I have just spent 2 hours sitting on a padded seat watching a wonderful horse show. If you live in the Brechin area in the next few days go and see it. It's at the Brechin Equestrian Centre at Brechin Castle. If they come your way I would recommend a trip. What the cossacks can do is breath-taking. ;) You can even go and see the horses afterwards in the stables. These horses are definately worth the visit. :)

I've seen it, its not my thing really unfortunately. Depends what type of show you like and how you prefer to see horses behave I guess :) Nothing against anyone enjoying it - just too circussy for me.

I went to watch it the other month at aintree racecourse, and i found it very interesting how they train horses, although all the people dancing put me off i wonted to see the andulsians my favourite horses.  It was there last day in Liverpool so i dont know whether they were all tired and fed up of the routine so the atmosphere wasn't up to scratch, and also the lord of the rings thing just didn't work for me. Some of the horses weren't performing on cue either, still well worth the money though for the entertainment.  The horses were goregous, and one day i've definitely got to get myself andulusian to do some dressage, what powerful horses.

Warm regards Susan

The dancers were a bit much, weren't they? One of the grey stallions was oviously not wanting to 'prance'. He wanted to stand on his hind legs at first. BUT, the control was magnificent. To see them charge, and then stop dead, is something to see.

I would have preferred to see them outside, in a bigger ring, or better still, a field, but I still enjoyed it. They definately had a lot of 'spirit' ;)

Depends whether you approve of control given through the use of spurs and curb bits...

I didn't see anything that looked cruel to me. There was nothing on the riders feet, but boots. I don't know enough about bits and bridles, but the people I went with do. They saw nothing out of the ordinary. We saw all of the tack hanging up outside, including the muzzles that had been on the stallions that are know to bite. We went out into the stables as soon as the show was over. The horse was spirited, not cowed or mis-treated. I enjoyed the show. It showed me, and a lot of other 'non-horsey' people just what can be achieved. These people live for their horses. The first thing cossacks do is place their babies on the backs of their horses. They live and breathe for them.

As for too 'circussy', well, yes, some of it was. But so, in my opinion, is teaching dogs to dance to music. How many dogs do you see walking on their hind legs, or crawling along on their bellies, just for the fun of it? Is that less enjoyable? A lot of people enjoy watching that.

Wel, they certainly worse spurs when I watched it. And there were marks on the horses sides from continuous use of spurs. The bits they use *are* harsh - they are certainly not snaffle bits. I can't see how they would possibly be able to do such precision moves without such aids.

And, it depends what you want to see achieved with horses - I certainly don't think that parading horses around a small sand ring with various riders on their back asking them to stop, start, rear etc is anything to be particularly proud of - and it certainly isn't the true sprirt of the horse.. But then thats just my opinion :)

Have to agree with you there Chloe, I HATE spurs.

Kat

Away with you then, you Arsenal supporter!!!!!    ;)

HA HA HA !!!!!!!

As you said Chloe they need spurs to do so much precision work, if they were being cruel to the horses they wouldn't do it.  Stallions are firey creatures at the best of times, there's no way you are going to bully a stallion into doing anything it doesn't wont to do.  I loved it because thats what you call training a horse and even when you use spurses it should be done lightly them horses go of the lightest touch if you were to get on one of them and give them a nudge with your leg they'd be off.  Spurs are needed to get that much impulsion for them to rear up and do the other manouvers that they do.  It's like any aid in the wrong hands they are lethal.  Even a snaffle bit in the wrong hands is lethal i never once seen one of those horses evaiding the bit because the riders have gentle hands.  I like flat work , the feeling it gives you sitting on a horse when they're working on the bit is fanatastic and i find it a real time consumer watching dressage or the spirit of the horse.  All though i did get dragged along to watch it in Sheffield a couple of months ago with my sister never mind i got to see Frankie Sloughitac

Warm regards susan

I've always wanted to see this show, but a friend of mine went and she was so disappointed. She said "You can tell they are trained with some questionable methods".
She works with problem horses on a regular basis, and knows what looks right in training, so I took her advice and didn't go.

Lindsay
x

Just because they need spurs to do such precision work doesn't make it right. You can achieve a rear without the use of spurs - they are not essential.

Yes, a snaffle bit can be harsh in the wrong hands, but a pelham is even harsher in the wrong hands.

I don't like to see horses circus-ified for the sake of human entertainment. Thats my opinion and nothing will ever change it :) I hate flat work, any type of schooling and jumping (except for a log and a ditch on a hack - now thats good fun). Give me a good gallop across Cannock Chase on my horse in a bitless cross-pull bridle any day, or a nice hack up to the pub for a nice half a lager on my super safe Clydie :D

I went .................... I saw............................. and I HATED EVERY MINUTE OF IT.

Would not advise anyone who likes horses to go and see it it makes a complete mockery of them.

Waste of time and money and what a life those poor horses must lead, never seing a green field, never been allowed to gallop free without the interference of humans.

Things like this should be banned.!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bella i think your going over the top if horses had a choice do you think they would wont to be rode by a human or graze freeley on land, they only do that show certain times of the year and i'm sure they get turned out for the rest.  Spurs aren't a bad thing at all if they're used in the right hands i'd rather see a dressage rider any day with a light seat and hands then watch horses in a riding school doing the same thing with beginners on there backs who can't carry their weight and land heavy on the saddle with heavy hands and you can see the horses in so much distress at the weight of the riders hands.  Also people who jump and there not even in time with the horse and land like a bag of spuds and we wonder why there's so many problem horses.  Horses what are trained to a high level respond to the lightest touch instead of that stupid person kicking and kicking numbing the poor horses sides and the poor horse leaning on the bit trying to take the weight away from the riders hands because they haven't got a good enough seat to ride.  Those horses were a hundred percent in good health have a look at some riding schools and i'm certain even at the hobbie riders that you wouldn't see a horse in that good a condition as those horses in the spirit of the horse.

Warm regards Susan

All I was trying to say is that I personally don't like seeing horses circusified, when they al have decent jobs to do, the same goes for all other animals that have to lead their life in the circus.

I don't think thats a fair comparison. I don't like either scenario frankly. You can ride and have light hands and a light seat and a horse with impulsion without spurs, or a stick, or by being a dressage rider.

Yes you can Chloe but it's to easy to make a generalised sweeping statement isn't it, i've seen more cruelty going on in riding schools and people who are hobby riders than in the spirit of the horse, you could turn around and say that making a dog beg is circusey to an extent, i just try to see both side of the storey you see before putting a sweeping statement in.  Of course you can ride having a light seat and hands without having spurs on, but spurs in the right hands are used correctly as an the lightest touch of an aid and nothing else, not for digging, a favourite of mine who has died now is Doctor reiner klime, who done dressage he never mistreated his horses and he wore spurs.  He was a dream to watch, i had all his videos, the reason i like dressage is the training of the horse and someone in my opionin who can train their horse to high standards like in dressage without cruelty is a pleasure to watch, i also like Monty Roberts and his join up theory, Richard Maxwell is good to and i'd definitely pay to watch these in action.

Warm regards Susan