Haras De Pompadour

I spent yesterday afternoon at the very beautiful Haras de Pompadour. I went with a friend to watch a Pro/Am Dressage Competition. Why do I do it??? I've never seen so many beautiful horses being ridden so badly. They were pushed and pulled about, lots of spurring and whipping. Overbent, mouths strapped shut, tense, tight, held like a vice.
I'm not saying this from the standpoint of an expert, but I can certainly see bad training and riding when I see it. I despair of competition dressage, I really do.

A beautiful young horse, full of vitality and potential, moving easily and joyfully. Good training should enhance this, but over and over we see this being replaced by resigned acceptance, dead, sad eyes, bodies pushed to the limit.
Oh, dear, it's a bad day today!!! I can't bear the thought of Remy ending up like that. No happy blogging today.