Valegro or Totilas??

Alchemy

Alchemy

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After watching Charlotte perform the other night it got me thinking as when i saw Edward Gal on Totilas perform a few years back it brought tears to my eyes so my question to you all is:

Who do you prefer? and why

;)
 
Valegro. While I loved watching Totilas when he was with Gal, I prefer Valegro (and not just because Charlotte and Carl are Brits). The only other time I have been that moved by a dressage performance was when Andreas Helgstrand (sp?) did that beautiful test on Bleu Hors Matine . . . magical.

P
 
Totilas is utterly beautiful and I'd dream of a horse like that (in an ideal world, where I would be brave enough to get on). He's a pretty colour. However, Valegro's face after his test on Tuesday, the way he sort of winked at the crowd, and looked so delightfully pleased with himself, that swings it for me. Valegro it is!
 
Valegro for me. Edward and Toto were totally amazing in their time, but now with Rath I think Toto's time has passed.

I love the way Charlotte and Valegro have such a strong bond, he tries his heart out with every aid given.
 
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JennyConnor said:
Valegro for me. Edward and Toto were totally amazing in their time, but now with Rath I think Toto's time has passed.

I love the way Charlotte and Valegro have such a strong, he tried his heart out with every aid given.
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Agree. For me, Totilas with Edward would be on par with Valegro and Cahrlotte.

But Totilas and Rath are nowhere near the standard of Valegro and Charlotte.

So now, Valegro it is!
 
My husband and I had this conversation after watching the Freestyle on TV on Tuesday. We were at Olympia and saw Totilas set the previous world record a few years back (2009?). Totilas was stunning with Edward, who still rides hot horses beautifully. Totilas was amazing in his time because the dressage world hadn't seen anything so apparently perfect before, but now with Valegro, the dressage world is seeing similar scores, but with a softness that I don't believe Totilas could equal. So my feeling is that Valegro has "raised the bar again" from Totilas because of his softness and relaxation and I am thrilled that the judges agree and are rewarding Charlotte and Carl for their sympathetic riding and training methods.
 
Hard one and a great comparison as with both the magic is in the harmony with the rider.
I loved EG and Totilas but I think Valegro has it for his confident laid back vibe for a horse at this level, his great correct neck and his correct open extensions in the trot.
But theres no doult that the relationship between the stallion and EG was something very very special.
 
Sadly i have to agree that Totilas is no longer is the horse we saw with Edward ( was a sad day when he was sold)in fact what is he up to these days its all gone very quiet?
Valegro certainly looks a much happier horse. wouldnt say no to either of them :-)
 
Garnet said:
My husband and I had this conversation after watching the Freestyle on TV on Tuesday. We were at Olympia and saw Totilas set the previous world record a few years back (2009?). Totilas was stunning with Edward, who still rides hot horses beautifully. Totilas was amazing in his time because the dressage world hadn't seen anything so apparently perfect before, but now with Valegro, the dressage world is seeing similar scores, but with a softness that I don't believe Totilas could equal. So my feeling is that Valegro has "raised the bar again" from Totilas because of his softness and relaxation and I am thrilled that the judges agree and are rewarding Charlotte and Carl for their sympathetic riding and training methods.
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Thank you for saying what I failed to . . . completely agree with this. Even my (very) non-horsey husband could see the difference wrt softness between Fine Time/Valegro and most of the others . . . open, willing, soft - I can't say relaxed because that little chestnut is obviously quite a hot horse at the moment, but the difference in the training methods are clear to see. Carl/Charlotte's horses are turned out, hack and are only schooled 4 times a week . . . these and other methods produce what we see - wonderful results and a really pleasing picture.

P
 
Alchemy said:
Sadly i have to agree that Totilas is no longer is the horse we saw with Edward ( was a sad day when he was sold)in fact what is he up to these days its all gone very quiet?
Valegro certainly looks a much happier horse. wouldnt say no to either of them :-)
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I think Toto took a year off due to injury. It was announced a couple of months ago that he'd be back in 2014 competing.

I totally agree about Valegro looking happy! At least he has hacking days and general days off (Carl said they only school 4 days a week) and he even gets turned out.
 
Valegro every time. Wonderful to watch a horse which isn't strung up like a puppet being able to move freely, something I always disliked Totilas and many other continentals for. Carl has been like a breath of fresh air, so glad his methods and training are getting the recognition it deserves.
 
Theres also the diffence that Valegro is still at the home he was started in that makes life easier for him and of course Valegro is a gelding that makes things easier for him.
It would be interesting to see EG ride Valegro and interesting to see Charoltte ride Undercover .
 
Love said:
love this video - if only they knew just how good he would become!

http://www.horseandcountry.tv/episode/valegro-was-famous
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Wonderful what Carl said about not being a greedy rider and look where that kind of approach has led Valegro.

Valegro all the way for me, I've seen him live 3 times now doing the Kur at the Olympics, Olympia last year and GPS at Hickstead this year. I have never taken to Totilas's way of going it just doesn't please my eye - such as that is.
 
Another here who would love to see Edward Gal sit on Valegro, seriously the man could ride my Lottie through a PSG! (if she wasn't a 13.2hh fell pony so his feet were on the floor, but you get my drift)
I would love a sit on both really before I decided which to ask Santa for!
 
Oh dear I am the only one who prefers Totilas. I think Valegro is technically more correct overall but for me only Edward and Totilas brought me out in goosebumps. I still think their piaffe and canter pirouettes cannot be bettered. I agree that with Rath there is not the same special partnership.
 
I saw totilas at the Windsor euros and I did not like his action and to me he never looks chilled and finding it easy going like valegro.


I very much doubt totilas will compete again. Call me a cynic, but I don't think they will want him beaten by valegro as it will effect his reputation and stud fees! Slightly bursts the bubble for his unbeaten record to go....
 
I'll be honest, Totilas was what inspired me to work on my dressage! I remember watching him during, was it the Beijing Olympics? and he was just WOW. The extravagant paces are unique but mind blowing.

Valegro is amazing, and the backstory to the training methods etc behind those fab scores is great, but Totilas just had that extra WOW for me. I'd agree that I think Valegro is probably a more correct and relaxed horse, but as has been said he is a gelding which helps.

I just wish Gal had still had Totilas during 2012 Olympics. Would have been the showdown of the century between him and Valegro.
 
shortstuff99 said:
Valegro for me all the way as he is effortless and relaxed! I'm not sure why everyone loves Gal's riding/training of Totilas as he trained the horse in the Dutch way that when other riders use they get slated for!
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Agreed! Wanted to say that too but didn't want to reopen that debate! Not sure why EG is forgiven for using the technique when everyone else is rightly slated for it.....
 
khalswitz said:
I just wish Gal had still had Totilas during 2012 Olympics. Would have been the showdown of the century between him and Valegro.
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It would have been a brillant showdown and totilas was young enough to have improved further without the change of rider .
Undercover has the capacity to score much higher when and if he settles more and theres Damien Hill to think about and there's that beauiful horse ( I forget it's names ) that Isobel Werth has just coming through , Valegro can't rest on his Laurels that's for sure .
 
vanrim said:
Oh dear I am the only one who prefers Totilas. I think Valegro is technically more correct overall but for me only Edward and Totilas brought me out in goosebumps. I still think their piaffe and canter pirouettes cannot be bettered. I agree that with Rath there is not the same special partnership.
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No, Totilas for me too :o I think Valegro is superb but he lacks that x factor for me between the two of them. I just think that Totilas has more elevation and presence, but of course the latter is probably because he's entire.
 
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