Tokyo Pentathlon SJ

[Outofpractice]

It's a nice change to watch a German who can't ride though

 

[Fransurrey]

Just watched the clip of Saint Boy's second round with the German rider, after a non-horsey friend posted on FB, horrified. It was a good reminder of why I never watch the modern pentathlon showjumping round...

 

[[59668]]

Don't understand why it can't be an 80cm jumping and style or something. Would improve things all round surely.
The very fact that they can continue after 2 refusals at a fence or are only DQ after 2 falls speaks volumes as to the standard that is expected!

 

[Kat]

I just rewatched both of saint boy's rounds and he really should have been withdrawn on welfare grounds after his first round. He was obviously very upset and was not going to be able to jump a second round sensibly.

He appeared to lose confidence after the first rider got left behind over the first fence and started to slightly cat leap meaning he got socked in the gob again, and as the rider got more nervous she took more of a hold until he downed tools.

The tack amplified everything, a Cheltenham gag with a running martingale and no second rein in the hands of some very novicey riders was a disaster waiting to happen. It is a testament to the horse that he didn't go up and over.

Chances of him going in and jumping sensibly in the second round were virtually nil even with a good rider, but the rider was clearly terrified before she started and it is very sad that she didn't feel able to withdraw before it got so bad. The horse should have been subbed after the first round as he was clearly very unhappy. Again it is very lucky that the horse didn't cause a serious accident.

I do hope that he isn't allowed to compete in the men's event and that serious consideration is given to the rules of the sport to prevent this kind of thing happening.

 

[Rowreach]

Oh good god the comments on Facebook- the horses should just jump the jumps you know ???

 

[Steerpike]

I'm sorry I haven't read the whole thread, but where do the horses come from that they use, do they have to be a certain standard?

 

[Tiddlypom]

I hope that the owner steps in and stops Saint Boy from taking any further part in the competition, even if the officials are too weak and pathetic to do so.

 

[GreyMane]

Not seen much but what I saw, I thought the horses were extremely generous, bless 'em, and must come away quite messed-up in some cases.
Agree the fences are too big for the riders, and disagree with spurs being allowed. Many riders looking nervous and hanging onto the reins for grim death.

Any scope for a petition for changes, do you think?

 

[Kadastorm]

There was a french rider early on who although not her best discipline, was obviously conscious of not socking the poor horse in the mouth. She rode with a relaxed rein and left the horse to it and gave it a good pat.

then there was a Chinese rider I think who, even when she finished, had a really short rein and she was trotting, laughing her head off, with her hands going up and down and yanking the poor horses mouth.

GB competitors normally come from a pony club background, as do many of Ireland’s riders and there is usually a huge difference in ability compared to many others.

only just watching Kate Frenchs round and the difference is immense. Haven’t seen the German rider with Saint Boy yet and not sure I want to. Something really needs to change because it’s not on in 2021 that horses are suffering. Apart from Saint Boy, the horses look to be a really good bunch and some of them I would really want to ride!

 

[Kat]

Tbh I think saint boy was probably a nice horse before his first round and had he been ridden by a better and more sympathetic rider he might have got round ok. He was quite generous to the Russian competitor to begin with then it all got a bit much for him.

 

[teapot]

What surprises me most about MP is the standard doesn't seem to get better, yet the running/shooting does? It's about time the riding is taken as seriously as the four other sports, but unless you've got funding like the Brits have, or be in a country that riding is A proper sport, they'll struggle.

I can't be truly uphauled or discusted at what the German rider did in response - think we've all seen worse locally, or been in a position of sat on a napping horse. I mean her whip use was pretty ineffectual too. Those competitors aren't riders first and I'm just not sure we (collectively) can truly come down on them in the way say one of the pure sj-ers would receive some flack. They clearly need some investment in the sport in their respective countries, but some may well have never sat on a horse that did what Saint Boy did... Hard to get to our heads around I know but they'll see the horse as a tool, not as a partnership, and the short warm up won't help that. Maybe it's time MP changed and coming under FEI rules would be a start...

I'm finding the pure sj a tad more uncomfortable to watch.

 

[Michen]

I cannot believe these even exists. I’d be in hysterics if it wasn’t for the poor horses!!!!!!

 

[teapot]

The UIMP rules are an interesting read - resistance is defined and a known penalty

 

[Cloball]

I actually like the fact it is an unknown horse. I think it makes the sport more accessible you don't NEED horse power and owners etc. This is how the BUCS championships runs. What I don't like is the height of the fences, the fact good horsemanship isn't rewarded above bad horsemanship and the fact it doesn't seem to be taken seriously by a lot of the competitors and thus doesn't improve (arguably gets worse).

Poor Saint Boy was being literally hauled around in a Cheltenham gag :-( It was really horrible to watch.

I only happened to see it because when I turned the TV on it was on the channel this was being shown on. The fact they let them wear spurs as well when some of them have no real idea of where their lower legs are most of the time has made my blood boil for decades.
I can't remember whether it was Beijing or Seoul when it was absolute carnage, very surprised they're still allowed to do this.

Beijing was carnage but I think they really struggled to find horses at all.

 

[teapot]

There are rules about behaviour and whip use though, just perhaps not to the FEI standard.

 

[hoofprints1994]

One of our previous pentathletes was just talking on the BBC, said Annika (german rider) would have had the opportunity before riding to ask for a different horse after seeing Saint Boys difficult first round. But obviously chose not to. She also commented that how tense she was did not help matters. Completely agree with above comments that the horse was really let down here and must have been so upset to start acting up like that.

I've never really enjoyed this event since I first watched it in the London Olympics and one horse reared up and flipped over with his rider (twice if I recall!). It just seems so unfair on the horses getting crashed through massive jumps and then massively losing their confidence - it really doesn't do much for the image of equestrian sport. The height of these fences mean they need to be respected, and sticking riders without the necessary skill/experience on random horses with 20 minute warm up doesn't really set you up for that. Our Olympic eventers were showjumping 1.25/1.30 which puts into perspective how ridiculous it is that these inexperienced riders are expected to jump 1.20!

 

[ycbm]

I think it's a horrid part of the competition and makes it almost a lottery who wins. The horse part should be replace with another sport or reduced to a quadrathlon, imo.
.

 

[Michen]

Whose the idiot commentator on discovery that keeps saying how happy the horse is and that’s why he’s swishing his tail! She’s clearly horsey ffs.

 

[Jeni the dragon]

They'd be much better doing a similar test to a BYEH class! Small simple dressage test then on to a small course to jump. It would be much kinder to the horses and riders.
Agree with @hoofprints1994 that the person on the BBC earlier really spoke well and will help a lot of people understand why things went so wrong.

 

[Oka]

Came here to comment and so glad to see it's already being covered. Hi everyone btw. I have no idea what I just watched on bbciplayer but I hope never to have to see that again. That poor. poor horse. Did you notice they were also all wearing spurs...?

 

[splashgirl45]

she made me wonder if she knew anything at all about the horses, saying when they keep swishing their tail it means they are enjoying it i am also shocked that they can fall off twice before being eliminated, where is health & safety? what happens if they are concussed the first time and then ride not knowing which way is up....surely they should be d/q if they come off.....one day there will be a very serious injury to someone and maybe one of the horses as well

 

[mariew]

It feels like the German lady didn't stand a chance regardless of what she did - the horse didn't want to be there and looked terrified. I especially didn't like the commentator expert saying she just needed to ride more positively. Unsure of what that meant, boot it in the ribs and whack it on the bum?

Hopefully the horse part of pentathlon is out in the next Olympics, it's not fair on the horses.

 

[shortstuff99]

I have just read that the horses normal rider, rides the horse around the course first so all the competitors can see how they jump. The current leader picks their horse and then everyone draws lots. So he must have looked nice under his normal rider? And the poor horses jumped 3 rounds!

 

[McFluff]

One of our previous pentathletes was just talking on the BBC, said Annika (german rider) would have had the opportunity before riding to ask for a different horse after seeing Saint Boys difficult first round. But obviously chose not to. She also commented that how tense she was did not help matters. Completely agree with above comments that the horse was really let down here and must have been so upset to start acting up like that.

I've never really enjoyed this event since I first watched it in the London Olympics and one horse reared up and flipped over with his rider (twice if I recall!). It just seems so unfair on the horses getting crashed through massive jumps and then massively losing their confidence - it really doesn't do much for the image of equestrian sport. The height of these fences mean they need to be respected, and sticking riders without the necessary skill/experience on random horses with 20 minute warm up doesn't really set you up for that. Our Olympic eventers were showjumping 1.25/1.30 which puts into perspective how ridiculous it is that these inexperienced riders are expected to jump 1.20!

Couldn’t agree more. Personally, I find the men’s comp even harder to stomach as they tend to be bigger and stronger.
The BBC interview was really helpful in explaining the behaviour of poor Saint Boys.

 

[Cowpony]

The part I hated (apart from the German on Saint Boy) was one of the riders who had a refusal and then yanked hard on her horse 's mouth several times before approaching again. She should have been eliminated for that!

 

[HashRouge]

I have just read that the horses normal rider, rides the horse around the course first so all the competitors can see how they jump. The current leader picks their horse and then everyone draws lots. So he must have looked nice under his normal rider? And the poor horses jumped 3 rounds!

Are you certain about that? Is it definitely in the Olympics?

 

[milliepops]

There's a jumping inspection where the horses are jumped , I think it was on Wednesday for these.

 

[shortstuff99]

There's a jumping inspection where the horses are jumped , I think it was on Wednesday for these.

Ah maybe it was earlier then today which makes it a bit easier.

 

[shortstuff99]

Are you certain about that? Is it definitely in the Olympics?

Yes they said at the Olympics. MP has said it was wednesday though not today.

 

[Equi]

Only watching this now as I wasn’t aware it was a thing. These riders look terrified. The horses are flippin honest. They are doing more than I ever will in the saddle but blimey you can see the difference from the professionals.

I havent read the comments.