Amazing must see... [Archive]

bhebert19

Jan. 22, 2009, 09:45 PM

Hey guys I got this in a email today... 9 years old... Amazing... Enjoy!!!

http://www.flixxy.com/world-equestrian-games-freestyle-dressage.htm

SerenaGinger

Jan. 22, 2009, 10:08 PM

This has been floating around via e-mail for a long time. It is nice for non-horsey people to get excited about dressage :)

Original Message-----
From: Cindy
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2007 11:54 AM
To: Eilise
Subject: Dancing Horse - absolutely amazing

This is simply knock-out. My mouth fell open while watching, and all I could say was WOW over and over again. Enjoy!

This is AMAZING and BEAUTIFUL...........

If you like horses, you will love this clip. This video is of Andreas Helgstrand and his 9 year-old mare, Matinee, at the World Equestrian Games. It is the Musical Freestyle Dressage competition, and they pretty much wiped the floor with everyone. Turn up the sound and watch this mare dance... she is amazing... she KNOWS where the beat is.

TURN ON YOUR SPEAKERS AND CLICK ON THE BELOW:

FancyFree

Jan. 22, 2009, 10:18 PM

That was lovely. Thanks for posting.

JenniferTWfarm

Jan. 22, 2009, 10:29 PM

Wow. I think i'm in love. Thanks for posting this!

~ Jen

JMurray

Jan. 22, 2009, 10:29 PM

I never get tired of watching that video. Though I haven't enjoyed it for awhile. Thanks for reminding me about it and the chance to see it again.

Cheered me up after a frustrating day.

Ambrey

Jan. 22, 2009, 11:27 PM

So who will be riding Matine now? Wasn't she supposed to re-enter the show scene soon?

indyblue

Jan. 22, 2009, 11:43 PM

Really ? I thought she was out for good.I hope you are right. I must admit that I do find the wringing tail distracting though.

bort84

Jan. 23, 2009, 11:06 AM

Haha, I was just about to say the same thing. She's always wringing that tail! It's one of my major pet peeves. Makes a horse look so irritated. My guy does it a fair bit, and I think it's a carry over from some poor training in his younger days, but I hate it! Haha. It's getting better with work, but it seems like some of them are just inclined to do this whenever you use your leg. It really does seem a shame to see it in such a highly trained competitor. Oh well. I suppose they're horses, can't be perfect = )

mbm

Jan. 23, 2009, 11:37 AM

merrygoround

Jan. 23, 2009, 11:42 AM

I too have wathced it before, I too still loved it.

She can swish her tail all she wants. It's in synch. ;)

bort84

Jan. 23, 2009, 12:00 PM

I too have wathced it before, I too still loved it.

She can swish her tail all she wants. It's in synch. ;)

Haha, that is true, it's right in time with the beat. Maybe that's the next step in modern dressage... My horse would fit right in then!

Meggan82

Jan. 23, 2009, 12:11 PM

To me it is a perfect example of a horse destroying itself for its rider.....

:confused:wtf:confused:

The horse is relaxed, ears bobbing, back swinging, not looking tense at all....

Ambrey

Jan. 23, 2009, 12:17 PM

She was injured a year later being detrailered for the World Cup in Vegas and has been out of work since, and mbm is convinced that it's all a huge conspiracy to cover up the fact that she was being trained too hard and broke down.

Did I get that about right, mbm?

bort84

Jan. 23, 2009, 12:21 PM

well for the opposite POV - I never understood what folks "got" from that ride.....

To me it is a perfect example of a horse destroying itself for its rider..... each time i watched it i get this feeling of dread...... :(

too sad that the horse must literally give it all to get this kind of attention.

the report was that she got hurt falling from a trailer. but she is as far as i know - retired.

Interesting comment. I'll jump into the fire... I agree a bit. She looks a little annoyed, and at times it looks like she's pretty irritated about the spurs in her side (I can't tell how much they're actually being used in the low quality videos, but it seems that it might be bothering her).

However, her face has a pleasant expression, so I'm on the fence. She does do the movements quite well, but to me they've never looked very natural or free. Her passage and I guess really all of her movements are very mechanical looking. I mean, she's very precise and more talented than any horse I've ever sat on, but it's okay to nitpick the greats sometimes too = ) Though I'm certainly not going to come out and say that I could do it better, haha. I'd love to have a ride on her.

This video has actually sparked quite a bit of debate on the internet. Half saying she's beautiful, perfect, and correct; half saying she looks irritated, mechanical, and completely incorrect. Standard modern dressage vs. classical argument.

Anyway, not really trying to start a debate here because, as I said, I'm on the fence. On the one hand, she does do some extremely precise movements. On the other, they often look mechanical and lack fluidity. And that TAIL! She can't be that happy with a tail like that, right? Or maybe she can, haha. Horses can be surprising sometimes.

To me, it just seems like a sign of irritation that would be marked down in the dressage ring (like a tongue hanging out of the mouth). I've known many horses that seemingly enjoyed their jobs and have done both of those things, but in dressage, I don't know, it just seems incorrect.

Movement is often a very personal preference though, so who am I to judge, haha.

mbm

Jan. 23, 2009, 02:56 PM

it is always interesting how upset folks get when i post how i felt about that ride.

bort84

Jan. 23, 2009, 03:07 PM

Well, she does do some amazing stuff, and they were obviously a top team. So I guess that's why it's a sensitive topic. One of my eventing buddies actually pulled that video for me to watch when I was getting more seriously into dressage, and I just didn't like it as much as her. Seems like that video is pretty polarizing, haha.

Horse people tend to be a wee bit opinionated. Aaaand crazy = ) Gotta admit, that's me absolutely, haha. You have to be half crazy to love this sport really.

Touchstone Farm

Jan. 23, 2009, 09:49 PM

Well, mbm, I agree with you. The swishing tail, the tenseness that I see. She can definitely do the tricks and I think she has a great, big, huge heart and I like her, but....I do have reservations and for that reason, just can't "ooh and aaaah" like some others. Something definitely bothered me about that horse since the first time I first saw it.

DressageK

Jan. 25, 2009, 06:37 PM

Her ears are flopping.
I have a mare who flops her ears too, but she doesn't flop her ears all the time, only when we get working and relaxed. And it's like me. Right now I feel relaxed, but for something to do I tense and relax my muscles. For fun, I suppose. Just for something to do.

I think it's a habit. She's obviously extremely talented and has a great work ethic.

Have they announced who the new rider for Blu Hors is going to be?