Yet another delightful rider..... not..... when will this end?

[reynold]

Why did the FEI’s abuse case against Andrew McConnon fall apart?

On the back of the Andrew McConnon case, Pippa Cuckson, who's reported on FEI disciplinary proceedings for over 40 years, believes the procedure is flawed

www.horseandhound.co.uk

Good in depth Pippa Cuckson article regarding the reasons why Parra got a far more severe ban than McCannon for seemingly similar accusations.

 

[Marshpiper]

I have tried to copy link from Eurodressage re a danish rider Anders Hoek….article on their Facebook page….
Read ALL the attached articles….
The post uploaded according to my page 5 hours ago

 

[nikicb]

Danish Equestrian Federation Excludes Anders Hoeck for 2026

Danish Equestrian Federation Excludes Anders Hoeck for 2026

The Danish equestrian federation announced today that it will be excluding Danish rider Anders Hoeck from its federation. He not got a rider's licence in 2026, which means he won't be able to compete at DEF events in 2026.

eurodressage.com

 

[nikicb]

I have tried to copy link from Eurodressage re a danish rider Anders Hoek….article on their Facebook page….
Read ALL the attached articles….
The post uploaded according to my page 5 hours ago

Sorry, cross posted.

 

[Marshpiper]

Sorry, cross posted.

Please don’t apologise, you managed the link!!
But repeat, read the attached articles particularly the one re the Technical Delegate….

 

[nikicb]

Fairly balanced opinion from Richard Davison I think. And as I would expect from him.

Extra steps needed to ensure abusive riders change their methods, says Richard Davison

Rider and equestrian law specialist Richard Davison calls for extra steps to ensure riders suspended for horse abuse change their training methods

www.horseandhound.co.uk

 

[reynold]

I haven't heard of this rider before but reading the report it makes me wonder if he/his father's stud is associated in any way with Helgstrand?

Did Anders Hoeck at any time train under Helgstrand does anyone know?

The poor tech delegate must have gone thru hell since 2023.

 

[Marshpiper]

I feel extremely sorry for the TD, who now still has to face another appeal against the courts decision to find her not guilty of the things the Hoeck family accused her of….
At least the Danish equestrian are or seem to be standing firm beside her….

 

[Burnttoast]

Riders should possibly be careful about appearing to attempt to hound officials out of the sport, if they want it to continue. The idea that they would prefer less scrutiny does not look good, let's say.

 

[Marshpiper]

Riders should possibly be careful about appearing to attempt to hound officials out of the sport, if they want it to continue. The idea that they would prefer less scrutiny does not look good, let's say.

To say this case is appearing to hound officials seems to be an understatement….they have taken her to court and refuse to accept the courts decision….
I hope when their second yes second appeal to the higher court hopefully is also thrown out, that they are banned for much longer than a year….

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Sounds like an entitled little brat, with daddy trying to cover up his behaviour by forcing the poor official through court. Feels "we are more important than you and have £££'s"

If he was riding nicely, he wouldn't have been reported

 

[Ambers Echo]

Anyone seen the One Horse Life clip? Whipping a horse while he ate.

I mean obviously appalling but what was the trainer even trying to achieve? It was a filmed clip for training purposes not an undercover clip of a moment of frustration.

 

[sbloom]

Anyone seen the One Horse Life clip? Whipping a horse while he ate.

I mean obviously appalling but what was the trainer even trying to achieve? It was a filmed clip for training purposes not an undercover clip of a moment of frustration.

Post in thread 'CDJ withdrawn from paris'

9 February 2026

I'm so out of touch with dressage...I totally stopped engaging after the initial CDJ abuse but this just looks awful - wobbly, overbent horse generally but the trot in particular is grim. Legs snapping up then wobbling around a bit before 'landing'. It is a caricature. This horse doesn't, to me, present strength, confidence and harmony. CDJ has maintained her trademark death grip on the horse's head and adds in an extra pull in this clip, I guess for emphasis? Yuk. I guess it's normal at that level now. Poor horses.

This is why I keep banging on about training, that what most...

• sbloom

• 

Sorry, it's grabbed the wrong link, but we started on it there at the beginning of the week

 

[Ambers Echo]

Totally missed all that! Sorry. Depressing that there are 2 different lengthy threads on abusive trainers.

 

[sbloom]

Totally missed all that! Sorry. Depressing that there are 2 different lengthy threads on abusive trainers.

Isn't it just

 

[Rumtytum]

 

[smolmaus]

View attachment 172927View attachment 172928

Funny, I am just listening to a podcast where his daughter is the guest.

Inside the Manege with Maria Cooke. She has an episode with Phillipe Karl where his anger at modern sport dressage was palpable. Highly recommended.

 

[Maddie Moo]

I’m not sure where else to post this…

 

[smolmaus]

If I saw that in a show warm up I might die laughing. But at least its not particularly aversive??? I guess?????

 

[Ambers Echo]

Surely it’s an AI joke?

 

[Maddie Moo]

Surely it’s an AI joke?

Practical Horsemen is a hunter / jumper English rider magazine in the US - it’s from their Facebook page.

 

[Escapade]

I did see a tiktok the other day of someone explaining how she used that setup to break the habit of a horse (ex-racer?) snatching at its chest

 

[sbloom]

The pool noodle post has bee shared all over, it's unbelievable. I mean SO much misunderstanding of why and how a horse should be iftv of course, but a lack of understanding of basic physics/maths that, lower the head and neck low enough, the horse will be btv....eejits.

 

[ester]

I mean I’m not sure when American hunter classes/people were logical …

 

[ester]

There’s a comment that someone wraps the throatlash in pool noodle too

 

[KikiDee]

People's desperate search for a 'quick fix' never ends does it? Horses don't need 'reminding' not to go behind the vertical, they don't trot around going "whoops I forgot not to drop behind the vertical" - they do it for a reason. Either lack of balance or evading the contact, how about investing in actually trying to fix either of those things?

 

[Cloball]

Yes but the hunters have to lollop along in a fixed outline for the marks. Don't forget they all have a standing martingale on so the head can't go up or down.

 

[Littlest Hobo]

The biggest noodle must be sitting on the horse!

 

[reynold]

Dressage horses’ stress behaviours increase with competition levels – but scores unaffected

A new study by researchers at the Czech Republic has looked at noseband tightness and stress responses in dressage horses.

www.horseandhound.co.uk

This looks interesting. Link to the full research in the article. Suggesting that a harmony mark should be given and points out (as discussed a lot on this thread) that judges are not penalising stress behaviours, particularly at the higher levels where they may be too busy counting number of strides of particular movements and not having time to consider the overall picture.

 

[PurpleSpots]

Dressage horses’ stress behaviours increase with competition levels – but scores unaffected

A new study by researchers at the Czech Republic has looked at noseband tightness and stress responses in dressage horses.

www.horseandhound.co.uk

This looks interesting. Link to the full research in the article. Suggesting that a harmony mark should be given and points out (as discussed a lot on this thread) that judges are not penalising stress behaviours, particularly at the higher levels where they may be too busy counting number of strides of particular movements and not having time to consider the overall picture.

Maybe there should be two judges per test, or in tests with multiple judges some allocated to judge different aspects, or an extra judge to judge stress behaviours?

Actually, one extra judge per test to judge stress behaviours would be the most straightforward solution I imagine?