I don’t know HOW some of the horses did NOT have blood on their sides given the sheer amount of spur being used. But Steffan’s ride was so much less aggressive than any of the other rides, I have to think the initial spook or the bolt at the end was what caused this.
Definitely NOT karma.
There is no way Steffen Peters could have caused the bleeding. I was there. The only explanation was when Legolas spooked (it was a very LOUD and electric environment, with audience clapping and whistling) and jumped, his side bumped into the spur. This can happen to any rider, and unfortunately it happened to Peters. So very unfortunate.
I was there too. I have to admit, if I wasn’t there, I’m not sure what I would have thought. But I was there and his freestyle was done really nicely and I really felt like it was not harsh on the horse. There was good flow and harmony. The crowd got SO excited over the song. So, so excited. I was shocked to hear he had been disqualified. Even when he didn’t appear for the awards ceremony, it never even crossed my mind that he could have been disqualified.
The fact that he came out right away and publicly apologized and accepted his fate made the whole thing more respectable.
It was a quiet lovely ride…I was there too and no one I spoke to there saw anything that would have caused bleeding…it must have been the spook. It was a great performance…such a shame.
Echoing what others who were there have already said.
It was a lovely ride and there certainly was no excessive spurring that I saw. There was a big spook during the ride and another one when the crowd was cheering afterward and they were making their way around the arena.
Sorry this happened, but good for Peters for speaking out about it. He is a class act.
[QUOTE=Angelico;8113272]
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.[/QUOTE]
I totally agree. I agree with him that he was the one responsible for it, and it was handled properly - just not that he should be ashamed and embarassed. He should be looking at all coverage to see if he can tell what happened and improve that tiny bit more so it doesn’t happen again, and should feel bad for Legolas. But he was clearly one of the softest riders out there.
[QUOTE=FEI_JR2004;8113374]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.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=chancellor2;8114150]I don’t know HOW some of the horses did NOT have blood on their sides given the sheer amount of spur being used. But Steffan’s ride was so much less aggressive than any of the other rides, I have to think the initial spook or the bolt at the end was what caused this.
Definitely NOT karma.[/QUOTE]
The thing is, if someone uses spur hard, the skin moves with the spur - tissue underneath is probably damaged, but the skin itself is rarely abraded except in the most extreme situations. However, when the skin is more lightly brushed it doesn’t move with the spur and can more easily be rubbed. I have a thin-skinned horse on whom I have to be VERY careful about equipment because he bleeds easily - reinforced edges on the free corner of saddle pads have made him bleed, a crease in a trainer’s half chaps has made him bleed, and a fold in tall boots which I never wore on him again has made him bleed. Legolas was fairly worked up during the ride, and Steffen had his legs closer and more supportively on him - I think it’s more likely that support had either the spur or his boots rubbing to create a bloody spot than a gouge during the spook. But unless it was caught on video or photograph and is shared publicly, we don’t know.
Having seen the HUGE spook, and realizing he wears non-rowel spurs, I can totally understand how this might have happened. Legolas took a big sideways spook, I think with a lesser rider, he would have spun and bolted. Steffen really had no choice, he had to have his leg on - partly just to stay w/ the horse’s motion! And with a non-rowel blunt spur (I know everyone thinks they are the kindest spur out there, but this is an example of why I prefer roller spurs), it can catch on the horse’s side. I would guess it caught and pulled a few hairs out - that would be enough to cause a small amount of blood.
It is really sad that it happened, Steffen is a class act, wonderful rider all the way. I feel bad for him - how horrified he must have been:(
I would believe Steffen’s account… I think he owned up to what was an accident and an unfortunate set of circumstances. I’ve seen him ride as he used to give clinics at a barn I was at. He’s a really gifted rider on different types of horses.
I’m sorry, but Dover on the other hand… shouldn’t be given a microphone. A “touch” doesn’t cause blood. TO ME, he has long been unrealistic in his “reporting”. The audience isn’t dumb, Robert.
I agree it’s unfortunate because it probably did happen in the spook, but I feel that this is one of those things they cannot waver on. If spur or bit injuries didn’t result in automatic disqualification I think it would really take something away from our sport.
Vineyridge: “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.”
I agree only with your last sentence. Steffen does not over-ride with his heels and that over-riding with heels is not the “German way.” Having trained with Germans and ridden in a clinic with Steffen, I would say your recollection IS “off base.” I was at the World Cup near “E” where the first spook happened right after his entry…and at the end when the crowd erupted. I only have sympathy for Steffen because that kind of accident could have happened to anyone. There is not one single rider who has not accidental poked their horse’s side or banged the bit in the horse’s mouth when they’ve spooked or startled. If a rider hasn’t done that, it’s because they’re really a rider of armchairs or the couch. 
No one knows when it happened. It was ALL speculation. Some people said it happened at the end, some thought it happened at the beginning. Not even Dover knows. You got this so wrong. Sorry. Steffen does not use the heels on every step. I think you’re making an erroneous assumption. He is super kind when training horses. I hear he doesn’t even use a whip. He also goes to the airport and sees his horses off personally to make sure they’re ok. Also, many experienced horse people have stated that on a thin skinned horse at a certain time of year, yes, you can get a tiny bit of blood (which is what it was) from a spur that is appropriately used and not overly used. If Legolas started freaking out at crowd noise, I’d say that was appropriate. Steffen prepared Legolas mentally and physically for a great ride. He deserves a great deal of credit.
