VIDEO: (Robert Dover) "One Moment In Time" -- SPECTACULAR musical freestyle

[ImmortalSynn]

Randomly happened to Google this, and was ASTONISHED to find out how many people remember this particular ride.

So for those who may not have seen it, or seen it for a while, enjoy! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsUIodoG044

[everyequine]

So glad you brought this back!!! I saw it a long time ago, and was thinking of it just the other day! Teen EE is a dancer, and while I was in her studio the other day, this song was on....of course my mind went back to this awesome ride.... so thanks again for putting it back in view, instead of just my memory!

[ImmortalSynn]

So glad you brought this back!!! I saw it a long time ago, and was thinking of it just the other day! Teen EE is a dancer, and while I was in her studio the other day, this song was on....of course my mind went back to this awesome ride.... so thanks again for putting it back in view, instead of just my memory!
Welcome :)

[CrzyCorgi]

Absolutely Beautiful!! Does anyone know who the horse is?

[Equibrit]

Federleicht or Lectron ?

[siegi b.]

I don't think Federleicht had that much of a blaze.... I was wondering the same thing.

There's quite a difference between American dressage in the 80's versus now, don't you think?

[Jane Savoie]

I think it's Gwen Blake's Juvel.

[ImmortalSynn]

I think it's Gwen Blake's Juvel.
...curious:
would you happen to be the same Jane Savoie that used to write columns for HorsePlay Magazine?

[meupatdoes]

1. OK, I admit it. I cried.

2. I am really not trying to start a fight here, but somebody commented that dressage seemed to be different 20 years ago in the US.
In the video they said that in the passage the hind legs should be as high as the front, and the horse seemed to be displaying that.
In the more recent Blu Hors Matine video, the front legs seem to be much more dramatic than the hind and the announcers practically fall over themselves commenting on the "height and the freedom in front".
I'm primarily a hunter person, and to me both rides look beautiful, but decidedly different.

I'm wondering if any dresage buffs can shed some light?

[slc2]

It's extremely popular here to trash any horse that lifts its forelegs in any movement (unless it's a Lipizanner or Friesian, LOL! then it's fine, but if it's a warmblood, it sucks, LOL!).

Unfortuately, it's not that simple. The hind legs CAN push the forehand so the forelegs go higher than the 'parallel cannons' rule, and still be correct.

It can also be incorrect. It depends on what the hind legs are doing.

This is a very dramatic piece of popular music, but the performance isn't with the rhythm of the music (it really is like background music and most of the time, completely not on the rhythm of the horse's gaits) and leaves alot to be desired technically; the horse is very green and his gaits very often lack impulsion and a steady rhythm; at times he looks positively restricted. Also, he's often very short and tight in the neck and there are mistakes and interruptions. I don't care for freestyles with that much singing - very distracting and unpleasant to me. I'm just delighted that others like it, though. That's great.

There are two kinds of front elevation.

From the activity of the hind legs allowing the horse to become lighter and more nimble in front, and teaching the horse to lift his front legs, artificially, while the hind legs drag along more slowly, taking small steps.

When the elevation is fake, there are several things to look for. The hocks do not bend and the hind legs do not reach forward with angulation and push and carry.

Someone I admire got a horse to retrain years ago after a local trainer had put a very 'big, oooh ahhh' trot on him. Interestingly, the horse missed tracking up up in the extended trot by as much as a foot and a half. She did such a wonderful job of retraining the horse, LOL, people often commented that the horse looked 'better' with the old trainer and 'more expressive and brilliant'.

The correct extended trot the horse was able to be trained to do, was not 'spectacular' and he lacked sufficient talent to have alot of correct elevation; but he scored much better doing a 'correct' extended trot than an incorrect one.

Some of it is talent and innate balance and athleticism, like the Baroque horse that can get his forearm nearly horizontal in passage and extended trot - he can get more elevation than a less athletic and supple horse, even with equal training.

A horse that can get alot of lift and even more through correct training, can often lift his forearm above the 'parallelagram (parallel to the hind cannons), even parallel to ground, which cannot anatomically be matched by the hind legs no matter how correct the horse is. The thing to look for is are the hind legs driving, bending, articulating and carrying and pushing.

Just because one sees the elevation, doesn't mean it's incorrect.

A picture of Ravel and Stephen Peters at the Olympics - extended trot, showing the foreleg raised above 'parallel with hind cannon', but due to correctly working hind quarter, Arndt Bronkhort's site, # 080819127, 080819093, Courtney King doing same on Mythilus, 080818976, Nadine Capellman doing same.

080818048, Hans Peter Minderhoud doing same.

080816244, Diez and Fuego, but is the hind leg driving in this instance - it might be just at an awkward moment, but doesn't give as good an impression as some of the other moments.

[Equibrit]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzz




Is it SO hard to let people just enjoy it ?

[StarDoozer]

:-) Awesome video. I had the amazing opportunity to get to be a "fly on the wall" for some of Robert's lessons over the summer (in addition to getting to work with him a bit with my horse, too!) and he is an incredibly gifted teacher, as well as an incredibly gifted rider.

Thank you so much for sharing the video. Aren't we all so lucky to get to see it!

[Traum]

The slick has spoken. Ye dressage heathens should not be appreciating this video. If you only knew (googled) what she has, you'd be ashamed to have watched it. Gods, can anything go by without the condescending blather anymore?

Thanks for posting this :) I've never seen it before and current or past dressage style, whatever. It's a very cool piece to see.

[DaisyMae]

I remember this ride, but had not seen it in years. Thank you for posting it.

[purplnurpl]

1. OK, I admit it. I cried.

2. I am really not trying to start a fight here, but somebody commented that dressage seemed to be different 20 years ago in the US.
In the video they said that in the passage the hind legs should be as high as the front, and the horse seemed to be displaying that.
In the more recent Blu Hors Matine video, the front legs seem to be much more dramatic than the hind and the announcers practically fall over themselves commenting on the "height and the freedom in front".
I'm primarily a hunter person, and to me both rides look beautiful, but decidedly different.

I'm wondering if any dressage buffs can shed some light?

Um...someone asked. SLC responded. Thanks to everyone else for being helpful.
I first saw that Robert Dover video when I was like 13 or 14...? I had barely started riding.
And way back then when I was completely uneducated I thought his piaffe sucked. And I was very naive then, and only sorta naive now and I still think it sucks.
: ) LMAO.
Now that I’ve spent some time with the Andalusian (yes, and even ridden several) crowd in the area I’ve learned to call it, Trick Training. Teach it quickly and make it look pretty.
The white polos/horse colour and chrome and spotlight make the video very pretty and I still love the performance, I still know exactly where it is on the Equestrian VHS I have, and I still choke up a little when I watch it.

And those of you whom I just irritated let me post a yummy picture of one of my friend Trick Trainers for your enjoyment. He trains the Medieval Times horses.
http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p189/xckaboom/yummy.jpg

[slc2]

Now THAT is something I can enjoy. Thanks for that little break from 'I did it my way' freestyles.

He doesn't have an identical sixty year old widower brother who's wealthy and likes to buy his girlfriends horses, does he?

Holy cow.

"they said that in the passage the hind legs should be as high as the front"

No, that's not really the case. The hind hoof is not raised as high as the front hoof. The rule book explains that.

Ideally, the forearm is horizontal, but again, the rules say 'in principle' and very few horses actually do (or ever did) that.

In reality, every single horse's piaffe and passage look somewhat different, there is that individual variation. Too very few horses lift their feet as high as the rules specifiy. Nor does the horse get a 'zero' score for that work if his legs aren't lifted high enough. The transitions in and out of piaffe and passage, how absolutely perfectly a diagonal gait it is (even if one pair of feet touch down very, very slightly too soon, it's not a 'perfectly diagonal' gait), and the rhythm and balance are very important. The height the hooves are lifted is relatively unimportant compared to those 'priority points' (as Dane Rawlins calls them.

There are very fundamental things that have to happen first in piaffe - for one thing, the horse must not step backward, not even with one foot for a single step - that's a much more heavily marked off mistake than say, how high his hooves are lifted...scoring these movements is really very interesting.

[petitefilly]

I like seeing older videos, it gives you something to reference today's rides. Comparisons should be made to understand the directions dressage can go toward. The horse was green to the exercises, but Robert did have an agile mind and hand on the ride. The piaffe was in it's infancy for sure, but the horse did try in an atmosphere many green horses would be unable to perform in.

Juvel, eh? What ever happened to him?

[ImmortalSynn]

Is it SO hard to let people just enjoy it ?Gods, can anything go by without the condescending blather anymore?
Not really sure that that's fair to say... considering that someone did indeed ask for a critical clarification.

That, and if one would rather not hear a critique, take care to remember that one can always choose to skip over that particular post ;)




Thanks for posting this :) I've never seen it before and current or past dressage style, whatever. It's a very cool piece to see.I remember this ride, but had not seen it in years. Thank you for posting it.
You're both very welcome :)

[Traum]

It's the tone and delivery of that poster that inspire the snarky comments ;) Over time and many many words, a pattern of posts becomes apparent and the condescending tone just gets more strong. I see you haven't been a member long, there is a lot of history with that one. Yes I usually do skip those, ignore is fun and easy. But sometimes, ya just gotta look.

Now back to you, Immortal :)

[ImmortalSynn]

Now back to you, Immortal
Well, as one of the token males of the board... I'm obviously no stranger to stirring controversy-- so I understand what you're saying. Doesn't mean I agree, but certainly understand. :)

Back to dressage, lol.

[Arathita]

It's the tone and delivery of that poster that inspire the snarky comments ;) Over time and many many words, a pattern of posts becomes apparent and the condescending tone just gets more strong. I see you haven't been a member long, there is a lot of history with that one. Yes I usually do skip those, ignore is fun and easy. But sometimes, ya just gotta look.

Now back to you, Immortal :)

Agreed. It is apparent in the first sentance of her post.

**[It's extremely popular here to trash any horse that lifts its forelegs in any movement (unless it's a Lipizanner or Friesian, LOL! then it's fine, but if it's a warmblood, it sucks, LOL!).}]***

Answering a question is one thing. Starting off with THAT sentance is completely unnecessary.

The video is really inspiring. I wonder how difficult it was for bothy rider and horse to ride a test like that in a spotlight. It must have required a great deal of trust on the horse's part because I cannot imagine that the horse could have seen where he was going very easily.

[tntpony]

Ahhh...come on, I am a pony hunter gal, and even I can see THAT is BEAUTIFUL, plain and simple!

[underwater]

Gwen still has Juvel. The old man must be 33, 34, 35. I saw him in his stall just recently. :)

[ImmortalSynn]

Juvel. The old man must be 33, 34, 35.
....what's his breed?

[underwater]

I'm pretty sure (but not positive) that Juvel is a Swedish Warmblood. He's still quite a handsome guy.

[goeslikestink]

It's extremely popular here to trash any horse that lifts its forelegs in any movement (unless it's a Lipizanner or Friesian, LOL! then it's fine, but if it's a warmblood, it sucks, LOL!).

Unfortuately, it's not that simple. The hind legs CAN push the forehand so the forelegs go higher than the 'parallel cannons' rule, and still be correct.

It can also be incorrect. It depends on what the hind legs are doing.

This is a very dramatic piece of popular music, but the performance isn't with the rhythm of the music (it really is like background music and most of the time, completely not on the rhythm of the horse's gaits) and leaves alot to be desired technically; the horse is very green and his gaits very often lack impulsion and a steady rhythm; at times he looks positively restricted. Also, he's often very short and tight in the neck and there are mistakes and interruptions. I don't care for freestyles with that much singing - very distracting and unpleasant to me. I'm just delighted that others like it, though. That's great.

There are two kinds of front elevation.

From the activity of the hind legs allowing the horse to become lighter and more nimble in front, and teaching the horse to lift his front legs, artificially, while the hind legs drag along more slowly, taking small steps.

When the elevation is fake, there are several things to look for. The hocks do not bend and the hind legs do not reach forward with angulation and push and carry.

Someone I admire got a horse to retrain years ago after a local trainer had put a very 'big, oooh ahhh' trot on him. Interestingly, the horse missed tracking up up in the extended trot by as much as a foot and a half. She did such a wonderful job of retraining the horse, LOL, people often commented that the horse looked 'better' with the old trainer and 'more expressive and brilliant'.

The correct extended trot the horse was able to be trained to do, was not 'spectacular' and he lacked sufficient talent to have alot of correct elevation; but he scored much better doing a 'correct' extended trot than an incorrect one.

Some of it is talent and innate balance and athleticism, like the Baroque horse that can get his forearm nearly horizontal in passage and extended trot - he can get more elevation than a less athletic and supple horse, even with equal training.

A horse that can get alot of lift and even more through correct training, can often lift his forearm above the 'parallelagram (parallel to the hind cannons), even parallel to ground, which cannot anatomically be matched by the hind legs no matter how correct the horse is. The thing to look for is are the hind legs driving, bending, articulating and carrying and pushing.

Just because one sees the elevation, doesn't mean it's incorrect.

A picture of Ravel and Stephen Peters at the Olympics - extended trot, showing the foreleg raised above 'parallel with hind cannon', but due to correctly working hind quarter, Arndt Bronkhort's site, # 080819127, 080819093, Courtney King doing same on Mythilus, 080818976, Nadine Capellman doing same.

080818048, Hans Peter Minderhoud doing same.

080816244, Diez and Fuego, but is the hind leg driving in this instance - it might be just at an awkward moment, but doesn't give as good an impression as some of the other moments.


could you show us a video of how you do it properly yourself slc2
since that your the guru on all dressage and please show the best video whereby your under the spotlight yourself in a huge areana with an audiance
so that we can see the differences that you persifically point out

so that we may have a comparison of your dressage work to one of the all time greats
of international status thank you

[goeslikestink]

Well, as one of the token males of the board... I'm obviously no stranger to stirring controversy-- so I understand what you're saying. Doesn't mean I agree, but certainly understand. :)

Back to dressage, lol.

you will do given time matey

[ImmortalSynn]

you will do given time matey
.......huh :confused:

[slc2]

One doesn't need any sort of special international experience to see a horse is going too slow, stopping, or has its neck too short, especially when its chin is nearly touching its chest. One doesn't need any special international experience to talk about the most basic, fundamental principles every training level rider knows.

However, since you have asked me so many times to show a video of myself, although you aren't required to do so, I note...well, here it is. A video of SLC2, doing her most advanced dressage work, and I must admit even though I am usually my own harshest critic, I am hard pressed to find any technical errors in this particular work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HuEccBod-0&feature=rec-HM-fresh+div

[meupatdoes]

One doesn't need any sort of special international experience to see a horse is going too slow, stopping, or has its neck too short, especially when its chin is nearly touching its chest. One doesn't need any special international experience to talk about the most basic, fundamental principles every training level rider knows.

However, since you have asked me so many times to show a video of myself, although you aren't required to do so, I note...well, here it is. A video of SLC2, doing her most advanced dressage work, and I must admit even though I am usually my own harshest critic, I am hard pressed to find any technical errors in this particular work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HuEccBod-0&feature=rec-HM-fresh+div

OMG don't play with us like that, Slick.

I've been waiting for a video of The Great Slick forEVER now, and just when I thought Christmas really did come early this year...

Oh, and just to reiterate to everyone else, I really do think the Robert Dover video is beautiful, and thank you OP for sharing it. My apologies for unleashing the Slick.

[snoopy]

One doesn't need any sort of special international experience to see a horse is going too slow, stopping, or has its neck too short, especially when its chin is nearly touching its chest. One doesn't need any special international experience to talk about the most basic, fundamental principles every training level rider knows.

However, since you have asked me so many times to show a video of myself, although you aren't required to do so, I note...well, here it is. A video of SLC2, doing her most advanced dressage work, and I must admit even though I am usually my own harshest critic, I am hard pressed to find any technical errors in this particular work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HuEccBod-0&feature=rec-HM-fresh+div



well your horse certainly reaches for it's stride and the poll is the highest point.:lol: I only wish you would have shaved before your performance!

[slc2]

That ain't a happnin', dear.

[dalpal]

That is a lovely video, I saw it years ago and used to have it on a Video tape, but lost it along the way.

I love Robert Dover, I think he is brillant at what he does.....I know he has a lot of critics, but if I had the cash and was an upper level ridder, I'd pay money to ride in an RD clinic for sure.

This is going to sound snarky, but here's my take on the long winded paragraphs that some posters write on these forums ON EVERY SINGLE SUBJECT. Those who are actually trainers, riders do not have time to sit at their computer screen for hours on end typing novels ABOUT training, they are actually outside in their arenas riding...nor are they going to give away their advice for free. I know we are lucky enough to have people such as Lendon Gray come on here "occassionally", but you don't see people of that calibre on here responding to every topic. Heck some of these responses make my fingers and wrists hurt just to read them. :lol:

I don't pay any attention to these type of responses because unless the poster wants to REALLY wants to share a video or website that shows pictures of their riding/and accomplishments....I just assume that they are spouting off things that they are reading (someone else's knowledage). ;)

[slc2]

do you want me to shave too?

no, i'm not spouting anything. just that there's a lot of time on one's hands here at the penitentiary....

[dalpal]

do you want me to shave too?

no, i'm not spouting anything. just that there's a lot of time on one's hands here at the penitentiary....


LOL..sad thing is, this I believe. :lol:

[Thomas_1]

One doesn't need any sort of special international experience to see a horse is going too slow, stopping, or has its neck too short, especially when its chin is nearly touching its chest. One doesn't need any special international experience to talk about the most basic, fundamental principles every training level rider knows.

However, since you have asked me so many times to show a video of myself, although you aren't required to do so, I note...well, here it is. A video of SLC2, doing her most advanced dressage work, and I must admit even though I am usually my own harshest critic, I am hard pressed to find any technical errors in this particular work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HuEccBod-0&feature=rec-HM-fresh+div :eek: Much along the lines I'd expected. ;)

I never thought for a minute you'd post a photo let alone a video.

Heck you won't even answer basic questions

I'm really interested to know what you rely on as appropriate qualification and/or experience when it comes to proferring detailed advice and critique on training and all things "horse".

Is it just Google and books or have you ever actually done anything vaguely serious with a horse in terms of training or competition?

[slc2]

Ask not for what thou not wanteth to receive, then, LOL. Any opinion is fine as long as it agrees with 'The good old days were better'.

I love watching those past rides. I grew up watching those people, admiring them and trying to understand how they did what they did. Most people my age grew up admiring Dover, Ishoy, Klimke, Jensen, and that whole crowd. But to sugges they never had any technical issues they worked on, to suggest every ride of theirs was perfect, is unrealistic. I hardly think any of them would agree with anyone saying their rides were so perfect.

They are and were great because they could look at something that looks perfect to us and say, 'That could be better, I gotta work on that'.

First of all, I am perfectly entitled to say I don't like the choice of music. You all like it. Fine. I am entitled not to.

There are clear, simple, basic things going wrong on the technical side. People asked about technical issues. If you don't want to hear it, don't ask, or don't read the threads about the techniques.

I'm sure Robert Dover knows better than anyone else, even the tiniest mistake he ever made in any ride, and what could ave been better. My experience is that most of the better competitors look back on rides they did 3 months before and say, 'That sucked' and in that time, they've made incredible changes and improvements. That, I think, is why they are so good. They just keep tearing things apart and improving them. As one lady told me once, 'My goal is to not be making the same mistakes in six months'. She wasn't exactly a beginner, either.

People LOVE to wail about how dressage has gone down the toilet, and nobody these days knows how to ride, which is the real premise of this, that rides of the past are better.

Some rides are better, some are not. Some rides from teh past were better, some were not. Some of that depends on what the observer emphasizes, and if he values some things more than others...or differently tthan the judges.

For me, truth is, nothing has really changed that much except that there are a lot more people riding alot better horses in dressage these days, and getting a lot better instruction, from the bottom levels to the top. Prices have gone up, some of the demographics have shifted, but overall, it's better. There have always been some 'exaggerated' type rides and horses, there has always been controversy about judging and competition, breeds, types, styles, who we're bi****** about changes, but we're always bi****** about someone, who only cares about winning, rides like crap, wins all the time because the judges suck and are biased, not like in the good old days, which 20 years ago were the sixties, and in the sixties, was in the forties, etc.

I saw an interview with Robert Dover after what I thought was an unbelievable performance at S'Hertogenbosch in 1987 after that ride placed, I believe, 5th, and was declared one of the best rides any American ever made at such a big European competition back at that time. It was a test, not a freestyle, so no artistic elements figured into the score.

He proceeded, with a smile and a few laughs, to tear that ride apart, piece by piece, and to point out every single mistake he made, in the ring and in the warmup too, and to give some history of the horse (Feiderlicht).

No other reason to do that than to teach people, so that others could learn what the judges look for and improve their own riding, and learn to see what the judges see, and understand why they score as they do. And to give people some perspective, that there is always more to learn and more to improve.

[Sonesta]

Gads, people. Does EVERY SINGLE THREAD have to turn into "all about slick?" You all just give her what she wants. Attention. Put her *ss on ignore - all of you - and she'd soon fade away.

[egontoast]

No other reason to do that than to teach people, so that others could learn what the judges look for and improve their own riding, and learn to see what the judges see, and understand why they score as they do. And to give people some perspective, that there is always more to learn and more to improve

Yabbut puhleeze we don't get that from people with non existant credentials who pretend to be dressage experts on the net and tear accomplished rides apart on the net, just because they enjoy typing, do we? :confused:

You all just give her what she wants. Attention. Put her *ss on ignore - all of you - and she'd soon fade away.

No, not 'attention' but always to have the last word, always to be RIGHT, never to admit to be wrong and never to be challenged. Too bad.

[J-Lu]

The video is really inspiring. I wonder how difficult it was for both rider and horse to ride a test like that in a spotlight. It must have required a great deal of trust on the horse's part because I cannot imagine that the horse could have seen where he was going very easily.

I was thinking the same thing!

(good post)

[snoopy]

That ain't a happnin', dear.

;):lol:

[dalpal]

Agreed. It is apparent in the first sentance of her post.

**[It's extremely popular here to trash any horse that lifts its forelegs in any movement (unless it's a Lipizanner or Friesian, LOL! then it's fine, but if it's a warmblood, it sucks, LOL!).}]***

Answering a question is one thing. Starting off with THAT sentance is completely unnecessary.

The video is really inspiring. I wonder how difficult it was for bothy rider and horse to ride a test like that in a spotlight. It must have required a great deal of trust on the horse's part because I cannot imagine that the horse could have seen where he was going very easily.


So very true.....My TB would probably end up in some poor unexpecting spectators lap. :lol:

[ImmortalSynn]

Not only that, but the acoustics of that particular ring would scare the living B'jesus out of many a high-strung horse

[purplnurpl]

Agreed. It is apparent in the first sentance of her post.

**[It's extremely popular here to trash any horse that lifts its forelegs in any movement (unless it's a Lipizanner or Friesian, LOL! then it's fine, but if it's a warmblood, it sucks, LOL!).}]***

Answering a question is one thing. Starting off with THAT sentance is completely unnecessary.

The video is really inspiring. I wonder how difficult it was for bothy rider and horse to ride a test like that in a spotlight. It must have required a great deal of trust on the horse's part because I cannot imagine that the horse could have seen where he was going very easily.

I wondered that as well! Do you think he had any idea where he was going? laughing.
And what a great horse to deal with the spotlight.

[Romany]

Well...and this is just MY opinion, fwiw (ie, not a lot) - I think slc had the better music. Too bad your horse only goes in straight lines, though, eh. Handy for highway driving, not so handy for the winding back roads.

[dwblover]

I think the video was beautiful. I think in the musical freestyle there has to be an element of magic. You have to capture the audience and be technically correct. I think Robert is a master at that. I loved it and enjoyed it immensely. I think that Catherine Haddad is also very good at the freestyle. She captures the audience, and she looks like she is having fun. So many others are maybe technically more accurate but I have to say their performances bore me to tears.

[ImmortalSynn]

I think the video was beautiful. I think in the musical freestyle there has to be an element of magic. You have to capture the audience and be technically correct. I think Robert is a master at that. I loved it and enjoyed it immensely. I think that Catherine Haddad is also very good at the freestyle. She captures the audience, and she looks like she is having fun. So many others are maybe technically more accurate but I have to say their performances bore me to tears.
True... but then again, when ya get right down to it-- who compares to Anky?

I'd say she's far surpassed Isabelle Werth at this point. I mean, did ya SEE her WEG'06 performance? Never seen anything so amazing (on the flat, that is!) in the horse world before!

[dalpal]

True... but then again, when ya get right down to it-- who compares to Anky?

I'd say she's far surpassed Isabelle Werth at this point. I mean, did ya SEE her WEG'06 performance? Never seen anything so amazing (on the flat, that is!) in the horse world before!

And see this is where it all becomes subjective....Anky's freestyles do nothing for me. I thought Nadine's far surpassed everyone else's at the Olympics this year....Her music actually ENHANCED her gaits. I wasn't really impressed with anyone else's.

The best freestyle that I have personally ever been able to witness was Babara Silversmith's about 8 or 10 years ago (I think it was a couple years before she got sick), she was riding Kharactor (not sure if I spelled that correctly) and it was breath taking. She had a drum cadence for all her piaffe, passage and then the music would take a sweeping legato turn for all her lateral and canter work....truly, that freestyle stays in my mind while I don't remember many others.

[hessy35]

Too bad the discussion about that beautiful video has been soured... ugh.

[torontodressage]

Too bad the discussion about that beautiful video has been soured... ugh.


This is not a musical freestyle but just a show with music.:yes::yes:

[ImmortalSynn]

Found one that literally blows this performance outta the water....

Anky and Keltec Salinero at the latest WEGs. INCREDIBLE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPJGEzI3aIc

[Paragon]

I know I'm a dirty rotten prole here, but Anky has also never done much for me. I'm sure she's very technically correct and fancy etc etc., but I don't fall over myself to adore her.

And I can't stand her musical choices. Then again, I find most of the music used nowadays to be dreadful schlock. Too much muzak.

I don't have the eye to pick apart movements. I have to judge based on something. ;)

[swgarasu]

I finally had a chance to watch this (RD video), and really enjoyed it. Thanks for posting it! :)

[ImmortalSynn]

prole
Qu'est-ce que c'est?


I finally had a chance to watch this (RD video), and really enjoyed it. Thanks for posting it!
Welcome :)

[horselips]

Nope, that snot slick.

I have seen a REAL photo of slick, so I know. :rolleyes:

[Paragon]

Qu'est-ce que c'est?

Ah, sorry, it's a term lifted (in part) from Orwell's 1984. Short for "proletariat" - in that context, they're the unwashed masses. ;) Which I am a member of when it comes to dressage!

[staceyk]

I have to admit that while she is doing a very good job at explaining dressage, I could just throttle her for talking through the only video I can find of that performance :-)

I thought it was Jane Savoie (sorry) but someone said that the male commentator refers to her as Gretchen?

[ImmortalSynn]

I have to admit that while she is doing a very good job at explaining dressage, I could just throttle her for talking through the only video I can find of that performance
Well, it was an insert into what was primarily a video of showjumping... so obviously the audience was taken as only having token experience with dressage, hence the continued commentary.

I thought it was Jane Savoie (sorry) but someone said that the male commentator refers to her as Gretchen?
There's two females, one the sports commentator, and the other the Dressage "guru" (for lack of a better description)... the latter is "Gretchen". I can look up the commentator's name, as it's on the rest of the vid, if so desired.

[islandrider]

I bookmarked this to watch when the sound got fixed on my computer. Just watched it and am all verklempt. Wow, that was beautiful. What a great thing to watch the day after xmas! Or anytime. I've been in my house for 2 weeks with a broken leg, today am getting a ride to see my horse for the first time since-am already feeling warm and fuzzy, but that vid sent me over the edge!

[Jane Savoie]

Maybe it was Gretchen Verbonic?