Olympic (and non) Dressage - silly rules

[Wishfilly]

Totally agree with all who say that the dressage is a far more harmonious picture than it was, say, 10 years ago.

I do think in some people's minds there is almost this idea that the dressage movements themselves are somehow demeaning to the horses- like these big powerful warmbloods don't want to "dance".

However, whilst I do believe horses feel a wide range of emotions, I am not sure "embarrassment" is one of them. The horses know that if they do the movement well, they are rewarded, I think that's as far as the mental process goes.

And even if they do look like "circus" horses, if horses are trained to do tricks in a positive way, what's inherently wrong with that?

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

I'm always a bit uncomfortable about the very high head carriage with chin tucked right in, but then I looked back about 12-15 years ago and you guys are all correct- it's much better than it used to be! My poor old back does give a sigh when they do the extended walk though.

 

[Orangehorse]

Rollkur, blue tongue? Hopefully all that is in the past.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

I watched some of the dressage...mainly the freestyle as, quite frankly, the rest bores me to tears (sorry dressage peeps ?). That's not to say that I don't appreciate the work that goes into it etc but I do wonder how much horses actually enjoy it..?? Alot of horses seem to really enjoy their jumping, cross country (not all of them I don't suppose).
That said, I see riders, like Charlotte and Carl, who have really raised the bar for safety, care and all round welfare in the dressage world and I have a massive amount of admiration for them both. I would also agree that it was a more pleasant viewing experience that in the past.
Plus I do like to watch the slowy down trotting/first gear (passage), I absolutely love the hopittiy skippity stuff (tempi changes) and the stuck in neutral (piaffe),??

 

[Griffin]

I watched some of the dressage...mainly the freestyle as, quite frankly, the rest bores me to tears (sorry dressage peeps ?). That's not to say that I don't appreciate the work that goes into it etc but I do wonder how much horses actually enjoy it..?? Alot of horses seem to really enjoy their jumping, cross country (not all of them I don't suppose).

I think it often depends on the horse. My mare actually seems to enjoy lateral work and is far more enthused by it than just hacking (although she likes a slow hack). My mare had a very difficult start in life and initially disliked schooling when I first owned her but with a sympathetic trainer, we discovered that she loves doing dressage movements. We don't do it to compete, rather because she enjoys it.

 

[sbloom]

Rollkur, blue tongue? Hopefully all that is in the past.

If only, the evidence is there to see that RK still happens in training, and there was a blue tongue recently, perhaps with the rider who had broken the rules yet not eliminated mentioned above?

I agree the standards have improved, we are a little nearer the classical ideals than we were in 2003 when watching the whole of the Europeans at Hickstead was the beginning of the end of competitive dressage for me. There are still plenty of tests I find incredibly sad to watch.

As for the double - the curb and snaffle have different, and distinct, uses. For someone with that understanding, and good hands, it's the ultimate communication tool, as are spurs, which are to press "buttons" on the horses' sides for most riders, when you have so many different movements to do they really help refine the aid from "forwards" or "sideways" to something more specific.

http://www.sustainabledressage.net/tack/bridle.php#kandar

 

[milliepops]

I think it often depends on the horse. My mare actually seems to enjoy lateral work and is far more enthused by it than just hacking (although she likes a slow hack). My mare had a very difficult start in life and initially disliked schooling when I first owned her but with a sympathetic trainer, we discovered that she loves doing dressage movements. We don't do it to compete, rather because she enjoys it.

agree, my weird cob really doesn't like hacking, she gets dragged out periodically to have some variety but her whole demeanor changes and she gets really stressed by it. she wasn't much of a fan of prelim/novice level work but teaching the changes and then the advanced work absolutely lit her little world up. she wears her heart on her sleeve and if she's not enjoying her work she lets me know, clearly

i tried doing some SJ with her, she couldn't see the point, she doesn't even like poles really, no way would she enjoy XC (too much potential for lions to eat her in the great outdoors)
I think she would be very happy to never be ridden again but given that she's a riding horse the arena is her preferred job

 

[Wishfilly]

I watched some of the dressage...mainly the freestyle as, quite frankly, the rest bores me to tears (sorry dressage peeps ?). That's not to say that I don't appreciate the work that goes into it etc but I do wonder how much horses actually enjoy it..?? Alot of horses seem to really enjoy their jumping, cross country (not all of them I don't suppose).
That said, I see riders, like Charlotte and Carl, who have really raised the bar for safety, care and all round welfare in the dressage world and I have a massive amount of admiration for them both. I would also agree that it was a more pleasant viewing experience that in the past.
Plus I do like to watch the slowy down trotting/first gear (passage), I absolutely love the hopittiy skippity stuff (tempi changes) and the stuck in neutral (piaffe),??

There are plenty of horses out there that are completely sour to jumping. And I do think a lot of what we perceive as enjoyment of e.g. cross country may actually be stress and tension.

Some horses seem to genuinely enjoy working out the puzzle of what you want them to do. Some horses definitely feel the arena is their "safe space" too, and don't love hacking. I'm sure most of the top horses at least don't hate what they are being asked to do- because they just wouldn't have the trainability to get there!

I used to know a pony who'd sort of piaffe in the field and under saddle when he felt like it- I think it was partly a frustration thing, but he seemed to genuinely enjoy doing it, and hadn't been formally taught.

 

[splashgirl45]

my mare used to piaffe at the gate if i was late getting her in during the winter. she had never been taught to do it...

 

[Renvers]

I agree with you all that Dressage at this level seems to be improving, it had lost its way for a while.

I felt in the Individual Freestyle there were routines which actually looked like the horses (and riders) were really enjoying themselves, especially Gio and Fogoso, they were a joy to watch.

 

[honetpot]

I think there is a problem for most of the public viewing, the marking system at that level is very difficult to understand, then if you add a horse that looks uncomfortable, it's not really something you would want to watch for fun. I must be one of the few people who do not like dressage to music, my pleasure is from seeing different sorts of horses complete the same test, and seeing how they are marked. Like show jumping, when you know home some of them are trained it spoils a lot of the pleasure.
This year I have loved to new sports that have been included, the fact that something like skateboarding can be enjoyed at club level with very little money, something that anyone could aspire to. The eye watering amounts the horses are worth, and the funding they take up, just doesn't add up in a society where we should be encouraging sports at grass roots level that anyone can take part in.

 

[splashgirl45]

agree many sports cost less than horses, but there are many people,me included, who dont have lots of money but spend what they do have on horses in one way or another, and not on , clothes, foreign holidays, cigarettes,alcohol, expensive nights out etc., this is how i have managed.....its nice for people at the lower levels to see the best so they can aspire to that by competing at a low level..how many of us used to watch the showjumping on the tv (when they used to show HOYS all week)and couldnt wait to go to the riding school and jump a crosspole, i think it would be a shame to stop all of that......

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

I think it often depends on the horse. My mare actually seems to enjoy lateral work and is far more enthused by it than just hacking (although she likes a slow hack). My mare had a very difficult start in life and initially disliked schooling when I first owned her but with a sympathetic trainer, we discovered that she loves doing dressage movements. We don't do it to compete, rather because she enjoys it.

agree, my weird cob really doesn't like hacking, she gets dragged out periodically to have some variety but her whole demeanor changes and she gets really stressed by it. she wasn't much of a fan of prelim/novice level work but teaching the changes and then the advanced work absolutely lit her little world up. she wears her heart on her sleeve and if she's not enjoying her work she lets me know, clearly



i tried doing some SJ with her, she couldn't see the point, she doesn't even like poles really, no way would she enjoy XC (too much potential for lions to eat her in the great outdoors)
I think she would be very happy to never be ridden again but given that she's a riding horse the arena is her preferred job

There are plenty of horses out there that are completely sour to jumping. And I do think a lot of what we perceive as enjoyment of e.g. cross country may actually be stress and tension.

Some horses seem to genuinely enjoy working out the puzzle of what you want them to do. Some horses definitely feel the arena is their "safe space" too, and don't love hacking. I'm sure most of the top horses at least don't hate what they are being asked to do- because they just wouldn't have the trainability to get there!

I used to know a pony who'd sort of piaffe in the field and under saddle when he felt like it- I think it was partly a frustration thing, but he seemed to genuinely enjoy doing it, and hadn't been formally taught.

Interesting thoughts. I didn't exactly say that all horses must hate dressage but I wonder what they make if it really..?? As I said, I realise not every horse loves jumping either.
It's good to get input from people doing dressage as to their horse's attitudes towards it
Some movements are so technical and precise that I'm guessing the horse would have to be genuinely engaged in the process to "get it". I think perhaps the fact that, in dressage, the horse's ears are more focused on the rider and during (most) jumping their ears are pricked forward giving the impression of keeness ?‍?‍
It's certainly an interesting topic for discussion..Im warming to dressage "slightly" more these days lol

 

[milliepops]

i think horses can get into dressage movements as much as xc but there is not the same outside stimulus so you don't see the ears pricked unless they spot a flowerpot