DressageDisgrace

Article reproduced with kind permission of Luise Thomsen and Julie Taylor, EPONA.tv
The FEI has asked EPONA.tv to testify in the investigation of the blue tongue incident in Odense.
“As you may know, the FEI has launched an investigation into Mr. Kittel’s warm-up of his horse in Odense and specifically his use of hyperflexion/roll kur.
I understand [...]

“This was arguably the absolute toughest edition (of Horse For Life magazine) to date. Not because of the time but editing pictures of these poor horses.
Looking into their eyes… hurt. It really hurt. It hurt so bad that the first time I went to edit these pictures and bring you the close up views that [...]

It is so easy to be fooled by the beauty that is present to the Incredibly beautiful horses. Impeccably groomed. Beautiful perfect braids. The riders in their top hats, and dressed up impeccably.. black boots gleaming in the sunlight with nary a drop of dust on them anywhere…
A quiet look on the riders face.. maybe [...]

The full version of this article by Luise Thomsen and Julie Taylor is available at: EPONA.tv
A quick glance at the warm up arena at the World Cup dressage qualifier of the season in Odense, Denmark, revealed hyperflexed horses and blue tongues.
For a minimum of two hours, Swedish Olympic rider Patrik Kittel trained his stallion, Watermill [...]

Rollkur, now officially known as “hyperflexion of the neck,” is a highly controversial training technique used by some dressage riders today. It was, and is still, used in other equestrian disciplines, most notably show jumping, before being adopted by some well-known dressage riders. However, it is not an old theory in dressage, either: Francois Baucher trained a similar [...]