No post on Totilas?

Why? He's just another averagely good dressage International horse scoring in the mid-70s.

Valegro on the other hand...
 
I watched on on FEI TV. Obviously uneven behind at times, whether this was tension or something else I wouldn't like to say.

The Spanish horse & rider were a very pleasant surprise, I look forward to seeing more of them.
 
I saw the video before it was pulled and my instinct was that he was short behind, then second guessed myself because 1) surely some one would have noticed before he went in and 2) surely the FEI wouldnt have put the video up.

I didn't really fancy him that much 1st time around with EG - it was quite impressive like nothing we'd seen before but i didn't find him pleasing to watch - something always looked wrong and mechanical about him. Valegro impress with the ease at which he does everything and even though he is extrodinary it loos so natural and effortless
 
I don't like to question the professional's judgement, but he definitely looks uncomfortable behind :/ seems uncomfortable on his left, but hard to tell with the video being jumpy. What a shame, he's such a beautiful horse but no match for Valegro movement-wise.
 
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I didn't see the FEI video but even with the one posted there is irregularity behind and he looks to be holding a lot of tension in his neck and is frequently btv. I do wonder if a horse with such extravagant movement in front will ever look completely right" behind as physically it's impossible for both halves to match, if you see what I mean. However, to me Totilas didn't look comfortable and certainly isn't performing as he did in former days. So sad but I do think it demonstrates that the lovely relaxed fluid motion of a happy horse like Valegro makes watching some horses quite a difficult experience.
 
I saw the video on FB many times. It was shared over and over and over before it was pulled. So many people spotting the unlevel steps behind.

If you go to the results page you can look at the score sheets for each rider and he got 6's for his extended trot, all of them... So some of the judges at least must have spotted it!!
 
I agree with the judge at M
There was some lovely auality work but the irregularity behind really showed up in the extended trot and was rightly slated in the paces mark.
I was half expecting them to ring the bell in the first extended. If Stephen Clarke had been there I think he eould have done- I've seen him elinate less lame horses
 
Well the marks tell a bit of a story don't they? Extended trot marks vary from 4.00 to 8.00 and paces vary from 5 -8, this is a huge spread at this level and from international judges! Also 8.5% between total score from highest to lowest, this is massive I'm sure they'll be some discussion about this, surely?
 
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TheMule said:
I agree with the judge at M
There was some lovely auality work but the irregularity behind really showed up in the extended trot and was rightly slated in the paces mark.
I was half expecting them to ring the bell in the first extended. If Stephen Clarke had been there I think he eould have done- I've seen him elinate less lame horses
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Do you think because they have passed a trot up they are less inclined to do so perhaps?
 
Yep withdrawn,

Hardly surprising the backlash and losing possible Stud fee's

Clearly not done by the rider, as he continued to claim that he was right.

Retirement to stud i would say is on the cards................
 
Poor horse!

Yes I saw the video - definitely 'not right' behind and the uneveness in the front end also looked worse than it has done in the past.

Surely now it is time for some riders to seriously look at their training methods!!!
 
I find it absolutely despicable that 1) he passed the trot up 2) at least one judge did not pull the plug on the test. Sad for the horse, he must lead a wretched life :(
 
Cortez said:
Why do you say that? I'd imagine he's kept just the same as most top level competition horses.
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Because his rider and owner are happy to compete him when he is clearly unlevel/unsound. If they care so little about his welfare as to take him into the arena at a top level competition like that, then clearly they are happy to work him like that in every day life.
 
Cortez said:
Why do you say that? I'd imagine he's kept just the same as most top level competition horses.
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Locked in a stable and only ever taken out to be exercised on a horse walker or in the school.
That's no life for a horse and I feel desperately sorry for any horse that has to live like that.
They are living beings not machines. Charlotte and Carl have proven that when you let horses have turnout, let them hack out and just be horses you get better results from the horse and a more willing horse.
 
Clare85 said:
Because his rider and owner are happy to compete him when he is clearly unlevel/unsound. If they care so little about his welfare as to take him into the arena at a top level competition like that, then clearly they are happy to work him like that in every day life.
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you are assuming he was that unlevel in the warm up/prior to the event - he did pass a veterinary trot up.
 
ester said:
you are assuming he was that unlevel in the warm up/prior to the event - he did pass a veterinary trot up.
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Apparently he was held in the trot up initially and then after discussions was allowed through. In any case, at that level the rider should've felt a problem as soon as it arose and put his hand up. Or the judge should've seen a problem and stopped the test.
 
Yes I am aware that he was held at the trot up- it happens and he did pass! and I would assume didn't look that bad in the warm up. I think at that level, with that amount of movement and if the horse has passed on a straight line a fair amount has to be put down the tension and his general uneveness contributing to what he looked like in the ring rather than lameness from pain.

It doesn't do his connections any good for him to be seen like that though, but I do wonder if they hadn't withdrawn whether discussions would have been had about whether he should be allowed to continue on his second test if he looked the same.
 
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If that is the case then I think questions should be raised about whether a horse who becomes so tense under competition pressure that it changes his way of going in such a negative way, should continue to be competed. I believe you have to question the training methods and general care of a horse who becomes so tense under such pressure also.
 
conniegirl said:
Locked in a stable and only ever taken out to be exercised on a horse walker or in the school.
That's no life for a horse and I feel desperately sorry for any horse that has to live like that.
They are living beings not machines. Charlotte and Carl have proven that when you let horses have turnout, let them hack out and just be horses you get better results from the horse and a more willing horse.
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On one level I agree, and my own horses are not kept like that, but probably the majority of high level competition horses ARE kept stabled. There is a great deal more to the success of Carl Hester's horses than simply their occasional turnout (they are not turned out every day, or for very long), and there is no proof that results are better one way or the other. As an extremely well regarded horse in a professional setup you can be assured that Totilas receives the very best of care on all levels, but it is obvious that he is not level in competition, be that due to stress, less than competant riding, physical impairment or whatever. Turning him out and hacking won't fix that..................
 
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