Dressage Disaster: Go Big Or Go Home - Victoria Max-Theurer Destroys The Short Grand Prix - Herning

She's Back!! A few weeks ago we featured a video in which Victoria Max- Theurer really struggled her way through the World Cup Grand Prix at Doha.
• Video
Dressage is not really known as a go big or go home kind of sport but Victoria Max-Theurer took the short Grand Prix to the next level with a repeat performance of the struggles she had in Doha... but this time they were bigger and better (in terms of a dressage disaster) and that forced her to retire early in the grand prix at Herning.
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[@janets6474]

Wow. Rollkur on display. The horse has his chin just about on his chest. It seems like this horse wants to explode. It's so opposite of what Dressage is all about; soft, relaxed, with a strong back and hindquarter. This is not a conversation between a horse and rider, friends. It's a demand for a fake posture and a horse that can't be rid of that demand. Sadly, this rider doesn't realize what kind of relationship she could have with her horse by riding with patience, softness, and a strong horse.

[@lucy8025]

Ditto. Rollkur is animal cruelty pure and simple.

[@saarlooswolfhund6237]

The real monsters are the judges here. Ban this perverse sport!

[@lucy8025]

@@saarlooswolfhund6237 The judges are absolutely complicit.

[@janets6474]

@@saarlooswolfhund6237 I just had a new thought. Imagine the changes that could occur in the sport of Dressage if the judges interacted more with the riders. If they just did their job.

[@saarlooswolfhund6237]

@@janets6474 they should have been ridden by exactly these cruel riders with exactly these tools:Double Bridle, Spurs, Rollkur, No way out of the cage the whole day, Whip. Rollkur for judges, but only 10 minutes a day. 🤣🤣

[@sunnybunny7053]

I don’t like rollkur anytime, but it’s especially sad to see how common it is in extended trot and how top riders don’t let horses stretch out in the frame :(

[@tillmanntuchel2554]

Die beiden sind nun wirklich keine Einheit. Das Pferd hatte eine sehr gute Ausbildung - und hier sieht man, wie schnell das alles vorbei sein kann. Schade um das gute Pferd.

[@aremedyproject9569]

Only one inch to go and she’d have had the horse’s nose on its chest. Still the horse was trying to perform. But he was set up to fail. She was course and confused in her over-strong aids. Poor animal. He’s a beauty with natural talent and grace, but she made him a sore tight ball.

[@DudaMeras]

The horse knows what to do, but she seems to not know how to give the correct commands. Looks like (in this video) that she was desesparate. Completely out of focus.

[@TriciaBridgesKoontz]

Sickening. This type of riding could be the end of dressage because those calling it cruel are correct.

[@saarlooswolfhund6237]

95%Modern Dressage is exactly the same. Its abuse. Ban this horrible sport!

[@sixmercer2504]

The sport doesn't deserve to be banned, the double bridles, rollkur, spurs, and harsh bits need to be banned. Dressage was taught to me as the part of eventing that you use the least aids and get the most out of your horse in. There was a rule against talking or making any sounds and from my days in eventing, in the 80s, we used snaffle bits and I don't remember spurs being allowed. But maybe I'm wrong. I know I was taught I should never need to use spurs on my horse. My legs and my seat and weight distribution was it. We wanted the horse on the bit. Not behind it. Now that's called hyperflexion or behind the vertical. I was never a grand prix dressage rider but in the 80s I just remember the way we were taught was to show how highly trained our horse was without the use of artificial aids (aside from a bit that had to be approved and they were strict about what kind). Like I said, I never rode grand prix but I did ride third level dressage in the United States National Eventing Championships as one of 4 people chosen to represent Colorado. I haven't ridden in a long time and am out of the loop. So I'm only speaking what I know. Things have most definitely changed and NEED to change back. This is hard to watch, itz abuse. This horse can't breathe or see properly and his mouth is strapped tightly closed with a very harsh curb bit and extremely tight curb chain. She couldn't get the horse to back up because she was holding the reins so tight and had no room to give the command with a fast gentle squeeze and release with alternating hands and leg on. Not jab jab jab kick with spurs. These poor horses. Dressage is a mess.

[@elkefaber3103]

This horse was very eager and alvays a joy to work said his former rider Marcus Hermes.

[@jonjonwp]

Yes , we can see it on the video of him riding this horse in 2019.

[@Galemor1]

It's still eager, but she doesn't know how to work with it.

[@caciliawhy5195]

Rich people buying what they cannot produce because they have no talent.

[@jonjonwp]

Does her trainer, mother etc ever tell her how badly she rides? All she has in her head is dominate this horse, force him into an unnatural frame and be damned if I ruin him. We will just buy another horse. This horse could really go places with a sympathetic rider . He's going knowhere with her.

[@DressageHub]

She rides with Isabell

[@jonjonwp]

@@DressageHub Yes I know they could be twins in their style of riding. Collapsed stomach and bump. I've just seen a video of him from 2019 with Marcus Hermes, a completely different relaxed horse on a loose curb, soft hands and never behind the vertical.

[@claudia273]

@@jonjonwp oh wow, that’s quite the opposite of how vici has been riding him.. Poor horse. So sad how someone can ruin such a nicely trained horse within in two years..

[@jonjonwp]

@@claudia273 I agree 😃

[@janets6474]

Well said! I bet she wouldn't listen if they did.

[@comesahorseman]

Overbent. 'Way too tight. Sorry.

[@claudia273]

Let’s just say, that wasn’t a surprise. I think I’ve said all I needed to say on that last video of them. Horrendous.

[@janets6474]

It's so very sad indeed. Sad for the horse and sad the rider doesn't realize the kind of relationship she could have without beating up the horse's mouth and sides.

[@animallover4101]

Poor horse can’t breathe 🤦🏼‍♀️

[@biancalodde8278]

And how do you see that? Ifche couldn't breath the horse would be lying down

[@saarlooswolfhund6237]

@@biancalodde8278 🤣🤣🤣

[@saarlooswolfhund6237]

@@biancalodde8278 learn anatomy

[@trevinize]

Tight noseband!

[@sixxmesixx]

Hell he can’t breathe! He’s so far behind the vertical it’s pathetic. This sort of thing makes me sick. Trainer and rider are not professionals that much is obvious. The joyless is a saint for putting up with this abuse. Rollkur has no place in any trainers regimen I don’t give a fuck who it is!

[@larissaa3465]

Isabell Werth is her trainer, this is the awful result

[@Julia-mi2ij]

Yeah, not a surpise. A shame that she even got to start her ride.

[@janets6474]

Once again, shame on FEI judges. They are more at fault than riders and trainers. Without judges' facilitating these horrendous rides, they would not be in the ring.

[@ashleymichaelkaritis]

How is she even allowed to get through her warmup? And be let in the ring?

[@MerelyGifted]

When TF are judges going to start penalizing riders whose horses' chins bump against their chests?! This is abuse. She's often behind the motion, and her spurring is far from subtle. Disgusting.

[@iamjustjudy]

That poor horse! She continuously is kicking it with spurs!!! And she has it's neck reigned so far in...disgusting! Cruel

[@azariasewell5655]

This poor horse's head. Doing rollkur training and riding behind the vertical aka riding behind the bit is not okay no matter what u r doing. It is uncomfortable and dangerous for the horse to do those things. Spurs definitely need to be taken out of the equation of all sports because they don't do nothing, but cause unnecessary discomfort for a horse. I don't care how easily u use spurs because when u have a piece of metal contacting with ur sides constantly it does get tender, sore, bruised, scarred, etc it doesn't matter if u have flat or star shaped spurs they all hurt. Spurs also cause marks that riders try to hide as if they don't know the damage their equipment is causing. When u bounce or follow a horse's rhythm when riding ur heels/feet come back at a good force on their sides, belly, or flank area. Then in my own personal opinion whips only should be used when teaching a horse pressure and release training where u only touch the horse with the whip u don't hit them at all, and it is barely a tap this helps in getting rid of negative feelings of the whip and bad experiences. If they know the whip won't hurt they won't be scared or nervous of it. Then also when driving a horse in lunging, but u don't touch the horse with the whip. It has been proven in studies that whips and spurs don't increase a horse's speed or better their performance. I don't believe in using equipment to change a horse's carriage, head position, body position, etc because doing so causes problems people don't think of. For example, using tie downs and martingales changes a horse's development in their head, neck, and topline as well as medical, physical, and behavioral issues. Many bits put pressure and force on nerves and bones in the horse's mouth. Nose bands and bridles cause unnecessary force and pressure on the nerves in a horse's face. I disagree with using equipment as crutches in training and competing because then people rely on them rather than fixing the problem with a actual good solution. I strongly believe in positive reinforcement, positive training, positive experiences for the horses, etc because when u do things positively horses r more willing to enjoy what they do, and work with u better than if u r impatient and do things negatively. Horses r sensitive prey animals, and they deserve ur kindness, patience, love, and loyalty. I think the worlds main problem is people want to do the fast ways of things instead of taking the longer roads. Do what is best for the animal not urself. Think more about the animal instead of urself. Put the animal first instead of urself because they r doing all the work. They let u ride them, they compete with u on their backs, they take ur bad attitudes, mood swings, frustration, and still love u, they put up with u putting them in uncomfortable, painful, and stressful situations and still love and trust u, etc. U shouldn't take horses for granted they r loyal loving animals. Things need to change for horses.

[@minky7252]

This poor horse is pulled miserably behind vertical

[@loismoore1531]

I do not do dressage, but love watching. This was bad. The rider all up in his mouth and not letting him relax. Beautiful horse.

[@claudia273]

Oh btw, this wasn’t at herning, but at ‘s hertogenbosch. (‘The Dutch masters’ or indoor Brabant)

[@eileencollins8799]

Poor animal.

[@alicemilligan2699]

What a disgrace.

[@oswaldwagner3302]

what a shame. this is abuse.

[@sarahwagland1559]

Is this rider confusing the yielding hand with the yanking hand?

[@2wittysue535]

Over my years I've seen some beautiful trust and love gained by careful and patient training. Why are some (young) riders pushing back into the dark ages with "if you don't do it I'll make you do it!" I just don't understand. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@Mino19_]

Disgusting... Rollkur from beginning... and the jury gives a shit on this...

[@FoxyBriar]

Well this is disgustingly painful to watch

[@jonjonwp]

No surprise she stopped competing this horse and went onto the next one.

[@beelinekhan460]

Learned from her mother, evil to horses.

[@jinxkrug7000]

It's a shame that people teach their horses to rear and get panicky. If the legs ( or spurs ) are pushing the horse forward and into the bit, but the hands are strong and closed, it's instinctive for the horse to get light in the front or actually rear up. It's a protective instinct in horses. When they feel danger they go up. With passage and piaffe the goal is to control the power of the horse with highly skilled hands and legs to move forward in a very active way, either in passage or on the spot with Piaffe. The feeling in the hands should be very sensitive and never make the horse feel trapped, because if you do, this is the reach you will get, a scared, confused and hyper reactive horse. Apparently, she should know better since she has been at GP for a while. What a shame.

[@renatefeller5208]

Ach du armes Pferd!

[@azariasewell5107]

This poor horse is in so much pain, I’m surprised the poor thing can breath. Mouth gapping open, body looks tense, etc. U can see the horse trying to pull away from the tension and pressure. This horse is definitely behind the vertical and almost in the position of Rollkur. I’ve loved the idea of dressage when it comes to u and ur horse having a partnership and moving in harmony, but this is far from harmonious.

[@mariobetz3604]

Da nutzt das viele Geld auch nichts

[@sandirobinson6966]

These horses aren't working, they are performing under duress. These are not natural movements, and the horses are stressed mentally (God knows how bad physically). The judges ought to give these people the "El Booto' as soon as the horse backs off and quits on the rider. I can only interpret the generalized reaction by these horses as fear and there is NO place for it in upper level riding. Go forth boldly and in perfect harmony. The garbage I see these days in the dressage ring is not even close.

[@mervwilliams6988]

Everyone has an option that has no meaning to the problem if the veterinarian had one ounce of common sense the horses would not have any of this problem but you are blaming the riders & trainers they know the horses have problems but do not know how to fix the huge problems

[@carolynstewart8465]

She is all over the place on this horse.. go forward... no dont. Behind the verticle. Poor horse is miserable! How to ruin a horse permanently is on display here!

[@Sandra-vi8ob]

Well I didn't kno horses were for this purpose let them run

[@ruby_tuesday_dressage]

Disgusting and shameful riding

[@susannesturmer2105]

Sie zieht das Pferd mit den Zügeln rückwärts, man kann gar nicht hinsehen

[@zodiacmindwarp2691]

Looks like she’s anticipating a rear in parts due to her driving him forward but very tight rein

[@mmca7288]

Loved the way the rider handled things with calming touches and pats and even when finished there was still a reward to say that we all have off days and it's ok. What I can't understand is at times this beautiful horse is very behind the vertical and I don't know if it's part of the off day, but being behind the vertical has become sadly a big part in dressage yet it's so frowned upon!!! What is happening and as I said it's not just this horse...it seems to be dressage in a whole 😳😳😳😳

[@artur-andrzejr3965]

Woow 💪⭐💥👍♥️

[@elainebrye-groeschl9108]

No, not rollkur, over flexed. When my horse and I trained with Alf Athenstaedt, we did deep stretching, without force, because I could bring him into position at any time. Also done bareback. Dr. Reiner Klimke's horses' noses were always a little in front of the vertical.

[@claudia273]

Did you watch it live? Because what happened in the test wasn’t even the worst. Before the test, right in front of the judges, while his nose already was close to his chest she sawed him even tighter.. if this isn’t rollkur, what is rollkur in your opinion? Or don’t you think sawing the bit is using force? And please, stop the deep stretching. It is NOT good for your horses. They can’t even function properly btv..

[@elainebrye-groeschl9108]

@@claudia273 no, I didn't see the sawing episode. Holding him tighter, and giving mixed aids is unproductive. Alf was a trainer at Tempel Lippizans with George Morris. My horse leaned into the stretch, no force was used, that is the difference between a horse's choice to stretch deeply, including letting him stretch his nose down at all gaits, canter outdoors on the buckle. His topline filled in with muscle, and required a new saddle after 6 months bareback dressage.

[@claudia273]

@@elainebrye-groeschl9108 it’s not just unproductive, it’s cruel. It doesn’t matter that there’s no force used. Have you ever read some papers about hyperflexion? Or explanations on what happens while riding btv? (the article on sustainable dressage is quite complete) I don’t know anything about the tempel lipizzans, only that it’s American. But if they train their horses btv, they’re not as classical as they pretend to be. A good stretch is always in front of the vertical.

[@saarlooswolfhund6237]

Elaine, if you do not recognize abusing Rollkur Bullshit in this ride, better don't work with horses.

[@elkefaber8873]

In Herning there was 8 year old Dahoud placed fiths in the grand prix special with Jurado Lopez. Can you show this in a video?

[@awnutz]

How is this not behind the vertical.

[@angelikaplank9850]

Schaut net gut aus!!! Bitte lern reiten traueig

[@larissaa3465]

Disappointing

[@ABLEGODREAMS1]

Wow