Please Help Spread This Message For Change
Recording of teleseminar with CAROLYN RESNICK
where Carolyn discusses why Rollkur is anti-dressage! – Carolyn Resnick to listen.
Recording of teleseminar with KLAUS FERDINAND HEMPFLING
where Klaus discusses the use of Rollkur now available – click KFH to listen.
The following video is very disturbing, heartbreaking even. It was taken at the World Cup dressage qualifier in Odense, Denmark during a warm-up of over two hours, with this horse being ridden in various stages of hyperflexion. Although the horse suffered so severely here, he was ridden for a futher 90 minutes. There was a complaint from one of the spectators but shockingly, the FEI steward chose not to react.
Video shown with permission of EPONA.tv – Read their accompanying article here
CLICK THIS LINE TO READ HOW YOU CAN HELP SPREAD THE MESSAGE
We know that a horse in hyperflexion has problems breathing, cannot see where he is going, is in a psychological state of learned helplessness, can end up with ossification of the poll and a number of other physical problems brought and yet because “everyone” is doing it, the FEI (Fédération Equestre Internationale – the equestrian sports governing body), refuses to take a stand.
This site has been put together by people who want to see an end to the often barbaric way horses are treated in modern dressage and we need your help…
The film is quite shocking and we wouldn’t blame you if you did not want to watch. However, by facing up to the uncomfortable truth, we hope you will be sufficiently horrified and saddened by the suffering of these horses, that you feel compelled to take action. In which case you have come to the right place.
There is astounding scientific evidence of the damage this type of training does to horses and it doesn’t have to be like this. We must use our collective voice for those who cannot speak to enlighten the authorities and trainers responsible.
We want to make this message go viral to alert as many people as possible and to catch the attention of the media.
You can lend your support by first commenting below and then by going to the How To Help page to find out what you can do next. Thank you so much.
This is discussing! Someone should have closed the show ring and escorted the horse and rider out. Fines for animal abuse. What kind of people do this?
Rollkur may have been started in ignorance of the pain and damage it can inflict to horses. We are human and we all make mistakes. But what is unacceptable is that people continue this unhumane practice with the knowledge of the negative consequences it has for the horse. Horses have stoically served man for centuries, it is time that we thank horsekind for all they have done and all they continue to do for us with some sensitivity, kindness and intelligence. MAKE ROLLKUR AN ILLEGAL PRACTICE!
This is barbaric – and it carried on for another 90 minutes! The guy needs horsewhipping – along with the FEI who condone it.
I have ridden horses out hunting for 40 years,but never like this. The pain he must have felt in his neck and tongue (notice his tongue sticking out – it has nowhere else to go because his hands are so fixed!!!) is unimaginable.
I find it shocking that even when the rider halts and bends down to see his horse’s tongue he still wont release the contact. Ban Rollkur and the riders that use it!
I am part of the dressage world. Was this ride too much? too severe? perhaps. Should rollkurr be used as a training method perhaps, perhaps not.
However, any training method is that..a training method not a way of going. Was this horse pushed ahead in the classes faster than he was ready for…did this horse have enough training to perform at this level…we don’t know. Is it what we would choose for our own horse…no.
I would like to point out though that I have been involved in horse for years. Jumper, Hunter Jumper and now finally and happily dressage. There is abuse in every single discipline. What about the hunter/Jumper that lunges the horse for several hours before a class in order to make it appear calmer….is it calmer or just exhausted?
Put people and animals together be it your dog at home, your expensive jumper or your pony club horse..there will always be some that abuse these beautiful trusting creatures. Does this mean that dressage is bad? Hunter/Jumper is bad? Owning a pet dog is bad?…..no. It just means that there will always be some people who misuse training methods and animals….
I may not know a single thing about dressage(i’ve been rding for about 3 -4 yrs) , but this is unbelieveable.I like to think of dressage as a fun sport for you and your horse to have fun trying and going to shows,not to torture your horse by doing this! When i was the video i was very upset the horse looked so uncomfortable. i just wanted to push the guy off the horse an take him with me so he wouldnt have to feel that awful pain any more.It’s a great thing someone has put this out there.Horses have helped us in so many ways and this what we give in retur?I really hope FEI cracks down on this and stops as fast as they can.