Uh, That’s a SPORT? Really?
Okay, I will be the first to admit that although I grew up around horses and did a little barrel racing in my day, I am certainly no expert in the horse arena.
However, I simply do not get dressage. You Tube here. To me, it looks like you put on funny clothes and ride a horse who needs to pee real bad. And that’s an Olympic sport?
Whoa. I have trained Truman to wave, sit, stay, fetch, dance and react wildly and insanely to the sound of a can opener. However, that’s not considered a sport.
But the Romney’s love it.
At the top level of competition, horses can cost well into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, and the annual tab for boarding, training, transportation and veterinary care can run into the millions, equestrian experts say. Generally, there are no purses in the sport. Winners earn medals and adulation, not money.
Well hell, no wonder I don’t participate in it: there’s no purses. I ain’t going nowhere without my purse.
Thanks to Ralph for the heads-up.
LOL! That’s probably the best description of Dressage I’ve ever read. 🙂
1Think of it a horse Ballet.The horses(and riders) have to be extensively trained,and only the best make it to the Olympics.As a former barrel racer rider,I too,used to make fun of Dressage.And then,I took English Riding/Jumping lessons.Opened my eyes and mind to the beauty and skill needed for that style.I love watching Dressage,and admire the skill and training that goes into teaching these horses to be so disciplined while performing.Shy of winning the (BIG) Lottery,I could never afford to have a horse of that caliber,but,I love watching it.Maybe I’m okay with it,because I’m one of those women that can’t stand purses(and I loathe Willard Romney even
2more then I hate carrying a purse).Agree to disagree on the Sport of Dressage,agree to agree on hating Romney.How’s that for compromise?
Some of the movements are battlefield maneuvers the mounted noblemen used against foot soldiers. Using the horse to leap over foot soldiers and deliver a kick to their heads or turn over bodies to make sure they were dead. When you look at the moves with that in mind you can see how the nobles played war.
3I do agree with the “looks like they need pee” lol
The horses are beautiful. The humans look like wax dummies. Did you see the Colbert take on this? It’s hilarious and perfect!
4No money, but “adulation”.
WTF??????
5I saw Steven Colbert’s take on Romney’s dressage horse … Mitt is part owner of this gorgeous animal … his take on the “sport” was hilarious.
6My daughter was on the Davis University Equestrian Team–so I get this one–if I won the lottery–I’d be doing it myself–Hunter/Jumpers are so beautiful–although watching my little one do the hedges is one scary heart in your throat moment–and she started riding when she was 5…
7I still think Mitt is the one who always looks like he has to pee. His wife’s horse would probably sail through the Sunday morning political talk shows without any wee on the floor. Mitt–not so much.
8To my Midwest mind – dressage is necessary to give the very rich a way to throw their money away and compete with others of their social circle and not worry about having to deal with the tacky lower class.
9I’m with the horse supporters here. This is an absolutely gorgeous site with magnificent animals. The horses aren’t just out there jumping around, they are following the very subtle commands of the rider through the pressure on the reins at times, but often through movements of the rider’s feet. It takes tremendous concentration and skill on the part of both human and animal.
10What really ticks me off is that the Romneys are a part of this. The horse is lucky it’s too big to put on the top of the car, and worth too much to be mistreated. I’m sure it eats and is housed much better than 1/3 of the population of the US.
I have to admit, I’m conflicted. I’ve always liked watching dressage because it is amazing what those horses can do.
11I haven’t ridden in decades, but I have always loved horses.
I hate that Willard is part of it because he raped and looted and pillaged all those businesses and their employees’ retirement funds, and sent their jobs to China where conditions are similar to what was in this country a 100 years ago, to be able to afford a stake in a dressage horse.
And, generally, I find Willard has no redeeming qualities. None, zip, nada, zilch. May I be forgiven for my intolerance.
just like Polo this is a way to seperate the uber rich from the rest of the peons..the Repubs have a lot of nerve talking about “class warfare”..they created it and love the distinctions
12Medals and adulation. I’m sure there are some very nice medals. I suspect there is far less adulation, especially since the horses do all the work.
13This looks like a “sport” for the very rich, like the America’s Cup Yacht Race used to be–before the corporations got involved. The riff-raff are certainly kept out. How corporations will get involved in Dressage, I have no idea. But, I’ll bet Mittens is already working on a way to make some $$$ off his wife’s hobby. Or at least to be able to write off the expense of this on his taxes.
I have only seen Dressage competitions in the Olympics and I have to admit that those horses are wonders to behold. It reminds me that our last “Cowboy” President was asceered of horses. Probably owned the only “ranch” in Texas that didn’t have any.
14Mediocre dressage is as boring as 95% of baseball, but at the top level it is breathtaking. That video was not a prime example, especially the choice of music.
Best moment I can find right now is from this video of a Friesian stallion– watch at about 42″ when he starts doing an extended trot by himself in the pasture and an animal that weighs over half a ton looks like he’s floating. Dressage is being able to ask for things like that on cue, and he does it later on under saddle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY6lEvX36gk
Yes, it takes money to compete in dressage. So does being a top-level pianist. Your point? Romney’s liking something is no reason to condemn it out of hand.
15It isn’t just a sport for the rich, my wife competed in high school and she was the daughter of two school teachers.
The horses that cost that kind of money are called push button horses and if the show includes a switch horses event, the riders of the push button horses usually lose because they can’t handle another rider’s horse.
16Colbert and dressage
17http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/06/colbert-mitt-romney-dressage-horse-olympics.php
In the early 1970’s I was house sitting for some family friends and taking their daughter to her dressage lessons. She explained to me that the rider is supposed to control the horse without visible movements — just squeezes, nudges, and gentle pressures. If Mrs. Romney can do that while waiting for MS to destroy her nervous system, I won’t fault her for that. But I’d rather see her doing a Betty Ford and becoming an activist for MS — especially since the best treatment is daily injections of a drug not made in the US and with a cost of about $1500 (yes, One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars) per month and rarely covered by insurance plans.
18I went to the Arabian horse show in Albuquerque years ago to see Patrick Swayze open the show galloping around. I loved him!! But when I saw the dressage, I was completely captivated. The other equine event I love is professional cutting horses. It is a thing of beauty, if you ever get the chance. amateur cutting is also fantastic
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