experienced' it's down to the rider to settle and relax him, but WATCH the video. She is gobbing him, not even discreetly, she's constantly yanking him in the mouth and putting the leg on.

He's an ex race horse, he's been out and seen crowds etc, so it's not like he's totally not been exposed to these atmospheres.
 
I may be wrong but I reckon they doped him as they thought he would be sharp, the sweat and the shutting down is typical of a horse that's had a bit of sedaline. I have ridden one having had some and that's exactly what happened, its like the lights suddenly go off!
 
charlie76 said:
I may be wrong but I reckon they doped him as they thought he would be sharp, the sweat and the shutting down is typical of a horse that's had a bit of sedaline. I have ridden one having had some and that's exactly what happened, its like the lights suddenly go off!
Click to expand...

Have to agree and the fact he seemed to start loosing co-ordination in his back end at one point also points to this.

Should of put her hand up and said he's not right. The crowd at Olympia would of appreciated that show of horsemanship rather than what I saw on the BBC clip I'm sure :/
 
Just watched it back again and it looks even worse the second time, hope it was just a stressed out reaction from the pressure and not a regular way of riding him.
 
Not the horses finest hour but this is an ex-racehorse who is in the process of re-training for a totally different discipline. Every horse can have it's "off" day and it's down to the rider to judge what is best. I am sure Laura will be disappointed.
 
What a shame, I think Charlie76 might be right, I'd imagine they have been working towards Olympia for ages and Laura must have been embarrassed and disappointed. He is such a high profile horse. I didn't like what I saw but I don't think it's the end of the world either, I know I've let frustration get the better of me before and my riding hasn't been sympathetic as I'd like, and I'm not competing on a world stage. I wonder if sponsorship money rested on the airtime kauto star would have had?
 
dressagelove said:
There is a long thread about this in Competing and Training. I think she did as well as she could under the circumstances, she must of been mortified, very embarrassed and I'd like to see you do better under such circumstances!

Poor girl is getting a lot of criticism for it, but horses will be horses and will always surprise you. It wasn't her best riding no, but she is a very talented lady and was clearly trying to make the best of a bad situation!
Click to expand...

Or maybe it would have been a better idea for her to just have bowed out? I'd rather see no riding than this abomination. Tbh, if my horse wasn't ready - and Kauto clearly isn't, I wouldn't have done it. It would be very interesting to see how he would do with Charlotte DJ or Carl Hester, and I'll bet my last dollar it wouldn't look like that!
 
I was expecting to watch the video and think that it would look ok and think people were over reacting but the bcc clip was truly horrendous. Presumably the bcc would have tried to show the best bits as well. It is so sad as I saw him do a display at Burghley last year and it was nothing like that.
The atmosphere does look intimidating and the crowd do look close which they wouldn't have been at Cheltenham or burghley but that is no excuse for riding like that.
 
I'm astounded people think she is a good rider! Truly awful. KS deserves so much more than this. I hated the fact that a horse that loved to gallop and jump was going to be 'made' into a dressage horse anyway - such a terrible decision all round :(
 
Hedgewitch13 said:
I'm astounded people think she is a good rider! Truly awful. KS deserves so much more than this. I hated the fact that a horse that loved to gallop and jump was going to be 'made' into a dressage horse anyway - such a terrible decision all round :(
Click to expand...

I did think he'd of preferred to do eventing than dressage, he didn't look too good, a bit doped perhaps,
but then again, it must be rather daunting for a horse who's never seen anything like that before. It wasn't nice to watch though.

Laura normally rides very well.
 
NikNak1 said:
I was expecting to watch the video and think that it would look ok and think people were over reacting but the bcc clip was truly horrendous. Presumably the bcc would have tried to show the best bits as well. It is so sad as I saw him do a display at Burghley last year and it was nothing like that.
The atmosphere does look intimidating and the crowd do look close which they wouldn't have been at Cheltenham or burghley but that is no excuse for riding like that.
Click to expand...

Yes agree. FFS what was she doing? She was kicking away up there fit to shame a Prince Phillip Cup gymkhana kiddie riding for 1st place; and her hands??? Jeeezus. Trying to be charitable, but it was AWFUL, she was just jabbing him in the mouth. Any half-decent instructor at any pony club rally up and down the country wouldn't have let any kiddie ride like that!!! Shouldn't she have been pulled out and/or reprimanded by the Powers That Be??? IMO there would be adequate justification for an infringement notice or whatever to be issued.

Poor KS - he looked incredibly unhappy, and confused, was obviously trying to please but wasn't getting any encouragement or appreciation. Very very sad situation for such a fine horse with such wonderful spirit to end up in. Tragic in fact.

PS: am predicting this thread will be pulled quite soon.......... coz can remember the jolly Hoo Hah we had about a certain male showjumper, who made a dreadful public faux pas and everyone made comment on here; and his publicity machine got well @rsey and all of us who'd spoken our minds on here were given slaps over the wrist for saying nasty things and given lashes with a wet lettuce leaf (looks forward to with anticipation LOL)........ just making a prediction, that's all. We shall see.

PPS: if she needs any reminding and/or a salutary lesson as to how some horses will react with having their mouths sawn off like that, she'd better come and try my trad-lad......... coz by god if she rode my traddie like that she'd soon find herself biting the dust PDQ, I've seen him do it with other people who've been heavy handed. On second thoughts, not, though, coz I value him far too much to do that to him and if I saw anyone doing that to him I'd be the first to kick their pants out the saddle.
 
Last edited:
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
PS: am predicting this thread will be pulled quite soon.......... coz can remember the jolly Hoo Hah we had about a certain male showjumper, who made a dreadful public faux pas and everyone made comment on here; and his publicity machine got well @rsey and all of us who'd spoken our minds on here were given slaps over the wrist for saying nasty things and given lashes with a wet lettuce leaf (looks forward to with anticipation LOL)........ just making a prediction, that's all. We shall see.
Click to expand...
The Facebook group campaigning for his return to Clifford has already been pulled.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top