Team Dressage - overall impressions?

[MsM]

Now that this portion is done, what are your impressions on “the state of dressage”? I was actually happy to see the current rides.

I watched many of the first day rides which included the less accomplished riders as well as the top rides on day 2. Overall, I thought there was greater subtlety in the riding throughout. Horses looked less forced riders not “waterskiing” even down the ranks.

While I didn’t always understand the scores (based on watching from varying camera angles on my computer!) they seemed to be pretty consistent between the judges for the most part.

Eight to twelve years ago I watched the top rides and was less than inspired by many. To me, the riding seemed more strong-arm and the horses too constrained. I loved dressage, but wasn’t loving much of what I saw. This year, I saw many lovely, harmonious yet powerful rides that were awe-inspiring. Looking forward to the freestyle!

[Willy_Von_Whompers]

Pretty encouraged overall. For the reasons you state. The judging is flawed though…the “names” certainly get the benefit of generous marks. Carl H was way over marked IMO as were a couple of others.

But there were a lot of very pleasant…non rein-skiing rides and most of the horses hadn’t entirely lost the will to live.

[Foxtrot_s]

I so agree - the tests are much more harmonious, horses seem to be willing to work.

When a horse is bred for the job it must help with their natural balance, strength and movement along with sympathetic training by some great horsemen/women it is showing.

I too remember years ago and down the ranks to the local scene, a lot of tail wringing, spur jabbing, rein yanking, body jerking - but it is much less now.
Hated the look and when looking for help with my own horses I chose the ONE trainer I could find who rode quietly - not maybe the biggest name around, but the best for me and my ideals. Off the hands and on the seat aids, constantly striving for less and less.

Rembrandt was - for me - the beginning of the trend with Nicole…not forgetting Reiner Klimke.

I now have the most wiling, kind mare who has never had a stick laid on her in punishment and she goes in a plastic bit, even x-c.

[Beentheredonethat]

It’s absolutely inspiring at all levels. You can see the “smaller” countries just getting into it with gusto, not ready to be on top, but doing a fabulous job overall.

Watching the top level dressage used to be seeing everyone with major holes in their tests. Now, almost no one has them. It’s coming down to who has a better natural piaffe/passage and has the carriage to show the articulation in the joints in changes and pirouettes once they’ve gotten the steadiness and relaxation.

The sort of bad side of this is you can see it’s a lot about having the money (or luck) to get the right horse that can do all of that, as well as the years of hard work in producing that. There are some very good riders who just don’t have the horse that’s going to show it at that level.

And the judging is way better than it was, despite flaws. I think the German team should have won, but they were also over scored. Think back to Barcelona (?) where Rusty was clearly lame and won the gold. That’s not really happening. Despite the halo effect and clear over scoring issues, I think the places are pretty much right.

I don’t agree with all of the melodrama of “abused” horses that are now and used to be top performers. No horse at this level is abused nor competing at this level without loving their job despite individual quirks about certain things. That’s like saying that you can have a GP jumper who hates his job and is beat into being the best. How can that happen? All of the horses love their job–eventers, dressage, and jumpers–you just can’t be at the top of the world and not.

[Larksmom]

I am enjoying it too. I agree that it is much better than 10-20 years ago. However, I do remember Rembrandt as well… where is there a heart icon?

One thing I did notice. We are now closer to the Germans than ever, and yet, when we get close, they move on again!
How DO they get the suspension in those horses! It is breathtaking to watch.

But remembering Rembrandt, IIRC, wasn’t the best score back in the day, in the mid 70s? I don’t think even Alerich scored anything like the 80s we saw with Totillas.

[egood]

Think the quality of riding was the best at this Olympics.

Not impressed with the Dutch team performance. Considering their sponsor (Glock), would have thought they’d be nipping at the heels of the Germans. I think their horses aren’t as experience yet, plus Zonik hasn’t reached GP yet. Will be interesting to see if they’re dominating by 2020.

Didn’t know the Germans had such a strong team this year. I knew Kristina Sprehe would be battling with Charlotte but didn’t expect Dorothee and Isabelle to have tremendous rides as well.

Have we seen an Olympics where 5 riders get above 80%?

Incredibly proud of the Americans, I was convinced they’d finish outside the top 3. Laura and Verdades just keep getting better!

[Trevelyan96]

I think the overall relaxation and harmony in international dressage has improved significantly since Anky has made the switch from dressage to reining.