XC - tired horses

i know the course is supposed to be challenging...but some horse were properly knackered! Mark Todd was whipping his horse to the last fence and it just barely made it over. i think the riders get a bit caught up in the moment and maybe just push the horses a bit too much xx
 
EKW said:
I generally get very anoyed when people say ban racing due to deaths and peoples attitudes towards racing compared to other equestrian sports.

BUT

That has nothing to do with the Olympic eventing. I am genuinely curios as to why no one pulls up horses on the xc course when they are tired and insist on completing the course regardless.

Also - whats at the bottom of the water? As in - what surface lies underneath? Mud? Stones? Concrete? Something that doesn't look to have much give in it by the looks of it.
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EKW, we know you have an axe to grind . . . and I get that you are passionate about racing . . . but at least get your facts straight before getting out your whetstone.

P
 
Mark Todd gave his horse one smack before the fence and another on the run in - hardly whipping it. The horse did look tired but not so much that he should have been pulled up.

Some horses just have more stamina than others, I don't think it is just to do with fitness. Some just find it easier than others to jump and gallop.

If you jumped and galloped for 10 minutes up and down hill over nearly 30 fences, your hunter would be pretty tired too.

I had a great day watching it on TV - and got to the bottom of my ironing basket.
 
I think a lot has to do with the difference between a TB like Miners Frolic and the warm blood horses. A few did finish tired, just hope they aren't broken as that's when it's more likely to happen.
 
amymay said:
Littlemouse, Mark Todd smacked his horse once - and not at the last fence....
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i think he did? unless it was Will Fox-Pitt...i might be getting confused. one of them gave their horse a smack before the last fence and just made it over (the horseshoe fence)
 
I have to say I did not like to see MT hit the horse after the last fence but is it an issue in the big scheme of things no.
It was IMO a amazing show case for the sport at its highest level.
 
Yes tody did hit his horse but thats because they didnt quite make the striding and he wanted to get it over the fence. IMO the best thing to do....so what if its tired for one fence, get home clear. Im sure the horse is fine and happilly munching now
 
BobbyMondeo said:
Yes tody did hit his horse but thats because they didnt quite make the striding and he wanted to get it over the fence. IMO the best thing to do....so what if its tired for one fence, get home clear. Im sure the horse is fine and happilly munching now
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yes of course, good point hahaha xx all this arguing and i bet the horses couldnt even care less...they have food! hahaha :)
 
Orangehorse said:
Mark Todd gave his horse one smack before the fence and another on the run in - hardly whipping it. The horse did look tired but not so much that he should have been pulled up.

Some horses just have more stamina than others, I don't think it is just to do with fitness. Some just find it easier than others to jump and gallop.

If you jumped and galloped for 10 minutes up and down hill over nearly 30 fences, your hunter would be pretty tired too.

I had a great day watching it on TV - and got to the bottom of my ironing basket.
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To be honest, I'd rather a horse was given a wakeup smack coming into a x-country fence and jumped it safely than left alone and jumped clumsily putting horse and rider in jeopardy. And let's not forget that there are stewards and vets on course whose job it is to pull up those riders whose horses they feel are struggling hard.

And EKW, I don't see you moaning about Grand National horses finishing tired and they go round in a great scrum versus event horses going round one at a time so that they can only get in their own way and not bring down several others when they're leg weary.

Right . . . I'm off to eat dinner and let this thread spiral out of control.

P
 
Who cares if it's tired for one fence? Well one fence is all it takes.

I cant remember who it was, a male anywho, just an individual not a team member? who gave a shocking display of riding over the last 3 fences. Belted the horse a few times before each fence, met them all wrong and nearly landes in a heap over the last. That was obviously rider error as the horse was still clearly pulling.

I asked what was under the water as I don't know. Could've been a bouncy castle for all I know! It just seemed that most horses were jolting or pecking on landing when going in and jumping things in the water.
 
I must say I thought the XC today was a great advert for the sport, yes the course was challenging, that's the idea surely!

Fantastic crowds and many superb performances by riders and horses.
As for horses being knackered, some were more tired than others but that is
always going to be the case, I honestly don't think any of the riders today would put their ambitions before the welfare of their horses, not in a million years actually.
From what I've seen this is not a sport where any rider would be successful if they didn't always put their horses well-being first, the reasons are fairly obvious I'd have thought.

Reckon the SJ will be compulsive viewing!

Cheers All

Tony
 
I just asked why event horses never seem to be pulled up and finished regardless! I quite happily boot the backsides of jockeys that do that to horses - I did it to one of our lads the other day.

Yes limits are there to be pushed but sometimes they are pushed too far and thats when problems arise.
 
Anywho, I'd better go feed my show horses enough food to put another few inches onto their inpressive waistlines and add a 6th rug whilst I'm at it ;)
 
EKW said:
Who cares if it's tired for one fence? Well one fence is all it takes.

I asked what was under the water as I don't know. Could've been a bouncy castle for all I know! It just seemed that most horses were jolting or pecking on landing when going in and jumping things in the water.
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The landing in the water would have been designed and modified where necessary to make it as horse/rider safe as possible, this applies to all water obstacles in eventing!

Regards

Tony
 
EKW said:
I just asked why event horses never seem to be pulled up and finished regardless! I quite happily boot the backsides of jockeys that do that to horses - I did it to one of our lads the other day.

Yes limits are there to be pushed but sometimes they are pushed too far and thats when problems arise.
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Event horses are pulled up when tired . . . most often by the riders . . . sometimes by officials. I've seen it happen many times. I don't believe that any of the horses who finished tired today were beyond their limits.

And here I said I was going to go and eat . . . husband is making the salad, must put the computer down . . .

P
 
EKW said:
Anywho, I'd better go feed my show horses enough food to put another few inches onto their inpressive waistlines and add a 6th rug whilst I'm at it ;)
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Not sure what this means, but . . . give them a pat and an extra likkit each from me while you're at it . . . ;).

P
 
EKW said:
I just asked why event horses never seem to be pulled up and finished regardless! I quite happily boot the backsides of jockeys that do that to horses - I did it to one of our lads the other day.

Yes limits are there to be pushed but sometimes they are pushed too far and thats when problems arise.
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They pulled up all the time by both riders and stewards. This thread is a little ridiculous to be honest
 
Polarskye, go eat your tea, don't take the bait.

Nothing wrong with the horses today, yes some we're tired, but no more tired than a racehorse is after a ace, or any horse is after a good gallop.

They are 5 star horses with 5 star rides at a 5 star event.

They should be applauded at how quickly the vets were on scene when required.
 
I do agree EKW, that final double second to last had a fair few looking tired a they went over, but none that looked anywhere near like how they looked at last years boiling hot badminton.

I think the fact that they were tiring there demonstrates it was a good course - tired at the second last fence with one straightforward final fence isn't any harder than horses running in from a 4 miler in mud! (I have no issue with either in general)
 
EKW event horses ate pulled up. And after the issues raised at a previous Games (Athens?), riders will now be stopped on course and retired if a horse is obviously struggling.

I must admit I'm struggling with your post. And you're either showing a staggering level of nativity or deliberately flaming (which would be a shame..)
 
huntley said:
One of the skills of cross country riding is in being able to ride a tired horse home sympathetically. Just demonstrated by both William and Toddy. They are younger horses and probably a bit overawed by the presence of so many cheering people. I am sure they will be fresh in the morning. Thought all the horses finished very well given the terrain.
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Excellent post!

On the whip issue, I remember seeing Lester Piggott being interviewed about the whip ban in racing. The interviewer asked whether whips should be used and Lester replied "No". The interviewer became quite animated thinking he had a real scoop, "Why not?" he asked excitedly. "Well" replied Lester, "Some of them just don't like it".

A really great rider knows when and how to use a whip.

Go Team GBR!!
 
It is a team event,if one of ours gets pulled up it buggers up the competition for the rest of the team..simple.It was a very tight undulating course,a bit tricky to ride..did`nt see one truly tired horse anyway. Tired,as in National winners,no not at all.
 
I was there and there were one or two a wee bit tired at the end but they monitor their recovery time, I assume all the horses recovered to resting heart rates well within the required time. Yes there were hills, water and rough terrain, not to mention some pretty hefty jumps but they all covered the ground well and jumped well. I can tell you without a
Shadow of a doubt that I, as a human am a hell of a lot more knackered than any of those horses right now. And all the riders out there are acutely aware that a good dressage and xc count for nothing if you mess up your sj because your horse is too knackered. Perhaps we should stop marathon runners from running such long tiring races;)
 
And I have seen horses pulled up in the past by top riders ( including some of team gb) in past Olympics and other 3 day events... Just not today
 
I was present. The majority were fit. A couple were not & I saw 1US team member become unsEated & horse fall T fence 11. Horse completely winded & not in condition & probably why fell. WilliamFP nursed his home as tired at end & incurred penalty points. Quite a few unseated riders,a portion may have been as a result of fatigue. Main problem was ground. Good old London clay with slick, slightly damp grass over so a fair few slipped. I have regularly seen event horses pulled up & also withdrawn from x-c if not perceived as fit enough, so the " never pulled up " statement is nonsense.
 
This thread has really rattled me. I think OP started it to create a bit of heat but the responses agreeing some were too tired and should have been pulled up reflect today's attitude to life.
If horses and people worked harder there would be less overweight idle unhealthy equines and humans.
I know what I say will cause outrage from some, but honestly, most people I meet are workshy. Kids working at local stables for the chance of a ride is never seen anymore. It's all about getting the most from life whilst putting as little as possible effort in.
The country is on it's ass because not enough humans have a work ethic and those that do, rarely work physically. We have fat people and fat horses and very fat dogs. It's not only good to work hard and break a sweat, it's actually healthy, and the wonderful feeling of being tired after working hard is something many people or horses have ever experienced.
We seem to have gone from one extreme to the other. 100 years ago horses and humans were worked into the ground with no care for their health. Today it seems the norm for both to do nothing but get fat and unhealthy.
What happened to common sense.
 
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