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Post by BJMM on Dec 20, 2012 22:42:35 GMT 1
A bit 'unconventional' in his approach to the big wall ;D But how lovely to see a horse ridden in a snaffle with cavesson and no martingale. And, bless him a big smile on Luca's face all the way round, blowing kisses to the crowd despite bricks out. He looked as if he was having a ball out there. Lovely!
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potto
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I have a large spotty and the privilage once of the most beautiful big Ass!
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Post by potto on Dec 20, 2012 22:58:47 GMT 1
He was brilliant.. loving him and his horse it just made you feel like anyone of us could be there doing the same thing, like National velvet all over again :-) made me feel all warm and tingly in side the horse looked like it was having fun too.
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Post by cassiejane on Dec 20, 2012 23:39:18 GMT 1
Sorry but although he seemed like a nice bloke and agree on the snaffle I thought his riding was atrocious, hands all over the place unbalanced and very heavy handed, horses had its nose above its poll most of the time.
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Post by donnalex on Dec 20, 2012 23:46:18 GMT 1
Have to agree with the above post. I cant think he made the horse good enough to jump what it can he must have bought it ready made but I dont think it will be still jumping big courses for long unless someone tunes it up a lot in between.
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steve
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Post by steve on Dec 21, 2012 0:01:58 GMT 1
I was cringing watching him jump/attempt to jump that big wall!! I'm sure the horse is very talented etc, and I'm sure the rider is talented to get to where he is, but to me, the horse looked like it would struggle round a R.C. clear round - only from the way he rode to the horses musculature and carriage etc.
Ben Maher on the other hand........
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companymagic
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Horses are for life not just for riding....
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Post by companymagic on Dec 21, 2012 10:47:27 GMT 1
BJMM I am with you totally... So what if he looked a bit of a mess, so what if he didn't do it with style... He enjoyed himself and his horse tried his little legs off for him.. I loved watching it... We are not all perfect and why on earth should he not give it a crack. As long as his horse is well looked after that's the main thing. As for Ben's horse it had it gob strapped shut and his tongue was hanging out the side almost looking blue, and he had to run it at some boards to stop.. I found that a worst picture personally.. But I guess each to there own I so can't wait to go tomorrow now..
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Post by annas on Dec 21, 2012 13:30:40 GMT 1
I liked watching him as well, was even hoping that he would go through and was a bit gutted when the wall came down.
It was very nice to see someone really enjoy the ride and obviously just having a great time. Even when he got knocked out he was still smiling and blowing kisses to the crowd.
IMO most of the horses there were putting up a bit of a fight with their heads, trying to open their mouths etc. A lot of them just couldn't as they had flash or grackle nosebands on! I guess that is the nature of the competition and atmosphere in the hall, it would be very rare to get a completely relaxed horse doing that job in that environment! I think they do brilliantly to get round it at all, even if it is a bit untidy and unconventional!
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Post by donnalex on Dec 21, 2012 17:37:56 GMT 1
On the horses fighting the bit thing - you have to realise that a horse that will ride down to a solid looking wall like that has got to be something special, or to us, have a screw loose! Horses bred to really really jump with that amount of scope (and lack of brain) are never going to be a push button soft and light ride hack type they are high on adrenalin and so yes they will tow the rider in as their mouths and the rest of them will not exactly be super sensitive on an adrenalin rush. Its very much a case of horses for courses. A soft and light beautifully bred Spanish horse would freak out at the though of jumping over something half the size of that wall but yes they will be easier to get so go softly with a nice working frame and respond beautifully to the hand. And neither do I care what the Luca chap looked like, each to their own but the horse looked goggle eyed, uncomfortable and upside down underneath him
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Post by cassiejane on Dec 21, 2012 19:53:13 GMT 1
I wasn't concerned about what he looked like, more the fact that he was so unbalanced the horse appeared to be struggling to do its job as it was getting consistently socked in the mouth and banged on the back.
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Post by misty on Dec 21, 2012 21:26:13 GMT 1
Just thought if he had a bit of coaching it would be better for the horse, you can see loads of people having fun with their horse but perhaps not so much fun for the horse.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2012 23:37:11 GMT 1
Was watching him and thought he wasn't maybe the most 'stylish' person in the arena and maybe yes he could do with some 'coaching' but what a smile he lit that place up he is obviously having a ball out there.................Ben Maher on the other hand has to be one of the most miserable riders onthe circuit, but then I'm a Whitaker fan through and through, having had the pleasure of knowing the senior brothers for a number of years both personally and professionally would still watch them anytime
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Post by clipclop on Dec 24, 2012 15:04:59 GMT 1
On the horses fighting the bit thing - you have to realise that a horse that will ride down to a solid looking wall like that has got to be something special, or to us, have a screw loose! Horses bred to really really jump with that amount of scope (and lack of brain) are never going to be a push button soft and light ride hack type they are high on adrenalin and so yes they will tow the rider in as their mouths and the rest of them will not exactly be super sensitive on an adrenalin rush. Its very much a case of horses for courses. A soft and light beautifully bred Spanish horse would freak out at the though of jumping over something half the size of that wall but yes they will be easier to get so go softly with a nice working frame and respond beautifully to the hand. And neither do I care what the Luca chap looked like, each to their own but the horse looked goggle eyed, uncomfortable and upside down underneath him Just watching it now as I recorded it and I couldn't agree more. Guy Williams rode extremely well imo - when Ritchie Rich locks onto the fence, he just sits quietly and keeps his hands soft and still, letting her do her job. Sent from my ST18i using proboards
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Post by donnalex on Dec 24, 2012 16:32:27 GMT 1
I am sure that in the bar afterwards or at home the Italian chap is just lovely but on the horses backs? Well if the horses could choose their pilots like drawing straws Im quite certain they wouldnt be looking for his particular straw
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Post by cookie on Dec 24, 2012 23:00:03 GMT 1
Yeah, I watched it recorded. Laura renwick and Ben Mayer looked good to me, but Luca made me close my eyes.
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Post by LuckyRed on Dec 25, 2012 20:22:55 GMT 1
I was in the collecting arena watching them -- Luca kept jumping over the warm up fence and then running his horse into the solid arena wall - I don't know why, but he did it several times enough that we could hear the thud from the other side on the arena.
Ben Mayer was lovely and even spared some time to say hi while waiting for his groom to adjust his bridle
Quite a few of the riders had running martingales but were using them in the collecting ring like a standing martingale by having the rings buckled thru the cavesson noseband. Just before they went in to jump, the groom would undo the cavesson and feed it thru the reins. Robert Wittaker was one I remember cos he was still buckling up the reins as he went into the main arena!
The other thing I noticed was the number of riders using drawe reins, jumping the huge warm up jumps with the draw reins and taking them off just before going in
The back stage passes to Olympia were brilliant!
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