Tomorrow, February 9, 2010, there will be a Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) closed-door meeting to discuss the practice of hyperflexion, also known as "rollkur." This highly controversial technique is often employed at the upper levels of dressage training and involves hyperflexing the horse's neck until his chin is almost touching his chest; often the horse is forced to maintain this position for extended periods of time.
Pat and Linda Parelli stand with dressage master Walter Zettl in support of those who denounce rollkur. Rollkur represents artificiality taken to the extreme and performance put before the good of the horse. Convincing FEI officials to take a stand against rollkur will be a major step forward in ensuring that performance horses worldwide are being ridden and trained without force and mechanics.
Rollkur has a few passionate opponents who will be present at the FEI meeting next week, but they need our support to make an impression on the FEI officials. If you believe in the Parelli vision to make the world a better place for horses and humans, please add your name to one or both of the following petitions. Please share these links with your horse-loving friends, family and neighbors. Let's show the FEI that compromising the natural dignity of the horse for the sake of competition is NOT permissible!
The signatories to this petition ask the FEI to oppose the training method of the "Rollkur"/Hyperflexion clearly and resolutely. The FEI rules are to be adapted correspondingly to ensure that in future the use of the method of the "Rollkur"/Hyperflexion will be regarded as a violation of these rules.
Register your support to ban rollkur by adding your name to a petition which will be presented by Dr. Gerd Heuschmann – veterinarian, clinician and author of the book Tug of War; Classical versus Modern Dressage – at the FEI meeting on February 9, 2010.
Keep it Natural,
On behalf of Pat, Linda and everyone on the Parelli Team
February 8, 2010
billie hinton’s camera-obscura:
life and lessons on November Hill Farm
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Monday, February 08, 2010
NO ROLLKUR
The FEI is holding a closed-door round table meeting on Feb. 9th to discuss the training method known as rollkur, or hyperflexion, which involves pulling and holding the horse's muzzle to his chest. This practice is known to have many negative effects on the horse, both physically and psychologically. Gerd Heuschmann, the lone voice for the horse at this meeting, has my support and appreciation as he presents his case "for the good of the horse" along with petitions and letters saying NO TO ROLLKUR.
You can see a taste of this method in the Epona TV's footage in the previous post.
Please take a moment today and again tomorrow to think positively about the outcome of this meeting. It will make a difference.
helgstrand teaching piaffe/passage and assorted warm-up videos in arenas around the world
And CLICK HERE to see more footage courtesy of Epona TV of various warm-up practices using rollkur, draw reins, and more nightmarish techniques to control the horses and put them far behind the vertical. (once you get to part one, look to your right on Epona's site to see parts 2, 3, and 4)
And a powerful video from Nadja King:
Sunday, February 07, 2010
quick note re: FEI meeting Tuesday
Tomorrow evening (Monday) I plan to put up the NO ROLLKUR logo with a brief statement on both blogs and on my Facebook page and will leave it there through Tuesday afternoon.
I'm doing this in support of Gerd Heuschmann's attendance at the FEI round table meeting to discuss rollkur, and to say, again, that I do NOT SUPPORT this training method.
I suggested this on the Blue Tongue Facebook page as a way to quietly but powerfully hold up our signs around the world, simultaneously, as an indication that we are aware of the meeting and although not there, present our viewpoints.
I invite anyone who reads here to join in. You can take the image and/or statement from my blog and put it on your own blog and/or FB page. If you'd like me to copy and paste the html for you to make this even easier, send me your email in a comment. I won't publish the emails, but will send you the info to paste into your blog.
The more places this appears, the more powerful the message.
I'm doing this in support of Gerd Heuschmann's attendance at the FEI round table meeting to discuss rollkur, and to say, again, that I do NOT SUPPORT this training method.
I suggested this on the Blue Tongue Facebook page as a way to quietly but powerfully hold up our signs around the world, simultaneously, as an indication that we are aware of the meeting and although not there, present our viewpoints.
I invite anyone who reads here to join in. You can take the image and/or statement from my blog and put it on your own blog and/or FB page. If you'd like me to copy and paste the html for you to make this even easier, send me your email in a comment. I won't publish the emails, but will send you the info to paste into your blog.
The more places this appears, the more powerful the message.
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