Is dressage cruel?

Russinating

Russinating

Russinating

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Coverage on BBC has just switched over to the dressage and it's the first time I've ever really watched it. Due to my naivety of the "sport" this may be a 5 star thread, but it just seems a bit unnatural.

Race horses and the like are bred to race and it's in their genes and natural ability to sprint and jump, and horses themselves have been broken and ridden for centuries.

But dressage? I don't think you'd ever see a horse hop about on two feet in the wild. How do you even train a horse to do something that's not a natural action?
 
Russinating said:
Coverage on BBC has just switched over to the dressage and it's the first time I've ever really watched it. Due to my naivety of the "sport" this may be a 5 star thread, but it just seems a bit unnatural.

Race horses and the like are bred to race and it's in their genes and natural ability to sprint and jump, and horses themselves have been broken and ridden for centuries.

But dressage? I don't think you'd ever see a horse hop about on two feet in the wild. How do you even train a horse to do something that's not a natural action?
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My ex used to participate in dressage for the Swedish team about 8 years ago. Her explanation that lasted at least an hour, whittled down to the fact that you practically need to be a horse whisperer.
 
Russinating said:
But dressage? I don't think you'd ever see a horse hop about on two feet in the wild. How do you even train a horse to do something that's not a natural action?
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I've never ever seen a horse jump a fence in the wild either, it's probably as likely to see as a horse hop.

I don't think it's cruel, just incredibly dull :p
 
Russinating said:
Coverage on BBC has just switched over to the dressage and it's the first time I've ever really watched it. Due to my naivety of the "sport" this may be a 5 star thread, but it just seems a bit unnatural.

Race horses and the like are bred to race and it's in their genes and natural ability to sprint and jump, and horses themselves have been broken and ridden for centuries.

But dressage? I don't think you'd ever see a horse hop about on two feet in the wild. How do you even train a horse to do something that's not a natural action?
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wtf is a dressage?
 
Mad old tory said:
Agreed although it's not Crufts itself that's cruel, it's the stupid Kennel Club breed requirements that lead to inbreeding that get my goat.
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Oh definitely. My point was that it's like jumpy runny side of things.

Russinating said:
All they have to do is run around/in/through/over stuff and stand still. Dogs love all that ****, especially when it's followed by a biccy.

I just can't imagine horses enjoying prancing about for some reason.
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I guess I bow to your superior knowledge of what dogs and horses are really thinking then. :p
 
jonneymendoza said:
wtf is a dressage?
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Not sure if serious, get out of your cave!

Around my area there are many who do dressage. I can tell you straight off the bad the the owners of the horses treat them with the up most care and respect and love them like you would love any other animal in your home. They are well cared for and enjoy a happy lives, most of the time running around in fields.

I agree it does look extremely formal, but off camera and in the paddock, they are all having a good time.

Even to this day I dont know why horsey people look so dull out side of training/on the road or at the races.

However, there may be some people who do use cruel methods that I don't agree with and probably cant be talked about on this forum.


However, look at it on the other side, if it were cruel and banned then there would be no need for the horses, we don't eat horse in England for some weird reason, so many horses would be put down. A farm near us took 20 or so Shetland colts to Exeter show and not all sold, as a result of not being sustainable to keep, the rest were all put down and sent as dog food. If England ate horse there it would push to bread better animals and avoid lives going to such a waste. But I suppose dogs have to be fed something, and so the world goes on.
 
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Surely dressage if anything is less cruel than showjumping, since the horse isn't in much danger of injury and doesn't really have to exert itself much?

By your logic training a dog to heel, or fetch a stick is "cruel"?
 
SheepBeast said:
Surely dressage if anything is less cruel than showjumping, since the horse isn't in much danger of injury and doesn't really have to exert itself much?

By your logic training a dog to heel, or fetch a stick is "cruel"?
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This is also true, but some training methods involved with dressage are cruel.

Also, when a race/jump horse injures itself (broken leg), they are generally put down there and then as they are no longer fit for competition.
 
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