Debbies explanation for what went wrong with Brentina

[atr]

So I’ve just got to watching Debbie McDonald’s ride.

Having seen them go “live” and on video many times before, I’d say that the beginning of the test lacked their normal brilliance, and when they hit the canter pirouette, everything went to hell in a handbasket. Looked like she tweaked something that was niggling at her before. I’d venture to guess she was a bit back sore, and suddenly became acutely back sore. Sweet mare is a trooper, which is why she has done so well in her career, and continued on and did her best.

Yes, it’s a supposition on my part, I know. But it is only by looking at these things that we can educate out eye.

Dragging these horses around the world has got to be a huge strain on them, and we do know that the mare’s soundness has been tenuous for some time, so this shouldn’t come as a huge suprise to anyone (especially anyone who has had a horse that that they have faced that “sound one day, iffy the next” rollercoaster.)

Tough day for everyone involved.

[atr]

But an even tougher day for Miguel Duarte…

[Dressage_Diva333]

I’m also sorry for Debbie because that was the mare’s last performance, and it ended badly.

I met Debbie once, when she had Brentina out here at the Golden State Dressage Festival CDI***, she had a FANTASTIC Grand Prix freestyle when she was here. Very nice woman as well.

I don’t think they should have tried to bring Brentina back after that injury in 2006 though.

[exvet]

But - I watched the youtube video of the freestyle for the selections and I could still see the guarded movement on the RF on that video. And I believe Dressage Daily had a photo in the write up about the selection trials that shows the mare not free in front and moving out behind.

I did too and agree 100% and then some with regard to the hind end. It became more apparent this last competition. We could speculate forever as to why but in the end it doesn’t really matter. As for why it wasn’t picked up during the jog…well there are many subtle and especially chronic issues that don’t show up during the jog that once weight, tension and other factors come into play or are added make some become that much more obvious.

[Mardi]

A little sportsmanship, please.

[QUOTE=dsgshowmom;3444658]
I am so horrified for Debbie & Klaus & the entire team. This is devastating. Klaus is really an excellent person, so is Debbie, and I don’t know Stephen.

I am just horrified for all of them. I am so sorry… :no: :sadsmile: [/QUOTE]

Horrified ? Good grief. The US team finished FOURTH in the Olympics for crissake. There are many other teams that would love to change places. Are we disappointed ? Yes. But horrified ? Absolutley not.

You don’t know “Stephen” ? Neither do we, as there isn’t a Stephen on the US dressage team.

I watched Brentina’s test as many of us did…Thursday morning, live, online.

Brentina entered the ring with a calm, relaxed eye…ready to work, as usual. There was nothing to alert anyone in the audience that she was not herself. Debbie also looked ready to go. Again, there was nothing that alerted anyone to the trouble that was to come.

Yes the horse was uneven. Then she appeared to work out of it. But at one point, something got to her, and Brentina lost her confidence. As the test progressed, the more unsettled she became. Unfocused.

Can you imagine what that does to a consumate professional such as Brentina ? A horse who has no worries. Who has complete trust in all around her ? She becomes even more unhinged because she IS unhinged. I’ve seen it happen with horses, haven’t you ?

And at the final salute, the look on Debbie’s face, on the verge of tears.

Brentina’s piaffes were the best, IMHO, of the class. Even better than Salinero. Astrid’s article said so: “…which moved into a stunning passage and piaffe. It was unbelievable what was going on. Brentina was probably showing one of the best piaffe-passages seen so far in the Olympic Grand Prix. So smooth, so regular, well engaged.”

Huffing and puffing ? The weather at the time was 84F (29c) with 83% humidity. That translates into a “feels like” of 95F or 35C temperature. Those conditions are tough on a heavy warmblood such as Brentina. Yes, it was tough on all of the horses. And yes, other horses were breathing hard too. Many of us watched the entire class. We heard them.

Spooky ? Could be. Debbie would know. She was on the horse. The Portugese rider before Jan Brink retired from the class after his horse spooked. Can you imagine coming all the way to Hong Kong for the Olympics and you’re in the ring for 15 seconds and then that’s it ? The end ? Oh, and the Japanese rider’s horse spooked and wheeled the other way in his test. He continued though, but his good score was ruined.

Many of you will remember the champion tennis palyer Jimmy Connors. Ever seen him double fault ? He has. In a big match. On TV. In front of millions. We stil think of him as a champion, though.

Brentina was not her wonderful self in the class. We love this mare, don’t we ? As if she was our own ? Instead of all the this and that, and Klaus this and Klaus that, remember that eveyone did the best they could at the time. Brentina too. She did her best under the circumstances, whatever they were…

Let’s give Brentina some credit, shall we ? It was a rough outing for her. It happens,

And there’s one rider who’s already upset enough…we don’t need to add to it.

[bthatasitmay]

Read what Debbie has to say on Dressage Daily
http://dressagedaily.com/

[DownYonder]

[QUOTE=bthatasitmay;3444973]
Read what Debbie has to say on Dressage Daily
http://dressagedaily.com/[/QUOTE]

Yep, they are swearing Brentina was 100% sound going into the ring.

So maybe she was just p*ssed at being asked to go in those conditions - at night, hot, humid, etc. Maybe she was expecting to go back to her comfy air conditioned stall after the warm-up and have a nice long pee, but instead had to go out and perform in that heavy, polluted air.

Whatever the reason, it is such a shame. The test had some really lovely moments interspersed with the uneven steps here and there, but it really went to he** in a handbasket during the canter pirouettes.

[BoysNightOut]

Is there a replay of her test anywhere online? I didn’t see it, and just want to see what all the talk is about.

Thanks.

[XHalt]

I think it will be interesting to see what comes out in the following months. Of course they are going to claim she was 100% sound. There’s a lot on the line.

[r3dd0g]

It looked to me like she was having a heat issue. She was breathing quite heavily–loud enough to be picked up by the mike throughout the test-- and obviously hyperventilating outside the ring after the ride. No sweat was apparent on her body like there was on the horses that followed her–even on her neck under the reins. Salinero was dripping before the test even began.

JMHO

[BLBGP]

ps - It’s good PR for our sport for riders, after their round is over but the cameras are still on them, to pat their horses. You might be bummed or mad at yourself (or your horse) but the non-horsey out there want to see a pat. The public doesn’t get that a long rein and going back to the stall is rewarding. They know that pats are good and a rider who doesn’t looks a little heartless or surly. They only see “pretty horse worked hard - why aren’t you petting her?”.

[awm]

rider appreciation for their horses

That was great to see Debbie reach up to pat Bretina after their performance.
I’ve been noticing that all the riders in Eventing & Dressage have been giving their mounts
big rubs, pats, & sometimes hugs after their rounds. Riders from all the countries have
demonstrated their appreciation of the efforts of their horses, no matter how they fininshed
up their rides. The emotion of the German rider after the winning the Eventing Show Jumping was terrific to see!
I’ll be watching the Show Jumping riders with much anticipation tonite!

[Jeito]

It made me very sad to watch the video of Brentina, and it makes me sadder that there are people making excuses and saying she didn’t look lame (and, no, heat issues do not affect the horse’s gait that way - no way!)

It’s out there for the whole world to see, and I hope someone will have the honesty to own up to a mistake. Maybe she wasn’t lame until the very last minute. She did pass the jog. Mistakes do happen. . .but don’t pretend she wasn’t lame, sheez!

[Maude]

Debbie and Brentina

It is sad to see so many people critical of Debbie and Brentina. Brentina is a fabulous mare and it is obvious that Debbie truly loves her. There was a documentary/video out several years ago about Brentina. It is obvious from that video that Debbies loves her and would not knowingly put her in harms way. I did not see the test (guess I’ll have to wait until the Olympic DVD comes out) but any number of things could have happened. Due to the excessive heat, she could have cramped up (I’ve had this happen to me at a show, it felt like I was one big charly horse) or any number of other things. Tension can manifest itself in many ways. For a mare with such a huge heart, she may have been tying up and got upset because she knew she wasn’t doing her job well. Does any footage exist of the warmup? Would you all be so critical if she had received a good/undeserved score and we had received the Bronze? Unless you have competed at the highest level of dressage or are involved with people who have, you, like most people, have no idea what riders/trainers/owners go through to keep their horses sound at that level. It ain’t easy! Please cut her a break.

[freestyle2music]

[QUOTE=Discobold;3445493]
It made me very sad to watch the video of Brentina, and it makes me sadder that there are people making excuses and saying she didn’t look lame (and, no, heat issues do not affect the horse’s gait that way - no way!)

It’s out there for the whole world to see, and I hope someone will have the honesty to own up to a mistake. Maybe she wasn’t lame until the very last minute. She did pass the jog. Mistakes do happen. . .but don’t pretend she wasn’t lame, sheez![/QUOTE]

I didn’t see the selection games of the US-riders live, but only on video. And to me and many others (who were there live) it was obvious that Brentina had some major problems. And i am 100% sure that the selection-guru’s were aware that they toke a big risc with sending Brentina over to the other side of the globe. They gambled and lost <period> .
Now we are entering the cover up era :mad:

But I feel very sad that these people don’t take us serious. I was so obvious that I posted already during the ride that Brentina was uneven in his gaits. And it was also obvious to all the judges.

[Bellafarms]

This great mare has been telling them for years she is tired of her work. Seems no one would listen.

[2_tbs]

Hmmm. Armchair quarterbacks apparently find themselves into every sport.

Yes, many have a very educated eye and a long time involvement with the sport but let’s not put ourselves in the saddle and pretend to know what is/was really going on.

I am always so amused at the “conspiracy” that comes out of every situation. Maybe the horse wasn’t right. Maybe it was nothing more than gas. No one really knows-we aren’t there, we aren’t personally involved. I watched 4 different times and still don’t see what everyone else is seeing but I’m completely unfamiliar with this horse so it’s hard to tell from the TV without any previous views for comparison.

Maybe the horse does want to be done but unless you are with her every day you are in no place to judge.

[ise]

Maude - I think you taking a very fair discussion on the performance that was judged to be well below prior performance levels as a personal attack on the horse and rider. That just isn’t the case. Debbie is a super person and rider and Brentina is world-class. No one has indicated otherwise. But this is a sport and fans and spectators do have the right to discuss what took place in the competition arena. It’s a public competition and public discussion will always follow.

Are you suggesting that all sports should just have the scores posted and NO DISCUSSION?

[wanderlust]

The video can be seen on youtube. I was expecting to see a mildly off horse. What I saw was a horse that had serious issues in any movement that required extension of that particular hind leg (I think it was right, although I forget now), or when pivoting and so much weight was supported on that hind leg (hence the falling out of the canter pirouette). So, makes sense that piaffe and passage were ok, as they are not requiring extension and the front leg is helping evenly support her weight. The extensions, and the canter pirouette where her weight is supported on the inside hind? Ouch! Poor horse.

[grayarabpony]

What was her original injury anyway? I can’t think of a hind leg injury that would allow beautiful passage and piaffe and not an extension. Not hocks, not upper suspensory, not lower suspensory… is it the right front? Collateral ligament injury?