Rollkur and hyperflexion!!!

[Fiona clark]

I was wondering if anybody else finds this way of going repulsive? I have been away from competitive riding for a while only to return about a year ago! Surely it is easy to get a horse to overbend this way rather than having them work in a more natural outline .... i.e. the poll being the highest point and head on the vertical. I have been shocked to see some "top dressage riders" seeming to force horses beyond the vertical intentionally and being commended for it! Bizzarre I think as years ago and locally now I would be marked down for such riding. Thoughts please?

 

[trendybraincell]

My thoughts are that this topic has been done to death...

 

[Fiona clark]

Aw ok As I said been away for a while lol x

 

[Fiona clark]

Actually thinking maybe being away for a while been a good thing!!!

 

[Mondy]

Fiona - I absolutely agree with you.
I find it repulsive how desensitivised most 'serious' or 'professional' riders have become to this way of, what-can-you-say, riding. Have you seen the recent pictures of Adelinde Cornelissen and poor Parzifal from the World Cup in Holland?
It look like she's trying to take his lower jaw off and hang it on his chest. :-/

Clearly the subject hasn't been 'done to death' when you can go out, ride like this, and win World Cup Finals. Okay, that competition was in Holland, but as Fiona points out, it has become the thing to do to party with the 'in'-crowd here in Britain, too. I used to compete at Premier League level but had to stop because of the amount of abusive riding going on around me.

 

[Marydoll]

Can't quote on the phone, but no it hasnt been done to death, and as long as it continues it should be up for discussion and i feel I must comment on how dismissive your comment was to the op.
OP the more this awful way of riding is brought up and condemned, the more likely people will refrain from using it.

 

[Booboos]

I would be surprised if you see horses BTV in competitions and they don't get marked down for it.

As for what people do in the warm-up, you don't get marked for any of that.

My other thoughts on rollkur are on here if you fancy a search!

 

[baobei]

I used to compete at Premier League level but had to stop because of the amount of abusive riding going on around me.

 

[zefragile]

Did you report this abusive riding?

 

[LMR]

i seriously doubt you stopped competing at premier leagues just beacuse you saw abusive riding.. why would that stop you competing at premier leagues?

surely you should have reported it and carried on your own riding in an unabusive way?

i do not agree with roll kur and hyperflexion but I do understand that long deep and round as anky uses is not detrimental to the horses health.

is it the same with anything, any method used incorrectly is dangerous.

 

[trendybraincell]

Can't quote on the phone, but no it hasnt been done to death, and as long as it continues it should be up for discussion and i feel I must comment on how dismissive your comment was to the op.
OP the more this awful way of riding is brought up and condemned, the more likely people will refrain from using it.

My comment refers to the length at which Rolkur has been discussed on this forum, and personally I feel there is nothing more to be gained from raking up the same old comments. I was asked for my thoughts and that is what I gave.

OP: I don't know where abouts you are in the country, nor the level at which you compete, but when I've been out, personally I have not witnessed a slngle instance of Rolkur being used in the warm up (I'm not saying it doesn't happen!) and whilst I may not be a famous or a top level competitor, the few I know or have watched riding do not use rolkur either so I find it a little rude that people may believe that everyone at the top of the sport is practising rolkur.

Apologises if you found my post rude OP, I just get bored of the same topics over and over with no new ground, but thats not your fault

 

[Farma]

I was riding at a bd comp last wknd and my friends watched a 4 year old being ridden in 'hyperflexion' relentlessly for about 45 mins, the horse looked stressed and exhausted and was punished aggressively if it attempted to lift its head, my friend complained and bd are now investigating and taking the matter further.
I only saw short spells of what happened and it was tough to see, I am very pleased to say that bd et al are taking the matter very seriously though.
I don't know what score was achieved as the horse retired from its test as it was so stressed.

 

[Louise_88]

I was riding at a bd comp last wknd and my friends watched a 4 year old being ridden in 'hyperflexion' relentlessly for about 45 mins, the horse looked stressed and exhausted and was punished aggressively if it attempted to lift its head, my friend complained and bd are now investigating and taking the matter further.
I only saw short spells of what happened and it was tough to see, I am very pleased to say that bd et al are taking the matter very seriously though.
I don't know what score was achieved as the horse retired from its test as it was so stressed.

That sounds awful but it goes to show that if you see inappropriate riding then make a complaint and situations will be dealt with. I have yet to see any inappropriate riding BD but have seen some shocking dressage warm up BE from so called pros.

 

[Mondy]

i seriously doubt you stopped competing at premier leagues just beacuse you saw abusive riding.. why would that stop you competing at premier leagues?

.

Because I felt very uncomfortable - it was difficult to enjoy participating in something that to me felt a little wrong. And yes, I have tried official and personal complaints, both to no avail.

 

[Fiona clark]

Thank you guys was actually deeply hurt by first reaction to my post thinking .... oh no everyones gotten used to this!!! But I have been reassured that there are some others that feel you can never bring up these horrific subjects too often as it promotes awareness if nothing else! I must thank you all kindly for restoring my faith in the equine community and lets discuss things in a humane way x

 

[Fiona clark]

PS Mondy, good for you sticking by your guns babe x

 

[Fiona clark]

And sorry trendybraincell if I insinuated rudeness but some of us are not on this too regularly and maybe we should be .... I would never say that all top riders are doing this either and I used to work in a Grand Prix dressage yard in Germany so it's not all German riders either I know that some people generalise about these things x

 

[mandwhy]

To be honest I don't particularly follow equestrian sports at that level so I didn't know about rollkur being used until I saw it mentioned on here about 3 weeks ago. I don't think it's been done to death.

I find it very bizarre that people use this method, since it goes against the whole principals of classical riding doesn't it? I have only seen evidence of it being used in warm-up, but still it was unpleasant... it was the one with the blue tongue, said rider has stated he did not see horse's tongue has got stuck under or over the bit in some way, which I think is probably true.