A study of the Rollkur technique used in dressage horse training has been carried out in Canada.
In Rollkur, the horse’s neck is hyper flexed so that the nose is very close to, if not touching, the chest. The front of the head is behind the vertical (angled in) instead of being vertical or slightly forward of vertical as in normal poll flexion.
Dr Ute von Borstel and others working at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada conducted a series of tests to investigate whether the technique adversely affects the horse’s welfare.
The FEI’s draft description of Rollkur states that:
“Hyperflexion of the neck is a technique of working/training to provide a degree of longitudinal flexion of the mid-region of the neck. Hyperflexion cannot be self-maintained by the horse for an extended period of time.”
With the help of two equestrian centres – one in Ontario, the other in Ohio – the researchers devised a preference test, to see if horses would choose or avoid Rollkur if they had the choice.
Equine Science Update e-news reports that each horse was ridden into the trunk of a Y-shaped maze and allowed to choose which arm of the maze to take to enter an exercise area. After leaving the maze the horses would be ridden in 20 metre circles in either the Rollkur or normal poll flexion posture, depending on which arm of the maze they had chosen.
Previous training had taught the horses that leaving through the left arm would result in being ridden in the Rollkur posture. Leaving through the right arm resulted in being worked in a normal outline.
A rider would ride the horse into the maze, but allow the horse to choose the exit – and by implication the style of riding that would follow.
Fourteen of the 15 horses in the study chose the normal poll flexion.
Another part of the study involved horses being exposed to a “fear test” whilst being ridden either Rollkur or normally. Each horse suddenly encountered a fear-inducing stimulus: a fan blowing air with plastic strips attached to it; and an umbrella that was opened and closed as the horse approached.
The researchers found that horses tended to have higher heart rates and to react more to the fear-inducing stimulus, when ridden in Rollkur rather than in normal poll flexion.
The researcher concluded:
“Horses show higher levels of discomfort when ridden in a coercively obtained Rollkur posture compared to regular poll flexion, and that they will avoid being ridden in Rollkur if given the choice.”
Impact of riding in a coercively obtained Rollkur posture on welfare and fear of performance horses.
UU von Borstel, IJH Duncan, AK Shoveller, K Merkies, LJ Keeling, ST Millman. Applied Animal Behaviour Science (2009) 116, 228 – 236.
Equine Science Update
What I see when I see these horses is that they feel they cannot possibly win. They have a certain degree of confusion, feeling as though they are trying to do “the right thing” but yet, uncertain of what that even is. They are fighting a battle they cannot possibly win. There is no reward. No reprieve. Many of them also appear to have clenched jaws and bared teeth..definitely going against what is dictated by FEI as “relaxed, giving to the bit, etc..”
I sincerely hope for a re-birth of Classical Dressage.
Not only are these eyes worried. I see horses in pain who have put themselves somewhere else. Similar to the glazed look you see in a mustang after a gathering.
Very unfortunate what we humans put such sensitive creatures through in the name of sport.
There are many people in this world that are willing to do things to their horse that their horse doesn’t like or even causes their horse outright pain if they think it will help them win.
So are there any studies that show that horses that are used wrongly have LESS chance at winning and that hurting your horse hurts your chance at getting the prize?
i would like to see the rider be treated as he treat his horse…….,but the horses wouldn’t harm anyone ..they are to good,how few people should have to do with horses.we all must help to stop speak out for our dear horses.
I would like to challenge all the people in the video clip to take off the Metal laden bridles & the saddles & get them to ride their dressage test bareback & bridleless I bet their horses wouldn’t even meet them at the gate of their paddock let alone ride the dressage test naked the people I study with would be able to do the test Bareback bridleless & there would be no worried eye’s that’s because the horse is their partner not their slave!!!
Do we really need to do these Scientific tests to find the answers!!!! anyone who loves,understands & feels for the horse does not need these tests to confirm what we already know.Every day I’m with my horse I ask myself would I be happy if this was done to me if the answer is NO thats where it should stop why do you need a scientific experiment to confirm what we know in our hearts???
very interesting, thank you for sharing