Comment

Comment by Diana Murphy on October 11, 2010 at 8:12pm

I hate to be the only one to disagree about Fuego. He is a really nice horse, but I didn't see a lot of swing and he didn't seem relaxed at all. I think the only time he looked truly relaxed was at the free walk -- when he was given his head, he really opened up his stride and had a lovely swing through his entire body. I think he looked kind of tense throughout a lot of the ride -- not the entire ride (but go back and look at his choppy stride and the way he exploded after the halt kind of makes me think he was tense and on edge). I love how well trained he obviously is and those one tempis with one hand -- AMAZING!
That's my amateur opinion.

Comment by Colette Sossaman on October 11, 2010 at 11:57am

Hi Mary-Joe,
Your comments are so sad but true, it's such a shame. No Rolkur going in that horses training. Such a happy, confident horse. Beautiful showmanship and a true horseman.
However, like you say, the good news is........the world knows who won.

Comment by Mary-Joe Figueira on October 11, 2010 at 11:16am

I agree 100% and so do a million other people. I was there myself and saw it live. It was absolutely breath taking. Unfortunately a million other people's opinion do not count as we are not judges. I do not believe a non-warmblood will ever win a gold, maybe a silver or a bronze. Hell would freeze over before it did. Dressage is like figure-skating. Warmbloods will always dominate until someone is brave enough to say otherwise.

However, Juan Munoz Dias, was brave enough to make a point. And what a Point it was! FEI Dressage will never be the same again.

Comment by Colette Sossaman on October 11, 2010 at 9:41am

Fuego WEG Freestyle.....I think this should have been the winning ride

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVtZodFmcLU&feature=related

Comment by Mary-Joe Figueira on September 15, 2010 at 5:50pm

Evident by the fact that the tongue turns blue!

Comment by Mary-Joe Figueira on September 11, 2010 at 9:16pm

Yes, mine is King!

Comment by Mary-Joe Figueira on September 10, 2010 at 9:36pm

I thought so, either Andalusian or Lusitano.
Cheers

Comment by Mary-Joe Figueira on September 9, 2010 at 9:35pm

Yep you are right. Politics always wins - but isn't that in most sports. Politics always pokes its nose where it doesn't belong.
What kind of horse is that in your picture?

Comment by Mary-Joe Figueira on September 9, 2010 at 5:36pm

I was not aware of this. Of course these European games are not broadcast here in North America, so you only hear the news. I did see the Olympic equestrian games from Hong Kong and those poor horses, were all electrified to say the least. Well I don't know about Isabell Werth, her horse gave her a very hard time during her test at the Olympics and yet she managed to get off with high marks and a medal. How that happened I don't know. But yes, that is why half of these horses only live to mid teens which is so sad. They have to be ridden very tight during their tests. I don't find any suppleness, relaxation when these horses are ridden. These two concepts are part of the dressage scale.
I am glad I am only riding bronze.

Comment by Kt Mehers on September 9, 2010 at 12:42pm

I know I have been out of the loop for just over 10 years but at what point did good horsemanship lose out to "showy" manoeuvres !?! What a terrifying concept that a top dressage horse has to ridden so close to the edge of panic to win that a short while after the competition rides have finished it is still so "freaked out" cannot be ridden in the prize giving ceremony. Never mind the physiological damage of Rollkur etc we are also making the horses insane! Aaaarrrrgh!

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