Olympic Equestrian Dressage

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Ok, this is the first time I have ever seen this, and I already can't quit staring at it. How in the HELL are you supposed to judge a dancing horse?

[Fökai]

On an equally outrageous note, there was a Olympic TRAMPOLINE Competition after the team competitions last week.

 

 

Gymnasts on TRAMPOLINES, people.

[Vanhalen]

Next they will be rating people out of 10 for using the bars, craaaazy this world

[The Czech Republic]

How in the HELL are you supposed to judge a dancing horse?

With extreme scrutiny.

[razazteca]

How in the HELL are you supposed to judge a dancing horse?

With extreme scrutiny.

The same way they judge dog shows.

[Guest Nanks]

The riders have a set routine they have to complete which includes a path they have to follow (the arena is marked out with letters) and specific movements they must peform. These movements include riding at a particular gait (canter, trot, rising trot, walk), flying changes (the horse must change it's leading leg mid-stride) and the more showy kind of movements like Piaffran Passage (where the horse kind of dances diagonally) or walking backwards. They're judged on how fluidly they complete the course, if the horse tosses its head around or is awkward with a movement or steps outside the course, etc. There are heaps of mistakes that draw penalties, it's outrageously difficult to master.

 

No, I didn't go and research this, my Mum's a mad equestrian and a good friend of mine was in the Eventing Team for Australia this year so I can't really avoid this kind of knowledge.

[Cuban Linx]

They should give the medals to the Horses.

[Guest Nanks]

There's actually been a formal protest made regarding that. The horses are the only Olympic Champions who aren't awarded medals. Both horse and rider are actually recorded and acknowledged as Olympic Champions.