Will Faerber on the Olympics 2012

I got to say I really like this guy, he makes great videoes regarding his training methods and gives good advice to riders on a "hobby" level, who are trying to retrain "problem" horses, or riding young horses. In this video I think he brings up some great points and shares his point of view.

Adelinde Cornelissen Olympics 2012

One scandal after another keeps surfacing in this years olympic dressage discipline. It is about time the FEI steps up to their job and stick to their own rules.(!)

At all stages during the preparation and training of Competition Horses, welfare must take precedence over all other demands.
a) Good Horses management
Stabling, feeding and training must be compatible with good Horses management and must not compromise welfare. Any practices which could cause physical or mental suffering, in or out of Competition, will not be tolerated.
b) Training methods
Horses must only undergo training that matches their physical capabilities and level of maturity for their respective disciplines. They must not be subjected to any training methods which are abusive or cause fear or for which they have not
been properly prepared.

Watching the video above, I was in shock. I do not understand how the FEI can stand behind this. Sealing off the area to make sure none can see how the horses are trained is truly disgusting! If you cannot stand behind the training methods- then dont use them - just some common sense.

How Adelinde Cornelissen can be awarded second place when she trains her horse like this is beyond me. I could hardly watch her ride her program as she constantly pulls her horse in the mouth which is constantly whipping its tail showing obvious signs of being uncomfortable with the way it was being ridden.

That the FEI will contineously allow these kind of training methods and even help cover up the practice in some futile attempt to state that it is non occurant is not only hippocracy but also pathetic.

Pull your straw to the stack by signing this petition aimed towards the FEI and demand action towards the rollkur practice here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/ban-rollkur/
and look at this facebookgroup: https://www.facebook.com/DislikeFEIrules


For studies regarding the effects of rollkur on horses, I suggest reading this article: http://www.cavallo.de/medizin/neue-studie-zur-rollkur-liefert-alarmierende-ergebnisse.386954.233219.htm?skip=0 Unfortunately, it is in german, but with some help from google translate, you should be OK.

 

Adelinde Cornelissen and Parzival

A happy horse and athlete?

Dressage- Team gold for Great Britain

As many of you know, Great Britain won gold in the olympics team dressage.
I think this is amazing, and shows that dressage riding on international levels is moving in the right direction. I want to thank the british team for showing the world what dressage is all about and what a rider and horse in harmony looks like. Thank you!
Later today I will be cheering for Carl Hester (which is probably pretty obivious from my blog) and I am hoping for individual gold for him, or in next best case, another one of the british riders!

A little article regarding the british gold: http://horsetalk.co.nz/2012/08/08/history-made-britain-wins-olympic-dressage-gold/#.UCOpmPVkgwc

Olympics 2012 profile: Carl Hester dressage

Carl Hester- Olympics

Wauw! Just wauw! After the negative this morning, seeing the pictures of Kittel, im just in AWE of Carl Hester. Watching him ride his horse, so light and calm. What a harmony and symphony there is between them- such a beautiful light contact on the briddle, and the horse is just dancing beneath him! So beautiful to watch! No tension, no tail whipping and the horse seems relaxed and in its element! This is dressage how it should be! (Anne Van Olst did very well this morning aswell, but it just wasnt quite as beautiful as Carl Hester's performance- had to sneak a little Anne comment in here, because I am danish afterall ;) )

They ended up on 77,72 % AND it is SO well derserved.

I took two small snapshots:

(look at that horse just flying beneath him!)

Not very pretty

 Picture source: http://www.st-georg.de/olympia-2012/detail.php?objectID=13009&class=6#

Saw these pictures of Patrik Kittel at the olympics. I dont care if it is only short moments the horse is trained like this, which the riders claim (I have seen Anky rollkur a horse for 10minutes and more on youtube videoes)-. This should NOT happen in horse training and it is NOT okay to treat and train an animal in this manner. Look at the eyes, the tension and stress the horse is showing and the obscene ammount of sweat and foam. Anyone with a little bit of sense within themselves can tell this is not right.

I find it even more obscene because of the fact that rollkur is forbidden and there is officials standing on the sidelines silently watching this and doing NOTHING. Isnt the pictures showing the exact definition of roll-kur? How is it that none is intervening and stopping them?

This is an statement from FEI:

"The FEI Code of Conduct for the Welfare of the Horse clearly states that at all stages during the preparation and training of competition horses, welfare must take precedence over all other demands," said Mr. Asmyr.

"The Code also states that horses must not be subjected to any training methods which are abusive or cause fear and that tack must be designed and fitted to avoid the risk of pain or injury," said Mr. Asmyr, pointing out that the term "abuse" is defined as "acting in a way which may cause pain or discomfort to a horse." 

London 2012 has been billed as "the most sustainable Games ever" with strict benchmarks for animal welfare. For instance, according to the published "London 2012 Food Vision," eggs used in food preparation must be strictly free range. However, the Commission for a Sustainable London, the ethics watchdog se up to ensure high sustainability of the Olympics, does not yet appear to have made any recommendations pertaining to the animals actually performing in the Games.  

Source: http://epona.tv/uk/news/show/artikel/rspca-supports-noseband-gauge/?type=98&tx_ttnews[backPid]=388&cHash=dc1642ffd78a9663b6ea618918ecf41a (about the noseband debate for the olympics in London 2012).

Shame on everyone who accepts this and think this is a proper way to treat a horse! FOR SHAME. 

I post this because doing nothing and staying silent is the same as conscending, and I am completely AGAINST this treatment of animals.

Olympics

Yesterday Sara Algotsson Ostholt got an silver medal in military, and I faithfully watched all three parts on my iphone (dressage, terrain and jumping) and I thought it was amazing to watch her and her beautiful horse Wega, as they made it to their medal. Denmark did not have a Olympics team in Military, so I was  cheering for Sweden big time.

If any swedish readers out there, you can read a little article on hippson regarding this picture at the top:  http://www.hippson.se/blogs/OS-kollen-2012/en-sara-explosion-pa-natet.htm


Tomorrow I will be watching the team dressage, and I will be cheering for Denmark (Gold here we come!) ;)