What caused Steffen Peters to be eliminated?
see thread over on Dressage forum …the one about WC predictions.
Blood on his horse’s side, what a bummer.
It’s not a bummer, it’s karma.
Are you serious Vineyridge? If anyone could even suggest that Steffen deserves bad Karma from how he treats his horses, than everyone here deserve bad karma as well. He treats his horses like royalty and loves them dearly. It is indeed an unfortunate outcome because he deserves nothing but respect and admiration for what he has done for this sport and for the horses he has trained.
Here we go !
Just need a glass of wine and I’m all set. 
Maybe Karma isn’t the right word. He wounded his horse and was eliminated. The elimination was caused by his, shall I say this politely, over eager use of the spur, and the result of that action was elimination. The horse was ridden through the whole program, if Dover, as quoted in the COTH article is correct, with a bleeding wound, albeit tiny. Every time Peters used his spurs, the horse might have been poked in the wound.
For once the FEI got it right.
So Dover saw it during the test. How tiny was it again?
I’m not sure I would admit that if I was RD. Doesn’t help.
[QUOTE=Mardi;8112261]
So Dover saw it during the test. How tiny was it again?
I’m not sure I would admit that if I was RD. Doesn’t help.[/QUOTE]
My bad. Ambiguity in writing is unacceptable.
Dover, in the COTH article, suggested that Legolas wasn’t going forward at the beginning of the test, after the introduction and the audience response, so Peters had to unstick him.
"I think that in the very beginning of his test when the words [came in his music] and it said “Hi, I’m Legolas” and everyone started to clap, the horse began to stop some. It may have just been in that moment where he touched him once to keep him going. That’s sometimes all it takes.
My recollection is that Peters rides every step in the German way which, to my recollection, means using the heels quite a bit. That led to the last part of my comment, which may be totally off base.
My response to Dover would that a mere touch doesn’t break the skin and cause blood, especially with non-rowelled, blunt spurs.
Got it. I read the COTH article, and RD was speculating. He’s not there as a team coach, but since he was asked, he had to say something.
I watched the ride live on FEI-TV, and unfortunately the female commentator talked nearly all the way through it. She talked over the vocal parts of his music, so it was impossible to hear them. So if spectators were laughing at the beginning when it happened, a large percentage of the viewing audience never heard it.
I’ve been thinking about this. There’s a statement on the Dressage board that the horse spooked. I know horses can spook with their bodies and never move their feet much, if at all. If Legolas spooked his body and slammed it into the side with the spur, Peters may have had nothing to do with the skin break.
That’s certainly a possibility, given what kind of horseman Peters is.
Yes, viney. It was a VERY strong spook at the beginning, AND the crowd exploded when he finished the test (rightfully so) and Legolas bolted. So Steffen could have gotten him there, too. As I said in the dressage post, he is SUCH a tactful rider, this is really a case where the rule is just not fair. Things do happen.
[QUOTE=Beentheredonethat;8113037]
Yes, viney. It was a VERY strong spook at the beginning, AND the crowd exploded when he finished the test (rightfully so) and Legolas bolted. So Steffen could have gotten him there, too. As I said in the dressage post, he is SUCH a tactful rider, this is really a case where the rule is just not fair. Things do happen.[/QUOTE]
He is also a very tactful person. I thought his reply was just and fair and above all humble. Bummer for him, but he can only go forward as we know he will.
Yes. He is a VERY class act and VERY smart and respectful in his comments.
I remember him speaking at the last WC (where I got to be in on press conferences) and when asked how he felt, he said something like, “Oh, I woke and rolled over this morning to look at the time on my new Rolex watch, and then turned in the other direction and checked it against the other Rolex watch.” He’s very respectful and aware of who is really helping us be able to do and see these things.
Phew! I was afraid to recheck these threads after reading some of the Facebook comments in response to the COTH article. Glad you reconsidered Vineyridge, and that people seem to be both sympathetic to Steffen and Legolas here. Realize why the FEI needs to have stringent rules, but with seven judges and plenty of ring stewards, I think it could be a consideration to let these circumstances get a “jury” to decide whether elimination is the proper outcome. Even allow the other competitors to weigh in…
As much as I hate it for Steffen, I don’t think the blood rule is one that should be subjective. You can’t justify that to “regular” people and trying to wouldn’t be a good move for a sport that is already so misunderstood by so many.
It’s still kind of crazy to me that this happened to Steffen Peters of all people. I have been lucky enough to see him ride in person and attend some of his clinics and he is one the most amazing horsemen I’ve ever seen. He is the most patient, kind, accurate, sympathetic rider I’ve ever seen on a horse, and unbelievably humble. I don’t think he has any idea just how awesome he is.
Angelico, I think that it happening TO him might bring about some discussion about ways to mitigate. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say anything ill about him, and I’ve heard everything.
It was interesting EVERYone went directly to that stupid WC cup with the spotlight on it because there was so much spooking. Steffen did it also, with Legolas, on a long, loose snaffle rein in a canter, and long, stretchy, posting trot before he started.
I tell ya, Rosamunde was SOOOO impressive there. Just watching him school that horse, this isn’t going to change anything. She’s going to be huge in the next few years and I can’t think this is going to change the way anyone thinks about him who has a clue.
[QUOTE=vineyridge;8112265]
My recollection is that Peters rides every step in the German way which, to my recollection, means using the heels quite a bit. That led to the last part of my comment, which may be totally off base.
My response to Dover would that a mere touch doesn’t break the skin and cause blood, especially with non-rowelled, blunt spurs.[/QUOTE]
I know you’ve since reconsidered, and I agree with your more recent posts, but wanted to address riding style anyway. Steffen was actually one of the quietest riders in the World Cup, and almost never uses the spur. There were a few riders who noticeably used their spurs for every single step of the piaffe, pirouettes, tempis, etc., and whose elimination for blood on the horse’s side would not have surprised me. That was absolutely not the case with Steffen. He came into the arena and used his time at the posting trot on a long rein, letting Legolas stretch and relax into the contact, and he sat quietly and reassured Legolas throughout the ride. I think the only explanation is that it occurred during one of Legolas’ spooks.
I’m sure it was unintentional, certainly unexpected to all involved, and I guarantee that Steffen feels horribly about it.
Steffen was actually one of the quietest riders in the World Cup, and almost never uses the spur.
I like Steffen and I dont think he is abusive but not sure this statement above is completely correct. You can watch the video
http://www.topdressage.tv/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=190&t=9214
compare to |Valegro, for example
[QUOTE=vineyridge;8112809]
I’ve been thinking about this. There’s a statement on the Dressage board that the horse spooked. I know horses can spook with their bodies and never move their feet much, if at all. If Legolas spooked his body and slammed it into the side with the spur, Peters may have had nothing to do with the skin break.
That’s certainly a possibility, given what kind of horseman Peters is.[/QUOTE]
So is it karma or not?
I read this thread from the top and I see you’ve changed your tune- but how on earth did you deduce that he ‘earned’ this karmic slap? he’s one of the least controversial trainers, and you jumped right at karma?
