And what is really sickening is that it is legal (for 30 minutes).
2 Likes
Look up Power n Paint, Anky, and the others. Letâs play who DOESNâT look like this.
The âHouse of Orangeâ dates back to the 1500s, and has been the Royal Family of the Netherlands for many centuries. âWilliam of Orangeâ (the âWilliamâ of âWilliam and Maryâ, rulers of England in the late 1600s) was a member of this family. He sent his Army and Navy to suppress a Catholic uprising in Ireland, defeating the Catholics at the Battle of the Boyne. He is the reason that the Unionists of Northern Ireland use orange (in contrast to the Catholic Irish green) as their emblem.
The color orange has been a symbol of the Netherlands since the late 1500s.
Incidentally, the âHouse of Orangeâ has nothing to do with either the color or the fruit. it is named for the Principality of Orange, which was originally Arausio, (after the local Celtic water god).
13 Likes
And first place in the Netherlands lands you an orange ribbon.
3 Likes
Oh whoops, my original comment failed to take into account your response later in the thread! Iâve edited.
Dutch riding is absolute trash. But these coats are bold and I like it and their breeding program is absolutely dominating the Olympics. They should just breed and design outfits and stop riding altogether.
1 Like
Itâs been astounding to see all the dark bay horses with one, two or three white feet. AndâŠkinda funny when a chestnut horse becomes an âexoticâ color! Personally, i would love to see more variety in the equines, but i suppose purposefully bred dressage horses make sense for competition.
2 Likes
Any of their horses are welcome in my barn at any time. 
Though⊠not sure Iâd want to be holding the reins of En Vogue or Everdale. Holy moly - talk about powder kegs.
4 Likes
Oh same! As Iâm sliding on into middle age I wonât even sit on anything with Jazz/Apache/UB40 in the pedigree 
Everdaleâs got a few âhmm this may be too much for my aged office worker selfâ in the pedigree as well with the Olympic Ferro and the Lord Loxely. I think Iâll stick to the safe and steady B lines at this particular juncture.
3 Likes
And my UB40 x Contango is basically the sweetest, gentlest doll of a horse! Huge power, but I bought her for the super kind and sane brain. Her full siblings are also kind, though she freaks out at a standstill and theyâre more likely to flee. (We got attacked by a dust storm including things flying through the air into her⊠freaking was justified, quietness of it was saintly.)
2 Likes
Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin�
5 Likes
UB40 was not exactly a relaxed horse. He laid down in a ring during a dressage test, I believe (said COTH magazine). Those Dutch linesâŠ
1 Like
Thatâs old. Painted Black, who likely was related to Power and Paint, broke Ankyâs leg. Lets play what the more modern Dutch and European horses and riders look like today. Bonfire would be extremely marked down for his movement, especially in the piaffe where he used to score high marks. He wa so incorrect but flashy. That doesnât fly today.
ETA: You do know that some Dutch lines have a very high head carriage and are very hot. Training behind the vertical had the aim of training these horses to use their backs. Because many of these horses were in front of the vertical with a high head and dipped back so easily. The goal was never to show them behind the vertical, but to get them to lower their heads, flex their loss, flex and soften their neck and poll, and use their backs. Anky took this to the extreme. But never take one picture, one flash in time, seriously from any horse reporter. Watch videos of those combinations and decide for yourself.
5 Likes
BTW, I love the orange Dutch coats. They are understated and fit so well with their history. One always knows when a Dutch rider is in the ring.
2 Likes
I think the Contango side might be shining through as they sound absolutely lovely.
Possibly - when they started doing that cross, I heard that UB40 x Contango was well liked in Europe.
Interestingly, they have a Bordeaux out if the same Contango mare who was clearly less army friendly type from birth. They now have a Bordeaux out of the oldest of the UB40 x Contango siblings, and she has some of the excessive playfulness of the older Bordeaux, but is more responsive and less pushy by nature. It could be a filly vs colt thing, but the UB40 gelding is the gentlest and sweetest of the bunch, so I donât think so - I think UB40 had a sensitivity which balanced out the Bordeaux some. I think the new filly will be the nicest of the bunch - quality and temperament. Itâs too bad there arenât Keurings this year!
Oh, and I ended up thinking under the lights the coats were far more subdued in color than I expected from the original photos. I didnât mind them at all, and appreciate the history and country representation aspects of it.
5 Likes
