Redefinition
Photo copyrighted: Arnd Bronkhorst www.arnd.nl

Website Last Updated:
16 March 2010

The entire dressage world looked with much anticipation to the FEI Round Table Conference on the Rollkur held at the FEI Headquarters in Lausanne on 9 February 2010. Already little before 5 PM, the official FEI press release arrived in mailboxes world-wide with the big, bold headline "Rollkur Controversy Resolved!" Could it actually be that the FEI has taken the path of clarity and decision?

What an optimistic stand and quick solution for a debate that has been raging for more than five years. In 2006 a similar pseudo-work group was assembled following an international dispute which arose mainly between Holland and Germany after the publication of the "Dressage Perverse" article in the August edition of the German equestrian magazine St. Georg.

At the 2006 FEI workshop experts from all fields -- dressage trainers, PhD scientists in biomechanics and veterinarians -- were asked to bring to the fore evidence of the damage rollkur does to a horse. Dutch vet Rene van Weeren showed x-rays of the healthy neck of Salinero, Anky's double Olympic gold medal winning dressage horse which has been trained in the rollkur, not to forget by professional hands. The workshop was a travesty which only let to a linguistic redefinition of the term "rollkur." "hyperflexion" as the latter term would carry less negative connotations and could be "better understood".

In 2006 hyperflexion of the neck was defined as, "a technique of working/training to provide a degree of longitudinal flexion of the mid-region of the neck. Hyperflexion cannot be self-maintained by the horse for an extended period of time."

Fast forward to 2010. Footage of Patrik Kittel training his Grand Prix horse Scandic in the rollkur for an extended period of time with the horse's tongue briefly hanging limp and blue out of the mouth, had masses of people rearing as they recognized an aggressive riding style in the video clip against the welfare of the horse. A barrage of emails was sent to the FEI in request of action. The Round Table Conference was the FEI's answer.

And what is the results: redefinition of the redefinition. Only progress in the linguistic field has been made. What a pity dressage is an active sport, not one of words. Hyperflexion no longer covers the cargo. This FEI term has become more quickly out of fashion than crocs. Let's call it "Long Deep and Round" (LDR) and the problem might be solved... for another few years.

At the Round Table Conference hyperflexion or rollkur is defined as flexion of the horse’s neck "achieved through aggressive force." This almost seems like an official acknowledgement that rollkur riders have been flexing their horse's neck with aggressive force between 2006 and 2010. Felix culpa. Apparently the LDR method is more mild to the horse as it "achieves flexion without undue force." And the FEI is proud to state it has solved the controversy by banning Rollkur but concluding that LDR "is acceptable."

In other words, hyperflexed horses are allowed in the warm up ring, as long as no aggression is displayed by the riders. But what is aggressive force? Yanking and pulling or tightening the noseband that the horse can hardly breathe? Or what about the time frame in which a horse's neck is flexed deep and round or held tight and up? How long can the horse be in such a frame before it becomes harmful? Are extreme sweating, swooshing tails, hollow backs or excessive salivation signs of a horse that is being stressed by an "aggressive" rider? None of these issues have been clarified at the conference and more importantly, these forms of abuse are done by riders in both the classical and rollkur training system and are hardly ever flagged by stewards!!

In 2006 the FEI mentioned in its report that "a more detailed definition of what is to be considered as abuse is required, e.g. stress factors, pain or discomfort." Furthermore, at the time the FEI stressed that the "education of stewards to identify possible abuse and misuse of this technique" was necessary. Where we do stand five years later?

Read complete Editorial

--Astrid Appels
info@eurodressage.com

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