Dressage!!!

[Crockpot]

I was sort of glad the horse spooked the entire way out of the ring. Meaning that if you’re going to have such a mega-disaster befall you, it was better (silly word in this context) that it be a true upset that lasted a long time and the horse was obviously shying left & right (literally) all the way out of the arena; it wasn’t just 1 or 2 blow-ups that cost you everything in 2 short seconds.

Know what I mean?

(yeah, yeah, grasping at straws here, but still…)

I really don’t get that way of thinking. Important thing is how the horse comes out of it. Better if horse recovers in the ring. Thinking of next time of course. How is horse completely losing it all the way out better than a blip and fast recover??

I feel sorry for David marcus. I think he handled it well but guessing he’d agree it would be better to have a momentary spook than a complete and extended meltdown. All part of the ongoing training…

[BAC]

Yes I read he was taken to the hospital on the Horse and Hound email I received.

[2tempe]

Re Anky and her lack of salute:
Some years back, (and not at the Olympics:D)
I was riding a rather stupid, misbehaving horse, and on my entrance i was so worried about staying on that I forgot to salute at x. The judge blew the whistle, stopped me, yelled at me, made me start over and dinged my score. That was a learning moment that has stuck w/ me ever since…!

[MrsFitzDarcy_amp_Feliks]

[QUOTE=Renn/aissance;6473423]
The commercials, which, while annoying, finance the live streaming.[/QUOTE]

Is the BBC funded by the government because their feed (thanks to ExPat) has no commercials.

[Beentheredonethat]

Just watched Lyndal Oatley and Sandro Boy from Australia ( not knowing who they were.) WHat an odd looking stallion. He’s a super big mover like we see in the auctions, and had a spectacular half pass, but I was SO distracted by his bizarre neck that seemed really short and inverted with a little head stuck on top (sort of like the bay Spanish horse.) He’s doing the movements, but some of his carriage seems so wrong.

[Equibrit]

David Marcus from H&H;
“Canada’s David Marcus wasn’t so lucky. A spook at a camera while trotting round the edge heralded what was to come. Half way through their tidy test in bucketing rain, Capital was spooked by a poncho-sporting camera man and totally lost the plot, spinning round in fright until the bell was rung, signalling his elimination.”

[dressagetraks]

Sorry about Anky’s husband.

BUT she totally failed to salute in 2008 at the freestyle, too. She did not, however, forget to wave at the crowd then, either. Interesting that the “wave at crowd” button remains programmed in there even during excitement/stress/big moments/tension over horse/relief over horse doing well/illness of spouse/etc., but the “show respect to the judges” button has an apparent occasional short in it.

[Equibrit]

[QUOTE=joiedevie99;6473964]
Yes- qualified means for the GPS phase. They are both still eligible as individuals.[/QUOTE]

http://www.london2012.com/equestrian/event/dressage-team/competition-format/
Competition format

After the first phase, the Grand Prix, the best seven teams (including any teams tied for seventh place) and the best 11 individuals (including any tied for 11th place) who are not already qualified as team members, progress to the next phase, the Grand Prix Special.

The Team event medals are decided by the total of the scores in the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Special.

After the Grand Prix Special, the best 18 individuals (including any tied for 18th place) go through to the Grand Prix Freestyle. Riders are selected to go through on the basis of their performance in the Grand Prix Special only.

Performance in the Grand Prix Freestyle determines the medals in the Individual event.

For a complete set of rules, please refer to the website of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), governing body for the sport.

[nomeolvides]

[QUOTE=MrsFitzDarcy&Feliks;6474450]
Is the BBC funded by the government because their feed (thanks to ExPat) has no commercials.[/QUOTE]
We pay a license fee (£145.50) to watch TV, which I think goes someway towards not having adverts. If you don’t pay you can be fined up to £1,000.

[rodawn]

I notice that the resounding comment on the BBC feed is how many horses remain overbent or behind the bit. In true classic form, the nose should be slightly ahead of the vertical.

[Lost_at_C]

I notice that the resounding comment on the BBC feed is how many horses remain overbent or behind the bit. In true classic form, the nose should be slightly ahead of the vertical.

Funny, that’s not what I took away at all… I’m sure there were just as many or more remarks on lack of straightness, loss of rhythm, inaccuracies, etc. I for one am pleased at the strides made (pun intended) in the dressage world over the past four years, with regard to general improvements in connection and carriage. I’m perhaps even more pleased that dressage audiences are becoming more sophisticated and discerning on a range of issues rather than just the placement of the horses’ faces. :yes:

[madamlb]

I bet Hayley Beresford is secretly feeling a bit smug. Personally I can’t understand why Australia bothered sending a team at all if we can’t get a rider over 70% …

[lovey1121]

[QUOTE=Lost_at_C;6474131]
Can anyone hook me up with a link to the score breakdowns by movement? I’d like to see where/how Laura was so penalised - I’m wondering if the judges are coming down hard on short necks and closed throatlatches.[/QUOTE]

I just watched Laura’s test again. She got 4s for the swapping out in ext. canter, and her ones line wasnt forward. MST mentioned 6s to 8s for a crooked first halt.

Laura gives her opinion of the judging:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/equestrianism/9448020/London-2012-Olympics-Team-GBs-Laura-Bechtolsheimer-criticises-ungenerous-team-dressage-judges.html

[Lost_at_C]

Thanks Lovey! Where did you see the scores? I can only get the BBC coverage, so maybe that’s the reason. Yes, Alf did swap the lead in the extension and there were some crossed wires at the start of the one-times… still, it was in many ways a “cleaner” test than other more recent ones by this pair, and normally the p/p scores counterbalance a bit more. I was just curious to see the breakdown. I did think Alf looked a bit stickier than usual in places, but he also refrained from his freight-train impression a bit more.

Shame about the Telegraph’s selective quoting… Carl and Laura’s remarks are more fully documented in other places, and this out-of-context report makes Laura appear very ungenerous indeed. The Chronicle coverage is among the most comprehensive, and BD’s report is also decent.

[lorilu]

sorry, found the replays…

[rodawn]

[QUOTE=rodawn;6474575]
I notice that the resounding comment on the BBC feed is how many horses remain overbent or behind the bit. In true classic form, the nose should be slightly ahead of the vertical.[/QUOTE]

@Lost_at_C;6474630

Funny, that’s not what I took away at all… I’m sure there were just as many or more remarks on lack of straightness, loss of rhythm, inaccuracies, etc. I for one am pleased at the strides made (pun intended) in the dressage world over the past four years, with regard to general improvements in connection and carriage. I’m perhaps even more pleased that dressage audiences are becoming more sophisticated and discerning on a range of issues rather than just the placement of the horses’ faces. :yes:

Being overbent or behind the bit is indicative the horse is BEHIND THE LEG instead of IN FRONT of it. Being in front of the leg is the better term, but the old term is still very much in use. It has nothing to do with a rider placing a horse’s face in some position. It has everything to do with impulsion - whether lacking or sufficient. A horse must be properly in front of the leg in order to perform the elements to the best of the horse’s ability. A horse can only be in front of the leg and properly on the bit with proper impulsion which then manifests itself by the horse’s carriage. In other words, rider error and not enough LEG. How much leg to apply to a horse in high-energy situations like the Olympics is tricky as some horses feel a lot tighter to the rider than they look to spectators. Apply too much and the horse just might shoot out in front of the rider, so many choose to be conservative and the horse lags a bit. It really shows up in movements such as pirouette and piaffe which require a lot of energy (impulsion) and when the horses loses said energy they drop behind the bit/behind the leg. When a horse loses impulsion, the score is affected. The commentator is correct to make these notes, because it reflects the same as what the judges are noting and thus in some of the lower scores that were given out.

[Lost_at_C]

Thanks Rodawn. Not sure you understood my post but it’s always good to reiterate the basics.

[Mickey_the_Marcher]

[QUOTE=MrsFitzDarcy&Feliks;6474450]
Is the BBC funded by the government because their feed (thanks to ExPat) has no commercials.[/QUOTE]

Yes, the BBC is taxpayer funded, which is why it is the greatest Television and Radio service on the planet, as it doesn’t have to whore itself to advertisers nor gear it’s programming to the lowest common denominator in public tastes. It’s programming in general is unsurpassed.

[PrettyBayMare]

[QUOTE=skydy;6474361]
Although, one would think that a salute would be automatic because of her lengthly experience riding at this level. I thought it looked like poor sportsmanship in a way. Not a huge deal, but still, somehow not right…[/QUOTE]

I think it is a pretty big deal. She doesn’t salute because she doesn’t really halt. It’s been going on for years. I’m pretty sure I could also hear her clucking to him going into piaffe at one point. And somehow with all of that going on the judges give her a 73.

(I should add that her halt-rein back at C was lovely).

[lovey1121]

[QUOTE=Lost_at_C;6474739]
Thanks Lovey! Where did you see the scores? I can only get the BBC coverage, so maybe that’s the reason. Yes, Alf did swap the lead in the extension and there were some crossed wires at the start of the one-times… still, it was in many ways a “cleaner” test than other more recent ones by this pair, and normally the p/p scores counterbalance a bit more. I was just curious to see the breakdown. I did think Alf looked a bit stickier than usual in places, but he also refrained from his freight-train impression a bit more.

Shame about the Telegraph’s selective quoting… Carl and Laura’s remarks are more fully documented in other places, and this out-of-context report makes Laura appear very ungenerous indeed. The Chronicle coverage is among the most comprehensive, and BD’s report is also decent.[/QUOTE]

This is all I can find…the scores from each judge can be seen by clicking in the + symbol on the right on her line. http://www.nbcolympics.com/equestrian/event/dressage-individual/phase=eqx001900/index.html

You know, when I first read Laura’s comments, it seemed like sour grapes. But it is indeed true that things can feel loads different than how they look. I’ve loved this pair, but my opinion is that this was not their best test. There was always that balance between amazing power and control. This test looked more labored, but Alf looked happy and attentive-such a stunning animal!:yes: