hello!
I went to watch a Grand PRix and Prix st George dressage to music competition at Catherston on saturday night. I saw some really fantatic work - horse that were really relaxed and just flowing along, and I also saw some blatant cruelty which, to be honest, shocked me.
One rider, jane Bredin - the one who rides Cupido a lovely chestnut with enormous white stockings on his back legs (they did the Persil ads on TV after the Atlanta Olympics) was riding Cupido and another horse. I have NEVER seen such bad or crule riding. For starter she rode each horse totally lopsidely - her right stirup was about 2 holes longer and she was totally over to that side. Every stride the horse did was accompanied with a severe boot in its ribs (I could hear the kicks over the loud music) and a severe jerk on the reins (moving her hands back about 5-10cm). If you had seen the size of the shanks on her curb bit you would have been horrified! I nearly booed her out of the arena at the end, i just wish i had been brave enough to do so. I was LIVID to discover that she won on Cupido - ok, the horse had nice paces and was accurate but surely that riding should have been penalised!
Is there anything we can do about this? Can i report her to British Dressage for cruelty? What do you all reckon?
bye!
I went to watch a Grand PRix and Prix st George dressage to music competition at Catherston on saturday night. I saw some really fantatic work - horse that were really relaxed and just flowing along, and I also saw some blatant cruelty which, to be honest, shocked me.
One rider, jane Bredin - the one who rides Cupido a lovely chestnut with enormous white stockings on his back legs (they did the Persil ads on TV after the Atlanta Olympics) was riding Cupido and another horse. I have NEVER seen such bad or crule riding. For starter she rode each horse totally lopsidely - her right stirup was about 2 holes longer and she was totally over to that side. Every stride the horse did was accompanied with a severe boot in its ribs (I could hear the kicks over the loud music) and a severe jerk on the reins (moving her hands back about 5-10cm). If you had seen the size of the shanks on her curb bit you would have been horrified! I nearly booed her out of the arena at the end, i just wish i had been brave enough to do so. I was LIVID to discover that she won on Cupido - ok, the horse had nice paces and was accurate but surely that riding should have been penalised!
Is there anything we can do about this? Can i report her to British Dressage for cruelty? What do you all reckon?
bye!