Olympic medal-winning dressage rider Laura Tomlinson points a plea to her fellow riders to carry themselves to new requirements to make sure the game’s future
My column this week is a little bit of a plea. I do know we’re all bored of listening to about social licence and the game’s picture, however after one other current barrage within the media, together with the large newspapers, if we don’t change our methods, our kids gained’t have a sport to get pleasure from.
I by no means condone social media abuse of any type, however placing our heads within the sand in response isn’t working. Many could argue that the critics merely don’t perceive the nuances of our sport, however whether or not they’re proper or incorrect in all of the totally different eventualities is irrelevant as a result of if members of the general public don’t like what they see, they’ve the facility to close us down, beginning with the Olympics.
Horses being squashed along with immense leg and hand strain for minutes on finish have to be a factor of the previous. We should maintain ourselves to new requirements.
The World Class Programme and our personal federation have proven they’re there to guard their high riders, however ought to they now do extra to guard the horses and the game?
Strictness on horses’ soundness and the way they’re ridden wants to return from riders. When driving, we have to consider youngsters watching and trip to encourage.
Horse welfare ought to come first. We hear this stated on a regular basis, however who actually means it within the warmth of the second when combating for that bit extra expression for these further marks? We have to present that we’re driving and coaching a greater manner.
If a horse is being spooky or harassed within the warm-up, reply with sympathy. If a horse wants quickening, use a lot of transitions reasonably than immediately resorting to strain to get the end result quicker. Discover methods to work from home that construct energy to create extra expression over time, reasonably than resorting to fast fixes.
Get these further marks by way of accuracy; we have to form the game and the judges by providing them one thing higher. Empty phrases on “concord” are usually not adequate. I don’t want to stick the knife in, and I do know this column might be unpopular and dangerous for me as a rider who’s aspiring for a staff place, however I can’t be silent on this matter any longer.
My father at all times stated, “Horses can’t advocate for themselves; you could at all times arise for them and admit once you get one thing incorrect.” I don’t see sufficient of that in the meanwhile, so right here I’m, not attempting to behave saintly however simply eager to shake everybody up.
Don’t push for these further marks in the event that they price you in concord; trip in a manner which you could clarify to a younger aspiring child or a whole layman. Trip with the values all of us had after we began as youngsters, in love with the concept of partnership with one other animal.
The welfare guidelines are clear. If we get one thing incorrect within the warmth of the second, we should acknowledge our error and pledge to do higher. We must be the game that we’re promoting.
Doping exams
On one other “horse welfare” observe, at my final worldwide competitors, straight after the freestyle – and hours earlier than Full Moon needed to journey residence – he was pulled into doping management. That’s no downside. However after they have to enter an remoted secure in a separate block, for a lot of horses, that’s an enormous stress.
Moony at all times goes straight again into his secure for a wee after work, right here he had to enter a random secure with no horses wherever close to him, with a stranger holding an extended stick to a cup connected.
He was very harassed, so after all he didn’t pee within the given time after which had his blood taken. By the point he was again in his secure, he had been holding his wee in for an hour since competing.
This wasn’t the way in which I wished to reward him for his superb efforts in his first grand prix freestyle. I want we’d make guidelines like this extra horse-friendly. Why can’t he pee in his personal secure, that he has been in all present, subsequent to his buddies? What distinction would that make?
The doping brokers don’t allow them to out of their sight anyway. Some guidelines appear so absurd and in no way within the curiosity of the horse.
● Do you agree that change wants to return from inside – and what would you prefer to see riders do otherwise? We’d love to listen to from you at hhletters@futurenet.com, together with your identify, nearest city and county, for the prospect to have your views printed in a future subject of Horse & Hound journal
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