So, what offended you the most? The fact that this woman was overweight or that the team did not perform wonderfully?
Why not point out the perfectly conformed individuals who bounced on their horses backs and mouths?
Maybe this team had a bad day? Have you ever had a bad showing at a dressage show?
Louise, there sure doesn’t seem to be the fixation on stick bodies in dressage like there are in H/J. But I wonder if that is because dressage does not attract as many of the younger riders.
Let’s face it alot of the followers have become, well shall we say, the more mature riders. 
And with that comes some changes in shapes and sizes.
I know it has been discussed before, but for God sake give us a break. Do we really have to wear BRIGHT white breeches. Oh the indignation of it all. 
And no it does not inspire me to pass up that bowl of ice cream.
“The older I get, the better I used to be, but who the heck cares!”
yes, I gotta say you have a point-there aren’t many disciplines that one can do that in-I for one am just going to get to First level and remain in the high 60’s…my goal in life was to get out of the Training Level Abyss… 
I don’t think that was the point that she was making-why indeed would someone show so obviously above where they should be? Sure, everyone has had a bad test (or a bad show for that matter), but it sounds like this example goes way beyond that. See, that’s where that qualifying rule comes into play-I personally think it makes sense-it stops scores like 39’s in dressag (eek, sure this wasn’t eventing?LOLOL )…Horse and rider combos should have some semblance of unity and adeptness at a certain level before moving onward…JMHO…it’s a pity there wasn’t more spectator turnout, especially in good weather.
This is always a hard subject to write about with many feelings surfacing in everyone. A person can be overweight but very fit. A person can be thin but out of condition. It would be very nice to have a slender figure and look good on horseback. But this I do not have. I do have a large butt and leftover stomach and bust from two pregnancies. But I am also very fit as I work out three times a week with weights and cardio. Short of a plastic surgery, I will look chubby on a horse. And yes I have had poor tests that I have had to throw away for whatever reason both when I was skinny pre-preggers and chubby post preggers. But issue should be fitness not pounds.
CACTUSKATE-What DQ shall we meet at for that Hot Fudge Sundae? Just think a couple of DQs at the DQ.
My question is why would you fake something sub standard. I personally feel that I should show off how lovely my horse is and how happy he is with my training. Granted, I am not facing imposing solid fences like in cross country–which many riders at the lower levels ride w/o being properly prepared, yet because of the height it is okay–but I want to do well. I just don’t want anyone legislating that I can or cannot show in something until the judging is less subjective (read not just one person).
Gee, I wanted to start dialogue, but that didn’t mean a mini flame war.
If you read my post, I noted that I’m glad people of all body types ride dressage. I like to think that dressage doesn’t suffer from the same fixation with body image as they do in the h/j world. And I said she rode well… I was actually rooting for her to put in a really good ride (uh, I’m not exactly George Morris material myself. Well, maybe two of them 
).
But it was painful to watch, because the performance was so far below the level of the test. Yes, we all have bad horse / bad rider days, but not that make us ride 3 levels below what we’ve entered.
If I said the stiff, tense, barely 1st level performance came from a skinny, perfectly-tanned, silicone-enhanced, textbook DQ, would your reaction have been different?
(oops, thanks lilblackhorse, didn’t see your post before I made this one. Yes, that was the point…)
marianne, works for me…I’ll have nuts of course!!
Or how about meeting at the “Owlbuqureque” for an ortega chile burger with that onion thing??? Do you ever get down there?
“The older I get, the better I used to be, but who the heck cares!”
that some riders’ego’s are much larger than their abilities. (or their saddles apparently!)
Or, as in the case of a friend of mine, her trainer had schmoozed her into believing she was ready to ride at a certain level.
The resounding 37 that she received on the test indicated otherwise.
The trainer kept insisting that it was an overly critical judge.
I rode a very lowly training level test (well, 2 actually) with the same judge and got 58 and 59.
I was pleased with the results as it was 1)the mare’s first trip away from home and 2)the comments were very accurate.
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