Epona TV releases full 10-minute uncut video of Patrik Kittel riding Scandic in warm-up at World Cup

I've decided to put this here because so many people are coming by the blog, after googling to find more info on this video and Rollkur.

If you're not sure what you think of this issue, watch the video. Watch the entire thing.

Anky says top athletes do exercises. Put yourself into a pseudo-yoga pose that is not natural and uncomfortable. This pose should inhibit your ability to see as well as breathe properly. And you have to walk and run while doing it. Hold yourself there for 10 minutes. To get the full effect, have someone ELSE hold you there for 10 minutes. Tell them that if you resist, they should spur you on in a sensitive area of your body, because, after all, this is fun, and this is what you have to do to win.

Even that doesn't capture what these horses are enduring. To do that, we'd have to put ourselves into the same posture while allowing a dentist to do an uncomfortable painful procedure at the same time.

If you feel this is good horsemanship, carry on.

If not, write the FEI. Boycott venues that allow this type of warm-up. Don't buy Anky's many products. Don't go to clinics where this is taught.

Sign the petition. (both - there are two circulating right now that I know of)

Addresses and a link to the petition are further down on this blog, and also easily searchable online.

Anky explains Rollkur, in response to the fervor over this training method

About as soon as I hit publish for my previous post, this came down the pike.

"I don't have a clue" sums it up for me.

and now, back to our regular broadcast, or, you don't always get what you want

If anyone is here looking for the anti-Rollkur information, you can scroll down and read/click/write away. I've been linked in a number of places, and blog traffic is huge right now as a result. I hope everyone who comes by ends up signing the petition, or at least educates themselves on Rollkur as a result of seeing the video.

But I'm back home, with all the regular chores and routines, and as usual, things here roll on no matter what else is happening out in the big, wide world.

This morning I went out to feed breakfast, with the plan to let Keil Bay digest his for a bit while I did chores, and then have a ride.

Keil, however, was unusually fussy about being bridled. I'm not sure what was going on, but he stuck his head up in the air and basically said NO THANK YOU. It could be it was his own personal protest against Rollkur. Not that Keil Bay even knows what that is, but he seems to have his muzzle on the pulse of a lot of things, so it wouldn't surprise me in the least if he has an opinion on this.

I reminded him that he no longer has a cavesson, we now have the tiny reins, and he seems to be fine with his bit. The wind was blowing and gusting a little outside the barn, and two tarps were blowing quite hard, so maybe THAT was it.

In any case, when I lowered the bridle, he lowered his head and began to nuzzle me, so in the end I just out-waited him, he closed his eyes for a moment while I rubbed circles on his neck, and then he took the bit in his mouth and we moved on.

Still, I wondered what was up, so I grabbed the lunge line and whip and decided to see if anything looked off.

I should explain here that Keil Bay has had some lunging issues. When he first came to me, he lunged beautifully, but then he started wanting to come into the center of the circle with me. He had done Parelli through level two right before I got him, and it seemed maybe I was giving him confused signals. I'm not a huge fan of lunging anyway, and he free lunges pretty well, so I have never addressed this issue officially.

Lunging with halter on is hit or miss. He lunges fine if he has a rider on him.

So today when Rafer Johnson (who seems to be attaching himself to Keil Bay of late) and I walked Keil into the arena, I figured we would encounter our issue and work through it as best we could. Then I'd hop on and we'd have our normal ride.

But when I got Keil Bay all set up to lunge, he walked right out on the circle. I was surprised but figured we needed to reinforce this leap forward. So we did walk, trot, canter, in both directions, with many transitions and halts, and I got to really check Keil out at all the gaits.

He looked great at the walk - big, swinging, over-stride of about 6" right out of the barn. The trot was good, especially as he warmed up. And the canter was nice and relaxed, mostly what I call his "loosy goosy" canter, but I'd rather see that than tight/stiff.

Rafer Johnson stood and watched, completely intrigued. I think tomorrow morning I might put him on the lunge line and see what he does. He seems very interested.

As usual, Keil was in a fabulous mood after his work session. He sauntered back to the barn, stood while I untacked him, and had his little snack while I checked feet and brushed him down again before turning him out with his herd.

Just when I think I have the Big Bay figured out, he surprises me. If anyone had told me this morning that I'd have a textbook lunging session with Keil Bay today, I'd have laughed out loud.

And as usual, now that he's given me something nice, I have to ponder what *I* got out of it, because one thing that is always true about Keil Bay, is that he doesn't always give me what I want, but he always gives me what I need.

And I'm proud to say he has the freedom of expression to offer these gifts to me, and I have the willingness to accept them.

petition to ban Rollkur in warm-ups, etc.

Jean Luc Cornille has started a petition to the FEI to ban Rollkur, using the "blue tongue" video link.

You can sign his petition using this link:

ban-rollkur

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/ban-rollkur

FEI dressage task force committee members, with phone numbers and email addresses

I emailed the FEI (to their general info email address) about the Patrik Kittel footage. I didn't include any information other than my full name and email address. I haven't had a response to my email, but am suddenly getting blog hits from Switzerland, which is where the FEI is based.

Hopefully, they are following up on all the emails they're getting.


In the event anyone wants to write, email, or call, these are the committee members for the dressage task force. It would probably be more effective to contact them directly, which I will be doing later today:



FEI Dressage Task Force

Chair
Mr Frank KEMPERMAN 2008 - 2009
Romeinendreef 27
3620 LANAKEN, BELGIUM
t (49 241) 91 711 07
e frank.kemperman@chioaachen.de

Mr Richard DAVISON 2008 - 2009
Combridge Far
COMBRIDGE
UTTOXETER, ST14 5BL
Staffordshire, GREAT BRITAIN
t (44 1) 889 507 367
f (44 1) 889 507 467
e richard@davison.cc

Mr. Robert DOVER 2008 - 2009
12028 Longwood Green Drive
WELLINGTON, Florida, 33414
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
t (1 561) 758 61 86
f (1 561) 795 59 34
e rdover2@aol.com

M. Alain FRANCQUEVILLE 2008 - 2009
7 Rue du Pavillon
49400 SAUMUR, FRANCE
t (33 2) 41 50 14 49
f (33 2) 41 50 11 95
e afqville@club-internet.fr

Elisabeth MAX-THEURER 2008 - 2009
Achleiten 1
4532 ROHR IM KREMSTAL, AUSTRIA
t (43 664) 200 38 80
f (43 7258) 220 522
e max-theurer@aon.at

Mrs Katrina WUEST 2008 - 2009
Brennermühlstrasse 77
85464 FINSING, GERMANY
t (49 1) 71 372 7326
f (49 1) 89 961 3945)
e katrina.wuest@t-online.de