16/08/2024
Like many others I have watched the Olympics equestrian events and enjoyed them. There really is nothing like watching the ultimate partnerships in the three phases of the eventing, or soaring those huge fences in the show jumping. Despite our team pulling an extraordinary Bronze medal out by dint of a combination of masterful leadership by Carl, brilliant and skilful performances by Lottie and Becky (as a debutante- wow) and nerves of steel, the dressage to me looks a bit more unappetising. There are several reasons for this - of course the recent fall from grace of GBs 'golden girl' CDJ in the whipping incident, along with other Danish scandals this year, and the apparent refusal of the FEI and dressage governing bodies to flex sensibly on several things.
Firstly to me, as a former elite level athlete although in another sport, the judging system is not transparent, and seems unduly based on the successful rider currently in the arena. So to outsiders it feels biased. How can the gold medal go to a rider who's horse swished his tail throughout the test indicating he wasn't enjoying the aid (instructions) delivered in that way? Not the only example but from a relative outsider to the inner circle of dressage this grates.
Why is it compulsory to use double bridles, and spurs, and to test the horses for such an extended time in movements such as piaffe and passage. Firstly I rarely see horses performing these movements in a more natural environment and if by necessity they 'have' to be trained using a whip then they should be removed. Interestingly these movements rarely appear in eventing dressage tests.
Double bridles are severe, of that there is no doubt. In the hands of a good sympathetic rider I am sure they help a nuanced performance but surely the rules can be tweaked to allow other options? Or even marks awarded for 'use of the tack' to reflect the difficulty. I suspect the use of snaffle bridles would also reduce the incidence of horses becoming overbent too. Something I find ridiculous, without considering the obvious physical pain caused to their mouths, restrictions to breathing and 'blue tongue' issues, because a horse with its head that bent over can barely see where it's going so I guess that's why it happens less in eventing and jumping because if the horse cant see the jump it can't jump it!
And as for spurs I often see riders as young as 9 or younger told to wear spurs, along with those who use them because 'my legs aren't good enough'. The standard must be set as tougher and more respectful for the horse because they deserve better. They can all feel a fly on them so it's our job to give them the aid as simply as possible with NO danger of harming them, or annoying them in the process. Riders have a duty to be better.
My other points are to do with transparency and rules (or rule breaking). Why are the dressage officials /FEI so loathe to name and shame? Just get on with it, and allow our great riders to set a terrific example and give our up and coming youngsters something to aspire to. Don't allow them to follow the example of those who might just have been given a bit of a warning. Name the miscreants and build better systems, and even better champions, who champion horse welfare!
My last point is associated with monitoring training and horse management. I see increasing numbers of horses that have had injections into every joint possible in order to allow them to do their 'job'. I'm sure some of this is because we now have the technology to do it but if a horse cannot do the job without them I feel strongly it's a welfare issue. It used to be that horses only had injections when they became older for their comfort. Injections nowadays are used to perpetuate them working at a level where they are no longer comfortable.
Many of the injected drugs are not detected as they they are encapsulated in the joint so they 'fly under the radar' of 'drugs in sport' rules. So the irony is that you can test for bute used as a one off dose and the horse is withdrawn from competition, but would not necessarily test positive for several injections.
What we need is a comprehensive system of horse welfare and management. Why don't we use a well designed app similar to any of the yard management apps that allows reporting of any treatment /farriery that might be required to any body involved in horse sport? (Could be FEI or british horse society/BD/BE/BS). If we accredited the usual vets/farriers/vet physios who routinely visit yards anyway they could submit the info. It's not that difficult, it just requires some co-ordination, some investment into the professionals on whom the burden of reporting would fall and the co-operation of all. If the bads practices are brought into the open that soon has to improve things.
End note: I haven't posted for ages because I'm undergoing treatment for an incurable brain tumour. Sadly for many I have not taken leave of all my senses but I am in the luxurious position of literally not having to deal with SM trolls. So if you're not civil, or pleasant, it's bye!
