Women's pentathlon

the ladies are definitely a cut above the gents aren't they? not necessarily in total control at all times but definitely more balanced/ kinder with their hands overall
 
Anyone else think this could've been improved if they'd all been made to ride larger native ponys? (Fell, Dale, Highland, Welsh Ds). Would decrease prabability of horse flipping over by rearing due to crappy riding, increase probability of pony just staging a sit in/ piss off to the collecting ring if rider not good enough.

Plus would be hilarious for the audience :D

YP would have a melt down if he was ridden to a fence like some of these are :( although he has practiced his 'I'll scare you off by rearing' in the past :rolleyes: so he might not even get to a fence.
 
And everyone's a critic!:o

I think these riders are not doing too badly. I would bet that half the riders on here who have their own horse and ride most days a week could not do any better. They only have 20 mins to get used the horse and can only jump 5 fences, so really will not have much idea if the horse prefers to run on or not. It is not easy to see a stride as soon as you sit on a horse. If we have a strong horse,we would know and perhaps warm up for much longer to take the edge off it. Yes, I agree its not very pretty at times, but some of these horses don't look easy and would not be used to this type of environment. I too would be nervous!:eek:
 
And everyone's a critic!:o

I think these riders are not doing too badly. I would bet that half the riders on here who have their own horse and ride most days a week could not do any better. They only have 20 mins to get used the horse and can only jump 5 fences, so really will not have much idea if the horse prefers to run on or not. It is not easy to see a stride as soon as you sit on a horse. If we have a strong horse,we would know and perhaps warm up for much longer to take the edge off it. Yes, I agree its not very pretty at times, but some of these horses don't look easy and would not be used to this type of environment. I too would be nervous!:eek:

Exactly - it's a real skill to be able to get on something and get a tune out of it that quickly. It's why most uni riding teams are made up of multiple horse owners and riding school people, not one horse owners...
 
you are dead right sare_bear but this is an olympic event isnt it??

But without knowing the standard of World MP events, this could be the best they ever ride. I bet their World Champs arn't held in the same way WEG is organised for a start.

So many armchair critics about a sport most people don't really know that much about...
 
you are dead right sare_bear but this is an olympic event isnt it??

It is, but riding is not their sole discipline. Most are not riders, that then think lets do pentathlon. They often come from non horsey countries as such. Not making excuses for them, but like in triathlons some are not good at one bit and make up in other areas. Look at some in the Olympic SJ, eventing that know their horse and still fell off! Often heard in the commentary that this is a new horse for the rider and can see they have not got used to each other and that is after 8 months!
 
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