[Carol Ames]

The Olympic freestyles were good but, these in this video arestill my favorites, though a World apart from competitive dressage!
http://youtu.be/EYThblo74hg

[Niennor]

No FEI dressage team will ever be a match for a dressage rider/horse trained in the Classical Schools.

http://youtu.be/AoPG5KZTay4

[siegi b.]

Ok, you guys can't be serious, right? On the other hand, why am I even responding to this??

[alicen]

Ok, you guys can't be serious, right? On the other hand, why am I even responding to this??

Oh, come on Siegi, clearly you would have to agree that you can't match a competitive Grand Prix dressage horse with a horse doing in-hand airs above the ground any more then you could match a mini with a draft horse.

[Niennor]

Ok, you guys can't be serious, right? On the other hand, why am I even responding to this??

Take it easy. No one here is wanting to judge FEI riders by classical schools standards. We're just saying it's more enjoyable to watch the classical schools than the freestyles in any given competition.

[Crockpot]

No one here is wanting to judge FEI riders by classical schools standards. We're just saying it's more enjoyable to watch the classical schools than the freestyles in any given competition

Wow. I think you have that backwards.

Whatever standard you use including even the basic training scale, it's simply not true that these demo rides are generally higher quality than what is seen generally at the top of international competition.

I guess we can all have opinions but please don't just assume everyone shares yours that the SRS demos are somehow the gold standard! Sorry, but !

[Niennor]

I think we'll have to agree on disagreeing then.

[alicen]

We're just saying it's more enjoyable to watch the classical schools than the freestyles in any given competition.

Maybe you meant to write "we find it more enjoyable....competition" rather than proclaiming "it" as being more enjoyable?

[Niennor]

Ah, semantics...

I'm not proclaming anything, just giving an honest opinion (that seems to be shared by the OP).

[NOMIOMI1]

More correct? No.

More for relaxed enjoyment than competition.. Uh yeah?

It just boils down to mixing your sport with your entertainment.

The olympics was the best of both worlds IMO

[MysticOakRanch]

I don't know why you'd ever compare them. One is a historically significant exhibition ride with many horses and riders - very fun and interesting to watch, and made more interesting because of the deep historical significance of both the horses (Lippizans)and the riding school. Very enjoyable.

The other is competitive dressage, the best of the best in the world. Interesting and exciting to watch, seeing the very best, most athletic horses and riders in the world today. Top quality work by top athletes. Very enjoyable.

I don't consider them at all comparable - I enjoyed both for very different reasons. I wouldn't say one is "right" and the other is "wrong", or one is "better" - they are just totally different.

When I watch the Olympics, I find myself on the edge of my seat, excited and a little bit "riding along". When I watch the SRS (and I have seen them live), I find myself just sitting back and enjoying the show - not really riding along, not drawn into the excitement, so much as just enjoying an exhibition of classical horses and riders.

[rizzodm]

SRS should have a throw down with FEI!

[Carol Ames]

Thank you for translating my comment!

Take it easy. No one here is wanting to judge FEI riders by classical schools standards. We're just saying it's more enjoyable to watch the classical schools than the freestyles in any given competition.

[Huntersmom]

Beautiful!! Thanks for posting. My husband and I enjoyed watching the video.

[msrobin]

The Olympic freestyles were good but, these in this video are till my favorites, though a World apart from competitive dressage!
http://youtu.be/EYThblo74hg

Thank you for posting this I truly enjoyed watching it. As I always taken by their beautiful and refinement. One day I will travel to Vienna to see them live. (I missed their trip to the USA) However, it would be nothing compared to seeing them in their own school.