Totilas' boy Tolegro

[ycbm]

For what it's worth this is incorrect. Gal has said that they tried turning Totilas out repeatedly and he became so distressed he was in danger of hurting himself. While my horses live out 24/7 I know enough to realize that some horses have not read the book on how they are expected to behave.

I'm not sure it's that simple. These expensive horses are barn reared so they can't hurt themselves, so he may already have been very psychologically damaged before Gal got him. Or because he was worth so much money, maybe they brought him in after a very short time so he did not hurt himself instead of leaving him to realise it wasn't going to kill him. Maybe he hated being on his own and would have been happier as a gelding with company. I've had a barn reared one, I think. Before I bought him he would jump out of the field, leaving other horses, and put himself back in his stable. After being with me for a while, he adored group turnout and would refuse to come in unless the others did too, so some can learn to enjoy it, but not all, I agree.

 

[fatpiggy]

Just had a look at the video and he looks like he is doing the can-can in front, and I think that comes from him sitting so low on his haunches. When he is more level in walk he therefore looks stilted. His trot is a case of never mind the quality, feel the width - all fireworks but little elevation/suspension and while he is tracking up he certainly no-where near overtracking. And his rider should look to himself too - he is tucking his chin down and thrusting his neck forward. He will end up with very round shoulders and cramped chest muscles, and probably get arthritis in his neck. Mind you, if the horse carries on like this much longer he will be wracked with arthritis too.

 

[Morgan123]

reminds me of that alsatian at crufts!!

 

[Pippity]

Reminds me of the Big Lick Tennessee Walking Horses - that 'crouched down at the back, flinging front legs around' thing.

God, I hope dressage doesn't head in that direction.

 

[Stockers]

I was never a fan of Totilas - I thought his movement was freaky and circus-like. tolegro even more so. Valegro has always done it for me.

The whims of those who hold the purse strings in dressage will dictate whether this way of going becomes the norm. I suspect it will.

 

[tallyho!]

For what it's worth this is incorrect. Gal has said that they tried turning Totilas out repeatedly and he became so distressed he was in danger of hurting himself. While my horses live out 24/7 I know enough to realize that some horses have not read the book on how they are expected to behave.

Perhaps... stallions do go a bit nutty out there if kept in for so long. So many interesting smells on the breeze, freedom blows their mind.

If humans ever get wiped out by some tragedy, at least we know which horses would survive... sensible breeding hopefully preserves qualities of survival and these manufactured versions would probably skitter themselves into a froth and melt.

 

[tristar]

my stallion has always been very lively when he is out, when he was young I just turned the other way, or went shopping to distract myself and thought` you will go out every day, you are a horse you need to move constantly, you will not stand in a stable all day, ` and yes there were times when he could have run twenty miles in a day round the field, he made tracks round the edge, made his presence known to all around by shouting, but I can say HE enjoyed every moment and has arrived at the age of 15 years totally sound and absolutely wonderful to ride, I think high courage and performance often go together and may look scary to us but I can only see it as a great horse making everyone aware of their presence.
the possibility of injury is fairly remote compared to the almost certainty of unsoundness from being trained too early and incorrectly, and I hate the way that rider is leaning back, he should be not overburdening that young horses quarters at that tender age by leaning.

I believe gal rejected toto at one point as he was hot, crikes he`s too hot and we can`t turn him out so we wreck him with rollkur, then sell him to ps.
I would love to have seen that horse with a rider to match his courage who would have allowed toto to truly express himself.

 

[EmmasMummy]

Rising three... so not yet three years old. Obviously already done a LOT of schooling, and prepped for big arena venue too....

I much prefer how he is moving in the rising three video. But, not that he is doing so much at rising three!

this makes me sad