What is Rolkur?

Its hyperflexion of the neck. It interferes with breathing, swollowing and sight.

Some people use it for so called training. I see it as torture.
 
I wasn't sure either when I first saw it mentioned, but after some Googling I found that it's when dressage horses are so overbent that their nose is stuck to their chest. It doesn't look very pleasant, aesthetically or welfare-wise.
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Thanks - i just searched online aswell and it seems seriously harsh. Strange that dressage judges arent encouraged to mark down for that unnatural position.
 
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Its hyperflexion of the neck. It interferes with breathing, swollowing and sight.

Some people use it for so called training. I see it as torture.

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It's also a way of making the horse sumbit to its rider, particularly used for "hot" WB types that the riders wouldn't otherwise be able to control. Horse can't see when it has its head tucked on to its chest so it is totally dependent on the rider, therefore it has to submit. Horses trained in rollkur learn that it's easier to submit than to fight.
 
The problem is, you can't always blame it on the dressage judges... Often the riders don't ride as "rolkury" when they are actually doing the test, they push the horse out to the contact and then get marked well for seeminly having a pretty outline. I think that stewards in the collecting ring should monitor this, and of course rider responsibility is very important but often you can't depend on this to prevent cruelty
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I'm not blaming the judges. I blame the riders, they are the ones sitting on the horses.

Judges, IMHO, are to be blamed for marking movements highly that are incorrectly executed just because they are flashy. Or just because it's a certain rider, possibly
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Its hyperflexion of the neck. It interferes with breathing, swollowing and sight.

Some people use it for so called training. I see it as torture.

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It's also a way of making the horse sumbit to its rider, particularly used for "hot" WB types that the riders wouldn't otherwise be able to control. Horse can't see when it has its head tucked on to its chest so it is totally dependent on the rider, therefore it has to submit. Horses trained in rollkur learn that it's easier to submit than to fight.

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perhaps then they should go back to basics and learn to ride properly. And if they carn't train and direct a strong horse then perhaps they shoud get someone with some skill and understanding instead of reaching for crappy gadgets or rough methods
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Big crimes start with small crimes.These days everybody seems to insist on flash nosebands,and other similar contraptions. "Its because he opens his mouth/cocks his jaw/evades the bit" they say.What this really means is that he doesnt trust your hands .Get rid of gadgets that cover up for poor riding,and then maybe people will do somthing about the big crimes like rollkur.
 
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THis is a 'good' example of Rollkur, it makes my stomach turn. The horse's head and neck are being held so tightly that the pressure on the bits are cutting off the blood supply to the horses tongue.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hIXGiV4N4k&feature=player_embedded

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Disgusting video. The poor horse just looks defeated and beaten, he has no spirit left. The people who advocate the use of rollkur by saying there's no evidence of physical harm should look at what it does to the horse's spirit if nothing else
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Very sad state of affairs that competitive dressage has come to this.
 
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