Olympic Dressage article in Guardian

[equifun]

An 'interesting' viewpoint :

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

 

[muffinino]

Wow, that was a well researched, un-biased, inelligent article

I fail to see why journalists insist upon attacking sports such as dressage, synchronised swimming etc as being pointless or stupid when they haven't got a clue how it works. What's it got to do with them? They might not enjoy it but others do so what's it to them? I don't enjoy football, can't see the point of it, but that doesn't mean I think others should be deprived of the pleasure they get out of it. Honestly...

 

[haybales]

i actually couldnt finish reading that article, my bood was beginning to boil!!! im actually amazed its been published, it's almost libel!!!

 

[Halfstep]

He's just an ignorant tosser, and I can't believe a decent newspaper would print such a pile of un-informed bullshite. Frankly.

 

[k1963]

Typical Guardian style reporting

I'm not a fan of pure dressage , but live & let live & try some research before knocking something !

 

[haybales]

my recent experiences of journalists seems to show the same, they want to be sensationalist and disregard any consequences of what they write, nor seem to know how to research absolutely anything.

 

[TarrSteps]

To be fair, it's not an "article" it's an "op ed" piece - someone's opinion. The purpose is to get people talking . . .


I suspect lots of people feel similarly, to be honest. Unless the sport makes the opposite view just as attractive people are usually going to go with the simplistic, smart *** view point.

 

[Hettie]

oh gosh that made me chuckle

Bless his ignorant little soul... Snooker indeed... Doesn't he just sound so much.. fun..

 

[skewbaldpony]

one has to realise that intellectual pseudo working class inverted snobbery is the grauniad's stock in trade. and to be sure of getting the little islingtonites onside, he mentioned foxhunting early on.
Ooh and as for being up for snooooker, how deliciously gritty and housing estate can you get.
Pass the chablis and have another olive darling, mind you don't burn the focaccia.
Yawn.

 

[smallbutgreat]

Mildly funny piece, but do think they were trying to get a rise.

Now, over to one of us I guess. I'll bet The Guardian is open to someone from here submitting a similar length opinion piece in defence of dressage!

(Can't even think of attempting it myself, it has NOT been our equine strength to say the least).

 

[k1963]

That made me

- thanks !

 

[kit279]

Luckily, noone who makes the decisions actually cares what he thinks! Perhaps someone ought to point out that the original point of dressage was control of one's horse in warfare. I think the piaffe would be appropriate here - trampling repeatedly on the enemy's head..

 

[BBH]

I thought it was quite funny actually and tongue in cheek. I think its quite relevant that the layman would have no idea what was good and what was bad about the movements, or what any objective was. Rather than get indignant that needs to be overcome if ever you want it to become mainstream, on the other hand dressage people might prefer it to be considered elitist, who knows, but there are enough 'horse people' who don't 'get' dressage. It is terminally boring.

Prepares to run off and hide.

 

[skewbaldpony]

well I find football terminally boring, but sadly that doesn't stop them,
and as for snooker. save us.

 

[lucretia]

he has got a point about sorts that are judged sujectively though. i do sort of feel that a sport is something that can be 'won' fair and sqare by the fastest, longest, biggest etc etc.....

 

[MissDeMeena]

I agree with lucretia..
Also, as an eventing person, who can ride dressage up to say Med. level (all be it in a crap way).. i also fail to see what's going on.. so god only knows what some unhorsey person thinks of it..
I also do get a bit (insert feeling) when watching horses in endless passage and piaffe.. lets face it, it doesn't look quite right

*will run and hide now*

 

[MotherOfChickens]

thought it was funny, maybe the way equestrianism, particularly dressage, is perceived is because it takes itself way too seriously?! can you not see how it looks to a non horsey person-even to me it looks like some of the horses are mad

 

[Hullabaloo]

[ QUOTE ]
I thought it was quite funny actually and tongue in cheek. I think its quite relevant that the layman would have no idea what was good and what was bad about the movements, or what any objective was. Rather than get indignant that needs to be overcome if ever you want it to become mainstream, on the other hand dressage people might prefer it to be considered elitist, who knows, but there are enough 'horse people' who don't 'get' dressage. It is terminally boring.

Prepares to run off and hide.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks - I was just going to post something along these lines but you've put it so much better than I could.

Lighten up people - its actually quite an amusing, well written article and pokes fun at a number of sports, not just dressage. I'm sure to dressage enthusiasts it is fun to watch, but to most people it probably just looks dull, dull, dull.

LHS - any room for me, wherever you're hiding

 

[skewbaldpony]

You want me to lighten up *more* than passing the olives and reheating the ciabatta?
Blimey.

 

[Hullabaloo]

Well I can only suggest it humbly as I am guilty of partaking of the Guardian and presumably therefore by association guilty of intellectual pseudo working class inverted snobbery which is apparently its stock in trade. However I've never been to Islingon and support foxhunting but please don't tell my newsagent or he might never sell me another copy (mind you I do know people who live on a housing estate so I might just get away with it).

Black or green olives?

Yawn.

 

[skewbaldpony]

[ QUOTE ]
Well I can only suggest it humbly as I am guilty of partaking of the Guardian and presumably therefore by association guilty of intellectual pseudo working class inverted snobbery which is apparently its stock in trade. However I've never been to Islingon and support foxhunting but please don't tell my newsagent or he might never sell me another copy (mind you I do know people who live on a housing estate so I might just get away with it).

Black or green olives?

Yawn.

[/ QUOTE ]

You are right. One of us needs to lighten up.

 

[kerilli]

Must admit, watching the last few go in the kur having read the article, i did think that the horse that entered, halted at X and proceeded to drool quite dramatically, reminded me of the horrible thing in Jurassic Park that spits at the fat guy!
the horses do look a bit demented, and really, ballet on horseback is a bit mental..!

 

[Hullabaloo]

[ QUOTE ]

You are right. One of us needs to lighten up.

[/ QUOTE ]

Now lightening up nicely with glass of wine in hand

 

[skewbaldpony]

Ditto

 

[Hullabaloo]

Cheers

 

[skewbaldpony]

Your very good health!!!

 

[caemar1]

When I read the few few posts about this I prepared myself to get angry while reading the article.

But actually, I was laughing my head off while reading it!!!! Very funny with the authors tongue firmly in his cheek!

 

[KenRehill]

Watched some of the syncro swimming this morning and have to say it was more interesting. Except for the two American commentators motor mouthing. I had to turn the sound down, but synchro is more about pictures, from a male perspective.

 

[Faithkat]

Any "sport" is pointless if you really boil it down:
football : 22 people kicking what was originally an air-filled pig's bladder around
golf : hitting a ball with a stick into a hole you can't even see
synchronised swimming : now, what's that all about?
swimming : yeah, yeah, so you can swim fast but why?
athletics, particularly running : see swimming comment above but replace swmming with running . . .
etc etc. I'm not dissing any sports, by the way, it's just an overly-simplified comment

The Guardian journalist obviously has absolutely no idea that classical dressage movements started on the medieval battlefield as a way of avoiding bodies on the ground!

 

[Puppy]

LOL! I've only just seen this. I have a friend who writes for the Guardian and have asked her to "have a word"

Complete with this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKQgTiqhPbw