The Latest Video of the Totilas/Gal Freestyle at Hickstead

[Mike_Matson]

It is interesting the different preferences for music in the US and Europe.

Indeed. However as evidenced by sales and popularity, the American brands of music continue to set the standards and trends around the world. Some of this is showing up in the dressage musical freestyles, e.g., Brentina’s “MoTown” freestyle and Ravel’s “Coldplay” freestyle. However, it still comes down to what “fits” the horse, no matter which country the music originates from.

At a recent clinic, a SRS rider was watching my horse perform to music I had selected for him. “That fits him very well!”, he said. However, I wasn’t invited to Vienna to change their music.

[Mike_Matson]

What I don’t understand is why sponsors and riders are paying big bucks for new musical compositions. It really isn’t necessary. There is great published music available and suitable for horses and a freestyle without having to lay out that kind of money. As an example, look at Anky’s “Song Sung Blue” freestyle vs. her composition freestyles. IMO the former is still her best vs. the latter and will continue to be her “signature” freestyle.

[GreekDressageQueen]

[QUOTE=mbm;4267142]
wow…

i hear that music and those bells

Bonnnnggg!
Bonnnnggg!

and i hear the death knell of dressage -

honestly - i just don’t get what everyone sees in these rides… yeah, the horse is talented but how he is ridden??? not my cup o tea and not what i consider top dressage should be.

lookout park here comes extreme dressage full out.

:([/QUOTE]

I agree with you. I like this horse but…

I’ve watched several videos of Totilas and at the end of every test, when Edward is walking him out of the ring, the horse starts to jig/jog a bit. Notice how it looks like a normal trot without that elaborate flash and flick with his front feet? I’ve ridden in big arenas before and a horse jigging out of the ring when the crowd is applauding is when the horse is the MOST “elastic” and this horse just trotted like a normal horse. Seems like that “spider” crawl trot has more to do with training than just pure ability (although that trot is not possible without a free shoulder.) I think he has been taught when collected to move his front end like that, which is no different than trick training IMO. I HATE his trot extensions.

He DOES have a fabulous piaffe, however. Other than getting too tight in the neck at times and swinging his a$$ in the one-tempis, I really can’t find much fault with him in general, which is why everyone attacks you (and probably me now :lol:) on these boards when expressing a dissenting opinion. He is a nice horse FOR SURE, but I hope he isn’t the be all and end all of dressage.

[mbm]

my big question is: how did he get such a gigantic score with so many errors and bobbles?

and seriously - what are the judges going to do when he gets stronger? give him a 110% ?

eta: i wish we could see the movement by movement scores… this would be really educational and might just answer a lot of questions

[TheHorseProblem]

[QUOTE=mbm;4268237]
my big question is: how did he get such a gigantic score with so many errors and bobbles?

and seriously - what are the judges going to do when he gets stronger? give him a 110% ?

eta: i wish we could see the movement by movement scores… this would be really educational and might just answer a lot of questions :)[/QUOTE]

:yes::yes::yes::yes:

[torontodressage]

[QUOTE=mbm;4268237]
my big question is: how did he get such a gigantic score with so many errors and bobbles?

and seriously - what are the judges going to do when he gets stronger? give him a 110% ?

eta: i wish we could see the movement by movement scores… this would be really educational and might just answer a lot of questions :)[/QUOTE]

Why do you need the scoresheets.
You have already made up your mind.

[mbm]

[QUOTE=torontodressage;4268341]
Why do you need the scoresheets.
You have already made up your mind.[/QUOTE]

i have made up my mind i dont like how the horse is ridden ( i am not a fan of Gal as a rider)… and i do think the score was a bit inflated… however, it would be interesting and yes, educational to see how the various judges scored him.

ETA: i have no clue how each movement was scored… there were a few good moments but a few no so good moments too.

i just don’t see how this was SOOOOO much better than every other ride that has ever happened?

so i would like to see what the judges think.

it’s called transparency

[torontodressage]

[QUOTE=yaya;4267420]
The music is waaay heavy. He did the same thing with Lingh.

A light-moving horse deserves light music, not the gongs and chants and stuff.[/QUOTE]

He probably knows what the judges like :lol::lol:

[paintjumper]

you are right Mike about the US music

I remember one time seeing “Big Mama Girl” Brentina and Debbie riding to the song “She’s a Brick House” , by the Commodores, that song fit that mare to a tee. I love the US music, and think it is very fitting for US horses and riders especially.

[torontodressage]

[QUOTE=mbm;4268346]
i have made up my mind i dont like how the horse is ridden ( i am not a fan of Gal as a rider)… and i do think the score was a bit inflated… however, it would be interesting and yes, educational to see how the various judges scored him.

ETA: i have no clue how each movement was scored… there were a few good moments but a few no so good moments too.

i just don’t see how this was SOOOOO much better than every other ride that has ever happened?

so i would like to see what the judges think.

it’s called transparency ;)[/QUOTE]

I heard the judges say that if they were allowed to give marks above 10 they would have given many 15+ marks.

[fiona]

the American brands of music continue to set the standards and trends around the world. Some of this is showing up in the dressage musical freestyles, e.g., Brentina’s “MoTown” freestyle and Ravel’s “Coldplay” freestyle

Coldplay are English.

[Dame_M_Dimblekins]

Interesting discussion. I liked Totilas’ musical score. I believe it comes from a film soundtrack, I don’t recall the name of the film however. Most Americans I know refer to the kind of music we seem to favor for freestyles as “elevator music”. I am not sure I truly understand that connotation.

[Mike_Matson]

Coldplay are English.

To be quite proper about it, they are British.

[egontoast]

I have to say, no offence intended , but this Dame M Dimblekins is a fraud. I am a close personal friend of Dame Mabel Dimblekins ( my trainer) and I know for a fact she does not even own a computer. She’s an old school dyed in the wool luddite and would be horrified that someone was using her name on a tawdry internet discussion board.

She has a a Black and White TV and drives a vintage Morris Oxford. She has a rotary dial phone and to her a blackberry is something you bake in a pie or serve with curds.

Unless this is her disgraced cousin Muffy Dimblekins in which case the “Dame” part is still a fraud.

[meupatdoes]

[QUOTE=GreekDressageQueen;4268167]
Seems like that “spider” crawl trot has more to do with training than just pure ability (although that trot is not possible without a free shoulder.) I think he has been taught when collected to move his front end like that, which is no different than trick training IMO. I HATE his trot extensions.

He DOES have a fabulous piaffe, however. Other than getting too tight in the neck at times and swinging his a$$ in the one-tempis, I really can’t find much fault with him in general…

He is a nice horse FOR SURE, but I hope he isn’t the be all and end all of dressage.[/QUOTE]

Agreed on all counts above.

The trot extensions remind me of this.

However I do think he is a beautiful horse.

[mbm]

@meupatdoes;4268520

The trot extensions remind me of this.

oh my god, that is a f*cking sin. how can people do that to a horse?

[Dame_M_Dimblekins]

up late aren’t we, eggy?

If you like a puzzle, you will like life.
:yes:

I was gifted with a macintosh from sittingbythereiner about a month ago, dearest.

We must catch up. But later, it is now past my toes up time.

[Ambrey]

@meupatdoes;4268520

The trot extensions remind me of this.

shudder

Except that isn’t a trot.

And those horses are 2.

And he’d have to be about 2hh shorter to make the rider/horse weight ratio the same.

[meupatdoes]

[QUOTE=Ambrey;4268570]
shudder

Except that isn’t a trot.

And those horses are 2.

And he’d have to be about 2hh shorter to make the rider/horse weight ratio the same.[/QUOTE]

Yes.
Clearly I was alluding to the rider/horse height ratio and to the age of the horses rather than to Greek’s “spidy” trot comment about artificial front leg elevation.

You may as well be like, “EXCEPT THAT ONE HORSE IS SPOTTED.”

[Ambrey]

@meupatdoes;4268579

Yes.
Clearly I was alluding to the rider/horse height ratio and to the age of the horses rather than to Greek’s “spidy” trot comment about artificial front leg elevation.

You may as well be like, “EXCEPT THAT ONE HORSE IS SPOTTED.”

Hmmm, someone pee on your cornflakes this morning?

You could have picked a lot of videos of gaited horses that made the comparison a bit less dramatic.