Dressage Day 2

[War_Admiral]

[QUOTE=Mickey the Marcher;6476410]
You can’t have voice in Dressage, otherwise horses would just be taught to respond to voice cues and not proper aids. That is trick/circus riding not real riding.[/QUOTE]

Hmmmm. The voice has been considered one of the “Natural Aids” for many centuries. Are we then in agreement that obedience to all the other natural aids - seat, legs, hands - constitutes “trick/circus riding”? And that only the “Unnatural Aids” (whips, spurs, LDR etc.) constitute “REAL dressage”?

[RedmondDressage]

Where the funny part comes in is because I would love to see some of the cothers enter that arena and avoid the giraffe their horses would turn into (if we could stay on long enough) wihout coming behind the verticle LOLOLOLOL.

There is NOTHING wrong with riding round right before hand right before your test. NOTHING.

I saw a lot more to like in dressage today!

THIS! You can comment any way you want about how the riders are handling their mounts but until you’ve ridden in competition on a horse with the fire to make it at that level (which for the record I have not :)) I don’t think you really have any idea what they are dealing with.

I’m still working my way through the rides between meetings today… So far I am impressed (as usual) with the way Ed Gal handled his very fiery young horse. So steady, calm, and matter of fact - it was perfection.

Not Adrienne Lyle’s best test but I am consistently impressed with her as a rider. She is just gorgeous and so elegant in the saddle. She is one of my favorite to watch and I’m sure will be a force as she gets more experience under her belt.

[Lamb_Chop]

[QUOTE=Mickey the Marcher;6476410]
You can’t have voice in Dressage, otherwise horses would just be taught to respond to voice cues and not proper aids. That is trick/circus riding not real riding.[/QUOTE]

If I saw great dressage produced via voice and not iron, I’d watch a heck of a lot more dressage.

[Auburn]

Beentheredonethat and NOMIOMI1,

OK. So, you thought that Parzival’s halt, with the rider trying and trying to get him to back, then getting six steps, instead of five, was correct? How do you believe that movement should have been scored?

Of course, I am not an FEI rider like you are, so I must know nothing. :eek:

FYI, there are many educated riders, who happen to have an educated eye, who happen to disagree with your opinion. Everyone is entitled to their own.

[Auburn]

Beentheredonethat and NOMIOMI1,

OK. So, you thought that Parzival’s halt, with the rider trying and trying to get him to back, then getting six steps, instead of five, was correct? How do you believe that movement should have been scored?

Of course, I am not an FEI rider like you are, so I must know nothing. :eek:

FYI, there are many educated riders, who happen to have an educated eye, who happen to disagree with your opinion. Everyone is entitled to their own.

[Mickey_the_Marcher]

[QUOTE=Lamb Chop;6476516]
If I saw great dressage produced via voice and not iron, I’d watch a heck of a lot more dressage.[/QUOTE]

Cool. Then you could put a monkey on the horse and have someone stand at the side of the ring and shout out commands.
That’s not riding.

[Beentheredonethat]

Auburn–Chill out. Horse got stuck on the back up. I would have given it a 5. So? It happens.

I never said because you don’t ride FEI, you know nothing. BUT, if you haven’t, you don’t know what things are like sometimes. For example, some people think the extended walk is a hard move because the horses are so “hyped up,” when in fact it’s usually the easiest one to get the horses to relax. Logically, thinking it would be hard makes sense. In reality, when you’ve ridden it, it’s not true.

Um. I’ve said like 50 times everyone has their own OPINION. When you start to call things abuse, you’d better back it up. Like I SAID, our OPINION happens to coincide with the FEI judges. Go ahead and stick to you guns if you’d like.

And, I just watched Steffen go. IN my OPINION he got ripped on his ride. I thought it was at least as good as Charlotte’s.

I’m watching Kittel on Scandic now. Looks like a lovely, relaxed ride with his nose more forward than most. I am pretty impressed the horse managed to poop and do half pass changes at the same time. And the Swedes gave him the foam finger! Well, foam HAND to be exact. WHERE are the Americans and their foam fingers??

OK, watching Eqwador now. WHat a cutie and lovely moves, but he looks like the Michelen man on steroids with a teeny, tiny head. Am I the only one thinking some of these horses have heads too small for their bodies?

[TheHorseProblem]

I am just now watching the replay of today and I have to say I love all the brown tack.

And the Spanish team’s shadbellies.

This is my expert opinion so far.

[Beentheredonethat]

I agree TheHorse Problem. I like the grey shadbelly look. Now, if we could have different colored saddle pads!

[TheHorseProblem]

Dislikes so far are the microphone placement that makes the horses sound like walruses, and whoever brought their crying baby to a 6 hour dressage competition.

[Gestalt]

[QUOTE=Beentheredonethat;6476581]
I’m watching Kittel on Scandic now. Looks like a lovely, relaxed ride with his nose more forward than most. I am pretty impressed the horse managed to poop and do half pass changes at the same time. And the Swedes gave him the foam finger! Well, foam HAND to be exact. WHERE are the Americans and their foam fingers??

OK, watching Eqwador now. WHat a cutie and lovely moves, but he looks like the Michelen man on steroids with a teeny, tiny head. Am I the only one thinking some of these horses have heads too small for their bodies?[/QUOTE]

I’ve noticed the move to the arab/pony face in the WB world. Years ago it seemed like all the Quarterhorses had big, beautiful heads and now they too have itsy bitsy ones. I’m a lover of a horse with a big head and big ears.

That foam hand is cool.

[RedMare01]

[QUOTE=TheHorseProblem;6476687]
Dislikes so far are the microphone placement that makes the horses sound like walruses, and whoever brought their crying baby to a 6 hour dressage competition.[/QUOTE]

Possibly the same people who brought their crying baby to WEG in 2010 and sat right next to me at the dressage freestyle. #!..^#&…:mad: Seriously. Who in their right mind?

[Mardi]

[QUOTE=TrinitySporthorses;6476423]
I am one of Valegro’s biggest fans but he looked OBESE today! I hate seeing fat dressage horses- they are athletes, people! [/QUOTE]

Valegro has a big engine, just like his father (Negro) and grandfather (Ferro). He’s very strong across his loins and hindquarters. Neck is correctly muscled too. For his type, he looked balanced and in excellent shape; I saw little to no fat on him, just GP horse muscle.

[Mardi]

[QUOTE=Equibrit;6476230]
the FEI reassured fans… “We are aware that there is concern about some training methods, but photographs can be misleading. Rest assured that our stewards are always there, on the ground, monitoring all training sessions.We’re on the case.”[/QUOTE]

Case ? Who said anything about a case ?
Seems after the FEI Reining Championships in Sweden/Epona tv
scandal that the FEI is taking no chances.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if Kittel is warned.

[NOMIOMI1]

Im all for Valegro but was so happy to see this one in there of Parzival in piaffe http://www.chronofhorse.com/photos_videos?nid=37291

Could be lower but the head and neck to me it just was just a picture of correct

[Canterwell]

BUT… look at the curb angle on Parzival compared to almost every other horse in the slide show - almost parallel to the ground. Big contrast to Vallegro where the curb rein is almost loose.

[Mardi]

@Beentheredonethat;6476581

Auburn–Chill out. Horse got stuck on the back up. I would have given it a 5. So? It happens.

Parzival obviously has some mouth problems, and mouth problems are learned. No one can deny that. The bottom lip flapping, teeth grinding, and the open mouth throughout the test. It was clear to everyone. He also attempted to evade her strong hand as they walked into the arena and he ducked his head. It didn’t work though.

I believe Auburn’s point about the reinback is that had the contact been lighter/more forgiving, Parzival would have responded immeditately. He was leaning on her hand, again as a way to evade the heavy contact. I didn’t see any other horse do that, even the very tense Undercover with Edward Gal, who rode with the horse BTV the entire test, albeit “tactfully and skillfully” as a another poster said earlier this morning.

Just MHO, it’s unfortunate that Adelinde was rewarded with such a high score.
Sorry, there is no way that can be considered correct riding, no matter which discipline you ride.

[NOMIOMI1]

Valegro is very earthbound compared to Parzival (not bad just different). It may take greater control to get through the Olympic venue.

I like that there is diversity there at the top. A very collected animal in the movements and a very active one.

The judges understand these things and are trained to look beyond a simple ability to have a looser shank.

People really need to use these world competitions to train their eye better (beyond American riding). Open their minds to better riding and training (cause it is).

I think they need to be very strict about RK as well, but every shank or entry that is overly round should not be put down with ignorance.

[Mardi]

You make some interesting points and I value your opinion.

Where the shank is or isn’t doesn’t bother me too much (if at all).

It’s what the horse is telling us that we should watch.

[pony_baloney]

I managed to catch almost all of the coverage today except Steffen’s, when my internet pooped out on me.

What breed is Portugal’s Rubi? Boy, that horse could sit back on his haunches. He was gorgeous and built like Fuego. Those horses look as if dressage comes more naturally to them.

The sponsors’ logos are making everything look a bit tacky. Equestrian apparel is going the way of tennis where no one wears their whites anymore.

I agree that Parzival’s warmup outside the arena was a bit difficult to watch.