Edward Gal & Totilas 92.3% GPF at Olympia

[ridgeback]

[QUOTE=ameripean;4561275]
I wasn’t comparing him to the other horses. I was comparing him to himself. His balance just didn’t seem quite as excellent as it normally does – as indicated by the tempo difference in piaffe and passage – and there were compensatory gestures of his head and neck in piaffe and passage that there are normally not. He just didn’t seem quite as strong as he normally does, and I attributed that to tiredness. Interesting about the temperature difference…could explain it, I suppose.[/QUOTE]

Oh my!!! He’s a living creature and he’s not going to go the same every time no need to analyze the living crap out of it.:rolleyes:

[GreekDressageQueen]

I actually thought this was one of Totilas’ better tests because he DID seem more “muted” to me as compared to a year ago or when he was younger doing the 5 & 6 year old tests. I did not see so much of his “spider” movement other than in the extended trot (but we see many of the Euro horses do that) and a little in his trot tour transitions. This is encouraging; his movement may be more natural than I thought since EVERY horse loses some elasticity and movement as they get older and “mature” in their gaits. I would expect the same natural progression to happen to Totilas and would be more suspicious if this horse was still moving with such freedom and elasticity at 15, 16, 17, etc.

I don’t really care if I can ride Totilas’ movement or not since I will never have a chance to ride him :lol: or could afford a horse like that in this lifetime, so I really don’t know why everyone is getting their knickers in a twist over it. But just in case Edward is reading this… I WOULD love to have a go on him! I will bring my full seats and saddle tight - LOTS of it!!!

[Equibrit]

I just don’t understand all those experts who say that horse is difficult to ride and that Gal has a death grip on the reins. If you actually watch the video you will see that neither is true.

This horse is an amazing conincidence of natural movement and temperament which occured at just the right time.

[McVillesMom]

.

[Bluey]

[QUOTE=Equibrit;4561460]
I just don’t understand all those experts who say that horse is difficult to ride and that Gal has a death grip on the reins. If you actually watch the video you will see that neither is true.

This horse is an amazing conincidence of natural movement and temperament which occured at just the right time.[/QUOTE]

I agree, he is amazing, if you like him or not.
We get to see such horses a few times in our lives and we should enjoy them above what else is going on with the discipline.

I tend to think of him as the Secretariat of his time, way above what most ever saw in a race horse, amazing and heartwarming to know we got to see such a unique horse run.

Even people that have never seen any dressage watch that in wonder, it is so striking.

I leave deciding how close to perfect he may be for the task at hand to the judges.

[dutchmike]

Well, I hope breeders end up breeding more Totilases! I want to ride a horse like that!

It looks spectacular it really does but on the other hand why not buy a hackney if such extreem high movemnet is the road we are taking?.

[Libera]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s37NJC7dphA&feature=related

Or one of these

[system]

The thing I find most impressive about this horse after years of explosive, disobediant horses, and terrifying tests winning everything with ridiculous scores, it is refreshing to see a lovely moving horse be calm, fluid, and sane, and actually get good scores (even though I think they are high - like someone else said, what else do we aspire to when these scores come so easily?). I hate nothing more than watching big name riders miss a movement due to disobediance and still get a 4-6. It is disgusting. You don’t do the movement, you should get a 0. So while we can argue he maybe should have gotten a 6-7 instead of a 8-10 in places, neither can we accuse him of not being able to complete the majority of the test.

So while we can all argue that the movement is mechanical, perfect, manufactured, what have you, I hope we are all happy to see a horse succeed to the highest level that isn’t about to jump out of his skin and hurt his rider and those around him. I’m tired of holding my breath while watching the Grand Prix. I’m over “beauty in tension”; to me, that is the height of false mechanical movement.

[Valentina_32926]

@dressurpferd01;4560665

I’m just expressing my opinion, we are still allowed to do that, yes? And I maintain very few could ride that movement. How many threads do we have here alone of people that can’t sit a normal trot, let alone something as flamboyant as that. I don’t know that I could sit that trot, and I can sit some big movement. … But to each their own.

I believe I could easily sit that trot as I can sit my mares trot and they are quite similar (although he has a LOT more front leg movement, my mare has more rear leg movement).

Yes we are allowed our opinions but on internet BB’s peopl swarm like bees to attack anyone who has an opinion different than their own.

I also do not care for so much front leg movement when it does not appear to have the same amount of rear leg movement (pause some of his videos and look - are the horses legs in a parallelogram? If not that is a problem.)

But I’m certain everyone sees them and thinks beautiful horse and talented rider. I for one wish I rode near as well as Edward.

[mbm]

[QUOTE=dressurpferd01;4560323]
Mark my words…he will be the first to achieve 100% by next year. This is getting beyond ridiculous. I’m one of the few who is actually willing to express a negative opinion of this horse and I wish the others who feel this way would speak up. Nothing about totilas appeals to me. His movement is so over
the top and manufactured-looking.

I know some will say that a score of 10 doesn’t “mean” perfect, but in essence
it does. It means that there’s nothing left to improve with a given movement. Therefore, it’s perfect. Where do we go when we have a horse scoring so highly? Are all breeders going to start trying to emulate this movement? None but a very few riders can ever hope to ride that movement. I see no good coming from all this.[/QUOTE]

:yes::yes::yes:

right there with ya …

i believe that the marketing machine has taken over and people are gobbling it up.

anyone care to guess where it will end? where will we go after WOLRD RECORD BREAKING SCORES one after another til 100% is reached probably oh, by spring.

then what?

it is all only to bring $$ in … dressage was getting a bad rap so they had to come up with some scheme to get people interested again… and luckily totalias came along and they could score him hugely.

i will say this: can you imagine what he would look like if he was ridden as he is in the prize giving ? now that would be spectacular.

our judges should be ashamed of themselves buying into the hype to sell tickets.

[system]

Gal

He moved like a normal horse in the NIC clinic video as a young horse. I find the lift in front uncomfortable to watch. The hind end does not match at all.

[D_BaldStockings]

For those of us who missed out on his early years, could someone post the yearling, 2-yo, 3-yo videos people are referring to?

Would be a nice educational experience to compare to other young prospects as well.

Thanks,
Mary

[Melyni]

That my horse and I could do so well…

Don’t I wish!
MW

[siegi_b]

mbm - for someone who has openly declared that she doesn’t know that much about dressage, you certainly have a lot of predictions to make when it comes to the future of the sport …:lol:

[Mike_Matson]

For me, the music does nothing for this horse. It’s like watching an athlete perform to elevator music.

[siegi_b]

Mike - you’re obviously missing that feel for music… I thought it was quite obvious that the music was just as dramatic as the performance and a total success in its performance.

Elevator music??? I don’t think so… but then I’m talking to somebody who prefers polkas to Beethoven.

[ladyofthedawn]

[QUOTE=Mike Matson;4562419]
For me, the music does nothing for this horse. It’s like watching an athlete perform to elevator music.[/QUOTE]

Mike you have proven already many times that you are still living in the stoneage when it comes down to music for the freestyle. This is emotion, this is art and this is the new wave of music. Get used to it because we have left the path, on which you are still walking, already years ago.

[Mike_Matson]

siegi - you know horses.

I know a bit about music for horses as I’ve done it “live” many times.

I will say watching a freestyle, people may have different opinions about the end result.

[ladyofthedawn]

[QUOTE=Mike Matson;4562557]
siegi - you know horses.

I know a bit about music for horses as I’ve done it “live” many times.

I will say watching a freestyle, people may have different opinions about the end result.[/QUOTE]

I know that you have set yourself apart from the new developments in the music for freestyles. Look forward Mike the time of the brassbands, polkas and the undusted Beatles and Motown covers from the RPO and LSO is over. Even the SRS has accepted this fact. So if you want to do the freestyle to music scene in the US a favor cross some boarders and open your mind and ears.

Just take the video of Totilas or Lingh and produce the music from which you think it’s the ultimate production.

[ceffyl]

Elevator music? I think the prize for that should go to Richard Davison’s bland, forgetable drivel composed “specially for Artemis” by Elton John.