‘We should interact with horse sport’s critics’

British worldwide grand prix dressage rider and coach Anna Ross on the significance of listening to and interesting with those that criticise our sport

I don’t consider that animal lovers involved about our sport ought to or will simply depart us alone. So once I was lucky sufficient to compete Habouche on the Compiègne CDI in France and learnt {that a} critic of recent dressage, who’s energetic on social media, was in attendance, I made a decision to trace her down.

Closed minds will shut doorways – if we don’t pay attention, individuals will solely shout louder. So I approached tentatively, and opened the dialog.

“Hiya, are you driving or er… supporting?” I requested.

“You received’t like me,” she replied, explaining that she was a vet, there to movie the riders so she might increase issues about horse welfare if she felt it justified. Apparently, she considered herself as a custodian of the game, quite than a menace to it and we had a spirited however good-humoured debate.

We had a lot in widespread. We love horses and are involved for his or her welfare and happiness, consider it’s OK to get pleasure from them for sport so long as welfare will not be compromised, perceive the FEI guidelines and directives, and agree social licence of the game is essential however could be protected with good practices that stand as much as scrutiny.

I defined that creating witch-hunts on social media by way of screenshots and photographs was deceptive and unacceptable, and she or he stated she now makes use of movies to make her factors.

She took a blanket strategy to neck size, believing horses always must be ridden in entrance of the vertical and referred to scientific papers demonstrating the unfavorable results of varied coaching techniques, together with “low, deep and spherical” (LDR) and stretching. She agreed I might talk about the validity of those with my vet advisors.

I stated I really feel conformation impacts this “one-neck-fits-all” strategy; horses with brief necks or stallions with cresty necks may wrestle to be ballot excessive, stiffening their backs within the effort. Some younger horses naturally curl behind the vertical, earlier than they ever have a bit of their mouths. She felt horses on a very unfastened rein which might be behind the vertical by selection have been in a state of learnt helplessness.

Once I requested to see constructive examples of grand prix driving, she confirmed me a video of a baroque horse at a decrease degree, making it arduous for me to visualise the specified “finish recreation”. There have been a few Iberian horses within the grand prix coaching in the direction of her imaginative and prescient, and she or he was glad to listen to the judges awarded them good marks.

She felt the judges weren’t harsh sufficient when necks shortened and was happy once I confirmed her my check sheet and video, once I’d momentarily “had my fingers full” on an excitable Habouche and misplaced marks. I identified that with my rating a fraction underneath 70%, the judges have been saying there was a lot to enhance.

To me, it could be extra related and convincing to see the end result of the coaching rules she steered utilized to grand prix warmbloods, by way of video or reside. I’ve been invited to an annual convention of equestrian stakeholders she is concerned with and hope I can attend to higher perceive the issues.

“A lift in all instructions”

Web trolling is a slipshod weapon, though for good individuals it may have a silver lining.

My long-term pupil Bronte Watson had an disagreeable expertise when trolls commented negatively on her determine. She is effectively blessed within the bust division and took it with good humour, realizing she’d have the final snicker, as a result of elevated engagement on posts sparks the algorithm that means future posts are extra extensively seen. In order that particular person (or enterprise) advantages.

Bronte acquired a lot recommendation and is now trialling bras and reporting again to her elevated viewers. You can say it’s a lift in all instructions.

● Do you agree with Anna that we must be participating with those that are crucial of our sport? Tell us at hhletters@futurenet.com, together with your title, nearest city and nation, for the possibility to have your views revealed in a future situation of Horse & Hound journal.

• This unique column may even be accessible to learn in Horse & Hound journal, on sale Thursday 25 Could, 2023

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