Rollkur: The Overlooked Norm

None of the video footage or music is mine. I only claim ownership of the editing, hence the watermark.
Please take the time to read this description as well as watch the full video and read all the captions on the video.
This video surrounds rollkur and absolute elevation in the horse world.
Disclaimer - I am NOT claiming that every horse is abused in this way nor am I claiming that every person in this industry abuses horses.
Rollkur or hyperflexion of the horse's neck is a practice in equestrianism defined as "flexion of the horse's neck achieved through aggressive force" and is banned by the world governing body, the International Federation for Equestrian Sports
If you want to learn about all the science behind the damage caused from over-bending a horse's neck, you can read these articles - (www.sustainable...)
(www.symbiosis.c...)
(bitlessbridle....)
(www.ncbi.nlm.n...)
Rollkur is not a new phenomenon, it has been present in the horse world for many years, most notably in dressage training and history.
(cs.thehorse.com...)
Over-flexion may not always be the result of a rider with hard hands. Some horses will put themselves into this position to avoid the bit. In these cases, the horse had been trained aggressively by a past owner or is a horse who does not want contact with the bit (possibly sensitive mouth or young horse).
(equicessities....)
But rollkur is not the only headset a horse can be forced into that results in damage. Absolute elevation is an even more hidden norm. The horse's nose and head are at the vertical, but it's jaw is still pulled tightly against its neck, causing breathing problems and spinal damage to the third or fourth vertebrae.
(dressagediffer...)
(bitlessbridle....)
Not only is there spinal and muscular damage when a horse is trained in hyper-flexion or absolute elevation, but there are breathing and vision problems that arise from this position as well. When the head is at or behind the vertical, the horse is forced to look straight at the ground in front of their feet which creates a 'dead eye' where the horse tries to look more forward and strains their eyes. Not only is this dangerous for both horse and rider, but it also puts unnecessary stress mentally and physically on the horse. These head positions cause difficulty breathing which again puts stress on the horse as it struggles to breathe efficiently. The tight position of the jaw pulled against the neck causes an obstruction in the upper respiratory tract which can result in a collapse of the tract over time. This headset along with tight and low nosebands and flashes increase pressure on the nasal cavity, causing the horse to feel that it is having a more difficult time with comfortable air intake.
(academicequitat...)
(www.thehorse.co...)
(www.chronofhor...)
This video has more information and photos/videos to go along with this video
• The Damage Inside: Rol...
• ABC News Equestrian ...
Song:
• Art of Silence - Drama...
If you are interested in these types of abuse awareness videos, check out my other ones.
Horse Abuse Awareness Videos Playlist
• Horse Abuse Awareness ...

[@chandlerfaye7110]

Finally, someone, who cares, who pays attention, who is putting a word out, someone who will listen, thank you horse source

[@codysauder3163]

Chandler's Farm Life I was just about to put the same thing. Rolkur should be banned from every horse event, I don't care if it's Western or English.

[@HorseSource]

Cody Sauder it is banned by FEI, as stated in the description. But as you can see, many many people still do this and who knows how they train their horses at home

[@gerrycoleman7290]

@@HorseSource Sick, selfish, ego driven people. Thank you for speaking out about these bad practices.

[@MiracleEdits]

Umm. This is absolutely not ok! It's like always being forced to have your chin constantly tucked for a human, except worse. I also liked how you included western clips as well as English, a lot of people associate rollkur with dressage but it's also a big issue in the western world. Thank you for spreading awareness!

[@justjoking4906]

MiracleEdits just a thing: you can test it on yourself: Try to take your chin to your breastbone. It Hurts in the spiral column, doesn't it?

[@MiracleEdits]

Uniqueorn Baby yeah it does hurt a lot! Humans that do this are pretty darn stupid

[@kenaicozry-gallant5217]

MiracleEdits and what a beautiful paint to do it to!!

[@MiracleEdits]

Hayley Gallant ikr! Why I don't support Clinton Anderson ( that and many other reasons )

[@sophiakahler4025]

When you really Know what Western riding is and How it is than you would Know that this is Maybe 4 seconds in Not such an extreme place of the neck! Western riding is much better than dressage!

[@CatKellyEventing]

Also let me just say this, there is a difference between a horse being round, then in a rollkur. Rollkur is when a horse is put behind vertical and sometimes having a hollow back. While being round is having a horse at the vertical line, and with a nice back with legs reaching underneath them. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE

[@nightsoul9]

Exactly.

[@coollikegrass2489]

Um none of these horses were round at the vertical. Every single one of them were ridden in either Rolkur or LDR

[@Deejaay83urj38]

Well, you should forget roundness in a horses look Go roll yourself into a round ball like a slug and enjoy that Any of it, and promotion of the look is causing the crimes in training, judging, and spectatorinomg

[@TammySaj-zm6kr]

I could get my thourobred in a nice round canter with a soft D ring bit. I HAVE NEVER USED A ROLL KUR BIT NOR WOULD I EVER. AND I HAVE NEVER USED SPURS OR A CROP. I USE POSITIVE PRESSURE AND RELEASE TRAINING ❤❤❤❤

[@CatKellyEventing]

@@TammySaj-zm6kr okay? So do most people. You're not special

[@equinestudio7381]

I'm very impressed with how many links you put in the description to support these facts, and that you didn't just show dressage through the whole video (as many people commonly associate it with rollkur). Great video as always

[@jennywalker2251]

Thankyou horse source for pointing out the abuse that goes in the horse world to inform people that it does happen and we need to stop it!

[@gerrycoleman7290]

I recommend making horses lives better one horse at a time.

[@gamerplayer5448]

Not all riders do I ride at a stables don't own any if the horses but at the end of the day the bridels are of the horse in a tack room and left there for the next day we don't do what these people do

[@Alexa-ib3pp]

I don't believe in getting horse 'on the bit' because it's not. It's getting the horse to engage his hind end and use his frame and self carriage. It comes from the seat and legs. Not from the hands. If you try to get a horse on a bit by seesawing, you aren't doing it right. You use your legs and your seat, your hands only act as a guide, they are not the leader. To get a horse perfect, you use your seat and legs more often then you use your hands. Your hands act as a guide. When you're turning a corner. Open your inside rein (Don't pull, just open it) Use your inside leg and turn you shoulders slightly, If they don't react, ask them over with your outside leg and inside rein. It is not a case of using your hands to get a horse down on the bit. Because that isn't how you create a frame. That's just the head. Whereas my way, you get the horse using his whole body, and it builds up muscle so he remembers how to do it. Hands are meant to be soft and light. They're not meant to hurt the horse.

[@CrystalAmbiance]

Holly Eaglestorm ??

[@Alexa-ib3pp]

Yes?

[@martinbradley2832]

YAY a sso person. Btw i 100% agree with you. I have a really well built cob who loves dressage so i just sot deep, wrap my legs round him and play with the reins. I siply give a little squeeze or so until he begins to use his frame an collect himself up. Then once he has done that i give him a bit more rein so he is comfortable and he knows that if he keeps his head in an outline, it wil be more comfortable. Its also better for the spine placement and growing

[@rain-su7xp]

CRYSLINK311 ??

[@silverstreakd5134]

Internet trainer...

[@acornhorse-h.blueberrymoon8361]

its amazing how horses even put up to this, im surprised that they dont show too much aggression outside of riding, shows how much horses want to obey and try not to hurt anyone! Even though its not comfortable, thank you for sharing this horse source

[@freereinartstudio1463]

That makes it even sadder.

[@christinebaker8754]

Horses that realise they are powerless to change their situation for the better slide into 'learned apathy'. They basically give up. And who wouldn't, at the hands ( literally ) of these brutal human specimens?

[@thevegandragon_]

It's called "Learned Helplessness" and is common in abuse victims. The abusers hurt their victims since they are babies making they grow up believing there is nothing they can do to fight their abusers. I was also a victim of this. It's a form of brainwashing that doesn't require words. Just pain and fear.

[@annacassidy8097]

Poor horses, they don't deserve that.

[@caitlin449]

Anna Cassidy ikr

[@LissTheLegend]

This is so heartbreaking

[@pamelamartyn5460]

Why would you put your horse through pain. Don't say you care.

[@demijane2187]

ohhhh wtf thats really bad I wish people wernt so mean to them that's sad poor horses

[@maddiekaywheeling1795]

Wow...thought i could trust u clinten😒😢

[@emmachevalier8825]

demi jane i no i am crying cause its so sad. Like you dont have to have a perfect head set on a horse like really. My horse that i ride i let have a head set that they would perfer then head set that touches them on the chest like that's really sad and I would never do that to horse.😢😭

[@demijane2187]

I know I feel bad too so bad I wish people would stop

[@meganproffitt424]

Clinton wasn't using rolkur

[@hot8990798]

@@meganproffitt424 rolkur is when the horses neck and head are over bent. Clintons horse is clearly showing signs of rolkur. Honestly it doesn't surprise me that even his own horse is abused. He abuses horses until he gets what he wants. He is not a true horseman he is a horse abuser.

[@pebblez8957]

Thank you! Whenever I point out that a simple forced head elevation is abuse, people simply tell me off like "your just overreacting" or "that's the only way my horse will listen" thank you so much for putting this out. It doesn't get much attention!

[@Deejaay83urj38]

If that's how their horse will listen, they need to stop having horses. They can get a bike

[@jennywalker2251]

this is horrible it needs to be stopped!

[@sofiaparente6659]

Crazy Equestrian Kelsey non è tutto vero in questo videooo

[@4twenzy]

This made me cry 😭 these stupid ass owners shouldn’t do all these stupid things on there horse 😭😭😭

[@gracieschreiber5046]

Amelia Bel not everyone knows they are hurting their horses by doing this. A lot instructors tell you it’s so get your horse to behave. I was only 11 when I started pleasure work so I didn’t know any better but quit when I was 13. Not everyone knows they are doing something wrong.....

[@4twenzy]

Gracie Schreiber I don't have a horse xD and I don't go to a public barn either

[@cleliaoconnell3705]

Amelia Bel Ah.. I cried too.

[@alexandreblanquaert5256]

All the riders on the video are pro's and all of them perfectly know what they are doing acting so...

[@wolfolaio]

Im proud that i love my horse and dont want it to feel any pain

[@jennywalker2251]

you should do one about starfishing horses in barrel racing

[@HorseSource]

Crazy Equestrian Kelsey don't worry, I will

[@jennywalker2251]

Thank you horse source,btw,I LOVE your channel!!!

[@cleliaoconnell3705]

Starfishing? What is it?

[@equestrianmusic4883]

Clélia O'CONNELL Special spurs that REALLT hurt a horse i believe

[@jennywalker2251]

No its when barrel racers slam their legs on a horse as hard as they can!!!

[@109367]

Never did understand what was so "pretty" about a horse trotting around with its head literally upside down

[@Deejaay83urj38]

Nothing at all

[@bubs2906]

1:32 is proof that bitless is not always the answer, and that bitless can be harmful.

[@kiskastudios6046]

But using a dangerous bit can be even more harmful. The straps and leather connected to the horses head and neck are an indicator of amuse and forceful position.

[@samanthamoosesister2602]

Both bitless and with a bit can be harmful if used incorrectly.

[@avaj8716]

It is never the answer if it is used incorrectly. Anything can be harmful in some way. I use a knife to make a meal for myself, but it can also be used to hurt. Same thing goes with majority of tools used on horses.

[@Chxrries]

So ur only gonna point that out? Not the 95 percent of the video that shows specificity horses with bits

[@logangreen2010]

@@Chxrriesthey’re pointing it out because people imply that rollkur is only done in bits. I never see anyone saying stuff about harsh bitless riders.

[@1sugarkali]

My heart aches for these poor beautiful creatures 😢 thank you so much for this important video, I can not wrap my head around how someone would treat horses like that.

[@Deejaay83urj38]

Because the public allow them to

[@tanikaa_xox4756]

THE HORSE AT 2: 02 ... LITERALLY NO COMMENT. ;-;

[@AbsurdandFantastical]

That is a Hackney horse from SA. They try and strengthen the horses' neck without doing the work. I love Hackney's, I love Saddlbreds, I hate that they turn the sport and their stables into a torture chamber.

[@ZeldaCastleWolf]

It's so awful that we've allowed this to become normal. So heartbreaking...

[@meganproffitt424]

It's not normal?

[@dragon0610]

Poor horses !!! How much they work !!! Why do people scoff at such a beautiful , sweet , kind creature ?!

[@lukaoisunicorn3837]

because they offer their sorrow to demons that they serve to

[@isatri2320]

This is so sad...we are so horrible with Horses :(

[@dibade1961]

Isatri if you ride, I highly recommend rope halters. They’re much cheaper than bridles and horses can actually use their heads. Think Like a Horse is a great KZbin channel also. :)

[@nightlizard8595]

Diba De they can use their heads with a bit too, and can be restricted in a rope halter. Gear doesn't make you a better rider. A horse can use its head when given its head, that isn't determined by the gear being used. A horse can also be restricted in anything you put on it. While harsh bits and harsh hackamores shouldn't be used, the rider is the biggest factor in how freely a horse is allowed to move. You can perform rollkur in a rope halter.

[@Renegade522]

Some of the ones you had shown were clinton anderson a narural horseman ship trainer,he dosent rolcer his horses in,if you look at the rein of the horses bridal and look at the the slack,he has soft hands and he also rides a gentle westren style.

[@JustASleepySloth]

honestly the horse world is a vile place, I noticed that after removing the bit from our lives and riding in a rope halter my horse naturally likes to drop her head and keep it low sometimes right on the ground so she can sniff, it's important to allow your horse the chance to stretch and get comfortable- who cares how it looks, your horse should be the only thing you care about; it's comfort. That's the only thing that matters to me.

[@emiliaksenijakrantz3865]

This video is both good and bad. Some of these photos and clips are not rollkur. BTV (behind the vertical) Can happen. And the difference between btv and and rollkur is the rollkur is something that the rider are knowingly and willingly riding their horse into. younghorses that isnt strong enough to carry their heads in the correct position on or slightly infront of the vertical tend to fall behind. Now what i mean by that is not that the nose is touching their chest and the rider is still pulling. But they fall behind the vertical line. Other reasons for moment pictures is that some horses that tend to get strong on the bit or bitless for that matter actually fall behind completely to avoid the riders breaking aids. The seasawing motion can be used without being horrible if the intent is to break a running off horse and not to get the head down, and even then you have to be careful. These pictures do not do the riders or horses justice. Some of these are horrible, cruel, and pure abuse. But I can´t imagine the horrifying feeling of being put in a video like this beside a picture or clip of pure abuse and terror if my horse just sprinted off and someone snapped a moment shot of me trying to regain control wich happens alot when training horses these are big animals. But I do not like these kind of videos. poorly explained, and displays both btv and rollkur without explaining the difference.

[@meganproffitt424]

Yes, Horse Source likes to make uneducated videos like this.

[@emiliaksenijakrantz3865]

Megan Proffitt I have no idea I have never seen another video posted by them. But It makes me so mad when you bluntly accuse people of serious abuse and not explaining the actual reasons and the line between BTV and rollkür as it is a fine line. It's the same with all videos of big lick wich is abuse. But they never explaine the difference between big lick and saddle seat so I talked to some innocent people from Tennessee whose horses had gotten shot by shotgun because people thought they were abusing their horses and wanted to put them out of their pain. Ignorance and just blunt stupidity and just not knowing what's right and what's wrong can cause so much unnecessary damage.

[@meganproffitt424]

Thank you! Horse Source subscribers are mostly uneducated little girls that follow and believe everything Horse Source posts. Horse Source knows this and they brainwash those poor kids. People need to start fact checking. There is a HUGE difference between big lick and saddleseat. Unfortunately, I feel like Horse Source might read this conversation and make another shitty video about that now. Ugh

[@emiliaksenijakrantz3865]

Megan Proffitt yeah! Being uneducated is actually the worst. The thing is that we all learn but social media has both its good and it's dark sides. People making content like this do more harm than good. And people posting content that is actual education ofthen get over looked or people just don't know what's right and what's wrong. Now I have been working since I was 14. That's when I started to get paid. And all my life I've seeked knowledge. And everywhere you go people have their own ways of doing things. And that's okay. We all build out personal techniques. But people should start exploring. Learning and not get stuck following ONE person for too long. In some stables I have been corrected while sweeping the floors. It comes down to every little detail and people shouldn't sit on the Internet and blindly follow one person's advice. Listen to multiple sources and having sources that is trustable is key to both success, happy animals and to knowledge.

[@emiliaksenijakrantz3865]

Megan Proffitt I'm Sorry For ranting btw haha

[@HorseSource]

Thank you for watching! Please read the description and investigate the links I provided to further your knowledge on this subject. There are myths about this and people mistake that certain headsets are not damaging when they are. This video does slightly surround bits as well, but I think I'm going to make a separate video on bits, tight nosebands/flashes, and unneeded extra tack to control horses. BUT this video does not state that bits or tack alone are the cause for this form of abuse in horses. Many of these abusive practices are due to the rider. Thanks for reading and watching, again I strongly encourage you to read the description and look at the websites and videos I linked.

[@EmmaAJ-sj2be]

Horse Source loved the video and that it’s out there, but the part about the rope in the mouths is not actually for the goal of a rollkur, but it tire the horses neck out so that the hang it low when they ride. It’s something done for a easy way out of pleasure riding. NO HATE, just thought i would let you know.

[@meganproffitt424]

So... You're against bits? I'm only asking because in ALL of your videos you see horses wearing bits... I don't know, it seems a bit hypocritical, but you do you, I guess.

[@carolineleiden]

Horse Source I am preparing a criminal complaint against the Equine Federation in my country for promoting and condoning bits and thus condo ingvand promoting animal abuse. Please do the same in your country. Go and talk to the District Attorney or Prosecutor. Prepare as much information as you can. Convince the Prosecutor and he will take the case. A complaint is for free. The State will take the case from there. There will be no legal fees for you nor any financial damages claimed by the Federation. It is a criminal case.

[@carolineleiden]

Emma50413 AJ That would be abusive too and unnecessarily cruel to the horse. Abuse is abuse, with or without bits and for whatever reason.

[@meganproffitt424]

carolineleiden I highly doubt they're going to take you seriously. They'll probably just throw your report in the trash 😂

[@rosemaryshydawn8539]

The fact that they have these beautiful horses and then they do this to them absolutely saddens me...

[@zombiegirl4469]

It is a god given right to have a connection with such a beautiful animal. Then you have people like this who abuse that bond and seek out fame and money instead of a happy horse. Its very sad. I cant imagine the pain this causes the horse through out its whole body... thank you for helping put put awareness

[@magzwagz5282]

Who thinks this is ok? People are so stupid, we don’t even see horses as horses anymore, we see them as machinery that we can do whatever we want to...I absolutely HATE being a human

[@broken_fxxlings9178]

People with no hearts do this. They abuse animals such as horses, including other animals. The world has turned to a nasty place. People who do this only do it for the fame and money. If I were you, horse riders choose training over this. More practice makes perfect. Its better than putting an innocent animal in extreme pain

[@monjamariaa]

They teached me when I was a kid :( Thought over years this is what it has to look like. Children watching TV and how would they know better

[@campbelljones8061]

And a horse being on a bridle is not rolkur. If the horses head it parrallel to an upright wall or tilted above that but when it is tilted downwards it can be cruel.

[@ikarinascoke2086]

I dont understand why they do it in dressag. I is the exact opposite of what you want. A long neck with the head far away from you. And the horse should do ever move with easyness and lightness. And a doubble bridle (no clue if its correct, english is not my motherlanguage) is just for realy light comands and should only be yoused on well trained horses. Its not for rollkur.

[@Juliaegan28]

Ikarinas Coke you are yousing that dame same bit in your home page and to say that you hate it you are still yousing that bit.

[@ikarinascoke2086]

Maddy's Girl no you are missunderstanding me i dont hate it, not even one bit, but i dont like it when people are using it to put a horse in to rollkur. The second bit is for realy light comunication and not to pull the head of the horse down. That is all i am saying.

[@Juliaegan28]

Ikarinas Coke sorry for the miss under standing

[@ikarinascoke2086]

Maddy's Girl no problem☺

[@Juliaegan28]

Ikarinas Coke but then why do you have 2 rains ?

[@graciesizemore4895]

Very well done video this technique has been used a lot and is very wrong I do want to state something a lot of horses (mostly young horses) tend hold them selves this way while they are learning. I as a dressage rider has seen this used a lot in the show ring and one of the greatest dressage horses Moorland Totoliss has this done to him. And you can avoid this. Horses can naturally learn how to get collected with leg pressure. I’m training a 3yr Dutch and he very much understands this. But yes I do lunge him with side reins but they are very loose so he can find the right position for his head. I hope this was some what useful and saying again great video

[@xx9087x]

Definitely, when a horse is collecting it should have a choice. My mare recently went through surgery and we are just bringing her back into work. My vet advised that we get her to naturally collect and to work properly and forwards for her own well being. And I know so many people that ride with the lightest bit/bitless and their horse will still collect. However their are many people who go beyond collection and to abuse, these horses are clearly in pain and uncomfortable.

[@noora2740]

My hearthorses It's Moorland Totilas, not Totoliss.

[@moxiest.p4533]

yes I was going to add to this the same basic message, there was a time when a lot of riders did not understand basic rider to horse body language, the bit is not supposed to be like a see saw as you see, but it may kinda look that way at times when a horse is being urged forward with leg on into the bit, which should be just tot enough to have correct contact, but he is not actually being pulled by the bit into this position. You would have to study up on dressage and really any ground work being done correctly to see and feel through the rider, how the horses back end will start to curl more under him, and he will use that power to push his energy forward, and it might look like he is pushing into the bit, but actually at that point it is quit the opposite, and a wonderful feeling to feel the power of your animal come under you, and know your leg and body are working to move that power into movements that become such an intense connection between you and your horse, that he will use it to do things so exquisite, beautiful, ballet like, yet so powerful in energy and mindfulness in horse and rider, I can't describe the beauty of dressage to you, but try to look at some positive and beautiful dressage videos, and just know, those riders love their horses so much, they would never hurt them..I promise you that..as for the opposite, we can pray, but know those horses are in excellent condition, and being fed well, kept well, and probably will find their Earth Human eventually...much love...xo

[@irisjeemiggiels9013]

Not everything is rollkur

[@anastasiaboyko7040]

Oh god... How can we stop this?...

[@HorseSource]

Anastasia Boyko I don't exactly know, just start by not doing it yourself

[@miibb3520]

denunciare per maltrattamento animale. ora esiste il carcere. fate foto, video, prendete informazioni e denunciate. e soprattutto, non fate oscenità voi stessi. i cavalli non si meritano queste torture

[@demijane2187]

Maybe call the SPCA polices to go to the houses and tell them off or get the police and put them in jail

[@dibade1961]

The show World is about money. Unfortunate for like-minded and people who recognize the wrong of bits and curving the horses’ neck THE SHOW WORLD DOESNT CARE. Even if you stop one person or ride your horses without this abuse then you are stopping it. Good luck in your endeavors.

[@togetherwefly1762]

In Clinton Anderson's pictures and videos, the horses were either bacing up, or he was demonstrating bending to the side. That is NOT rolkur.

[@ailaya5127]

It is. Just because he calls it different, it does not change the fact. Dressage riders who do rollkur, also call it "bending". Just inform yourself about the biomechanical effect on the back, hindlegs ect. and you can see why (It's a longer story which I don't want to write down right now...) Btw: Anderson deletes critical, but construtive comments under his videos.

[@evelindezykovacs8492]

Horses are not fckin toys! We can't do anything with them what just we want..they've got soul too. People think they can own everything. And that's very sad. Btw great video. ❤

[@dofiscool5166]

I really love all these informative videos of abuse that happens in the equestrian world. It’s shining light to the abuse that happens and will hopefully end it

[@nezukina11]

my wish for this year is: to see all the riders who did rollkur , even once, tied up with a bit in their mouth against their neck, i mean rollkur, humans doing rollkur

[@mmcj1536]

The FEI does point it out, but not all people listen to them, the rule is that the nose can be vertical or slightly more horizontal but not further than vertical

[@nightsoul9]

Yes! Thank you for this. It makes me cringe every time I see this. I no longer watch dressage because of it. I worked and studied with Robert Hall who trained the Olympic Equestrian Team for Britain through four Olympics, starting with Rome in '64,(I think) This abuse was a real big deal with him. He rode a Grand Prix St George in a snaffle bit with the horse allowed to move naturally just to show how useless, abusive and unnecessary all that crap is.

[@theilluminati682]

2:59 Oh my god, what is that torture device in the horse's mouth-

[@johnnyc9980]

Ouch! That probably hurts! Moorlands totilas (horse) was really good at dressage and I was a big fan until I found out that the horse uses rollkur. The horse did not like it but was forced anyway. Now I feel bad for the horse. The legendary FEI has banned it when warming up.

[@johnnyc9980]

Sorry did not realize it is already in description (FEI thing)

[@MegaNatasha13]

You can see the pain in each horses eyes.

[@Fat_Pancake_Eater]

I feel like I shouldn't even support riders who use rolkurr. They are putting their horses in this position for money. Care about your horses. Thankyou for looking out for the horses. This is a terrible way to live. How would those riders feel if they were left in a stable, necks tied awfully bent and no human contact. Even horrible bits and jerking reins. Also having a dead eye? Think about abusive riders

[@fionaobrien3954]

This is ROLKUR. This is not meant to be in dressage at all. The people in this video are completely fake dressage riders. A real dressage rider will know how to use their seat and leg to get engagement with their head. This is not the dressage sport, it’s the people in it. To my fellow dressage riders, stop this horrible mess. If you do ROLKUR, you are not a dressage rider. You are a ROLKUR rider. Stop making the sport I’m in look bad and learn how to ride, and get a brain. Thanks

[@mrainford]

okay, I agree Rollkur is bad. And I am NOT fan of Clinton Anderson, never have been, never will be. But you're editing a lot of those reining videos to ONLY show the bad. Rollkur is holding the horse's head in that position without release. Which is how you edited those reining clips to look. Except if you allow the video to continue, you would see that the rider does let the horse's head fall back into its natural position. I'm not saying that no reiner ever does it ever. I am a reiner who competes at the National level, I've seen a lot of training I don't agree with, but editing things to look worse than they actually are really isn't fair to those of us who do things the right way.

[@draw_with_lemon558]

This is DISAPPOINTING in many levels....why do we exist....?!just to kill all the animals of the world all its life forms...its just so sad😭

[@Talia_Eqq]

I’ve seen this before and it looks so bad poor horse. That is not a good way to get carriage that should be banned

[@seabiscuit7116]

I love and know lots about horse racing. So I'm sure they don't abuse horses. Plz don't hate at me I just get annoyed when people say racing is cruel. The rider in that photo just had short reins, and many racehorses put there head down like that. Plz no hate❤️❤️

[@martinthompson4462]

I cannot begin to imagine why any one would want a horse to carry it's head that way. It must be bloody uncomfortable for all involved, and we can only hope that the people who indulge in it end up with injuries to match the horse's. I am a a Cattleman in Australia, our horses are our lifeblood, without them we would be stuffed, so I cannot comprehend treating any animal in that manner for the sake of amuseing humans

[@MearaLee-fc9cs]

Not-so-fun fact: Totilas died in 2020. RIP sweet boy. You deserved better. 😭🐎🕊

[@stephanieplatt6138]

We need to start petitioning organizations to strip titles from those people and identify publicly people using this people should have to state in t tier show entrance forms if rollkur is used

[@libbeys4219]

Could you dedicate a video to horses who go to slaughter with the song little do you know? And possibly show success stories of horse rescued from slaughter in the video as well.

[@iintrusive_th0t]

Taking a note early on- seesawing isn't to be more harsh. It's because single jointed bits bend down against the jaw and clamp it leading to more pain, and working one side at a time allows the bit to apply pressure as it should without clamping.

[@kimnenninger7226]

We humans are a horrible animal. There is no other animal that raises an another species of animal just to beat him bloody and put him in a beauty contest.

[@vlg1728]

"rollkur oh my god such a torturous technic !!! Poor horses... " and then, the person watches Totilas Grand Prix Freestyle2010 "What a beautiful horse ! I love this video, a wonderful performance, perfect tempo !!! If only I could breed my mare with him..."

[@stable_mate0834]

When I went to HITS on the Hudson, I saw a lot if show jumpers using rolkur. It was absolutely disgusting

[@mirthepeeters65]

I dont get this, u make a video where u clearly are against the rollkur yet u have so many other videos full with this rollkur crap.

[@sarahhoare877]

That was so frustrating for me to watch Great advice and thank you for spreading this!

[@eve5066]

I Hate It When Someone Says That It’s Not Abuse When The Horse Bends His Or Her Head Like That But I’m Like How Do You Know? Your Not Even A Horse Crazy Person? You Might Ride Or Even Like Horses But Your Not A Professional Horse Trainer.

[@ellainarose8686]

Why do people do terrible things to horses. They never did anything to us. Horses have been helping us for hundreds of years and yet most people never help them. I would never do this to any horse.

[@shabanadesai5204]

best . I will share this video how much I can.

[@maddy8269]

2:59 watch the video x0.5 it is disgusting. How could these people do this,

[@caitlin449]

Omfg...ppl theses days, they only abuse innocent animals. I am ashamed of ppl doing theses things...

[@gangsterqueengames]

I totally agree with not using a bit, but some of those western riders where bearly touching the mouth of the horse (still agree on not using a bit), but what they did was legwork.

[@helloitsbella8161]

I know that this was ages ago, but in case anybody is watching now: The reason why those Western riders are barely touching the reins and still have their horses in rollkur is because their bits exert incredible pressure. Those shanks are insane. People have measured the pressure created by riders using different bits before, and the effect on the horse's face, neck, and mouth is well-documented.

[@Pferdecoach]

the worst video i ve ever seen about that issue Rollkur...and all leather equipment you can buy in the world put on the horses ......i am scared !

[@cleliaoconnell3705]

My teachers have always trained me so that I never do this sort of things... I am so grateful for having them.

[@jennywalker2251]

CLINTON ANDERSON I THOUGHT I COULD TRUST YOU!!!!!!!!

[@HorseSource]

Crazy Equestrian Kelsey watch his 40+ min video called '2 year old performance horses'. He puts all of them into rollkur and they are only 2YO, also too young for riding

[@jennywalker2251]

seriously,what a horrible person,that is way to early to start a horse!

[@reeannkaminski4536]

Crazy Equestrian Kelsey Titan the horse that Clinton is on is a stallion. As he explains in his video, stallions can be very temperamental and that you must not let them get away with misbehaving. In this case, he was correcting Titan and telling him exactly what he expected of his performance. Please watch his video as he explains everything that her is doing and why he is doing it kzbin.info/www/bejne/kIe8pHuoeJV9rpo

[@yukiiasakii9758]

Crazy Equestrian Kelsey its discapline, he has nothing to do with it

[@jennywalker2251]

I have whated his vid,I don't care if it's also a disiplen,he is still doing rolkur

[@martinamadrzak]

if i was a horse i would keep on bucking. but this video is literally making me cry

[@RM-wv8yg]

This is stupid the foam is excitement from the horse and the horse could bring his head up if he/she wanted to but since these r dressage clips mostly they r trained to stay down any rider or horse related person would know. The only harsh part was at 2:00

[@f1angel748]

not sure if your opinion has changed, but im saying something anyways. your quite clearly defending abuse here, the poll of the jorse should be a straight line through the rest of their face to the ground, in multiple of these clips the poll is straight facing the ground without the nose being in the line of it, id recommend looking up the outline and imagines of the difference, as im not great explaining, yes, foam can be a alright sign, but most the time it is not, especially with the tight nosebands and rolkur/high flexing, you should only see a little bit of foam, not tons of it. not only that, the body language is a clear sign of the discomfort of these horses, most will have tense faces and bodies, whale eye and in general a uneasy expression.

[@amillasyra8168]

Rollkur is a completely disturbed way to train his horse -.-

[@nataliaregina3094]

2:52 is honestly too horrific for words what that will be doing the the poor thing. Disgraceful!

[@nataliaregina3094]

fking hell, it unbelievably gets even worse at 3.38. We don't deserve horses they give so much and are just publicly tortured for it with no one stepping in to free them. Ok to do this sort of thing to dogs? Horses though, no problem apparently. Bribery and manipulation is making this standard practice when they all KNOW it's vile and inhumane. See them bound like this and forced to work and perform for hours? They'd be begging for mercy. The Poor Horses though? Still, They have No Voice and No Value where this is allowed to persist in modern society.

[@Caspian132]

if i ever did this my trainer would actualy kill me

[@porterrannals1198]

Okay I see that a lot of these pictures are actually people asking horses to overbend but the video of Clinton Anderson on the paint is a little different. This horse is 2 years old and he is a reining horse in training and the goal was not to over bend the horse the goal is to teach the horse to soften his mouth to the bit when Clint asked since he is so young and only has had a couple months of riding on him he has picked up the habit of over bending eventually he will work through that and not over Bend and learn to use his body and hold a frame when asked. A lot of people say it younger horses over bending and they think it's forceful a lot of the times when the rider has strong rein connection but it isn't it could be the horse evading the bit or it could be that the horse is working over there back correctly but is not quite understanding how to carry their head effectively. But there are also other people that think it's really pretty when they're horse can get their nose to the chest and still Canter and what not however they don't know that is bad for the horse and it creates many problems.

[@luhei2230]

Porter Rannals 1. You shouldn't ride 2 year old horses. 2. Yes, some young horses tend to come behind the vertical. This is something you should correct immediately. I have never seen a young horse biting its own chest, if the rider didn't want it. I am a dressage rider, i've ridden stallions and mares, young horses and old and experienced ones. What this guy does, is abuse. It's painful for any horse to walk in this position, no matter why he did it.

[@elliot7404]

I see this all the time and it's clear its painful for the horse yet others don't see it I don't understand how

[@Gabi-mv3jw]

With the backing up my horse even puts her head down like that. The videos of the head being down during backing up is just their way sometimes

[@zaradwyer5092]

any bit is a ' harsh bit ' it just truely depends on how the rider uses their hands.

[@eringray426]

These types of bits should only be used if the horse is out of control not like what’s in the video. Although some horses might prefer a slightly harsher bit, these shouldn’t be used

[@victoriakitzman4434]

The poor horse at 2:05 imagine how painful that is

[@alishal6031]

This is informative and VERY sad!!!! If we see a rider treating their horse this way, is there anything, anything at all that we can say or do?

[@spannerclyde6832]

Okay, I agree with all of this except the Clinton Anderson clips. That was because he was backing up and turning his horse, he doesn't keep the horse in that position normally. That's for reining so they can gather themselves up and back up quickly. Their heads aren't kept like that for long. It's not rolkur at all. My horse does this when backing up as well even when bridleless.

[@ElessarEquestrian]

Very glad this video also shows it in western. So many people just put it fully onto dressage. A ton of western riders and trainers in my eyes are much more harmful than any other sport. While I'm not saying ALL western riders are bad and all English are good (not saying this at all!). But if I go to a western schooling show, chances are I will see quite a few riders already using rokur - just at a schooling level! Whereas in English, I find it doesn't really become an issue until you step into the hiegher levels

[@watchgoose]

It has NOTHING to do with the bits. It's ALL in the hands of the rider.

[@ihateeverything3344]

1:33 HOW ON EARTH IS THAT ALLOWED WHAT

[@lilacheart_]

A relaxed horse will have its head down, not tucked

[@janedoe6181]

As someone who is not educated in equestrian sports, why do people use the method? What is the benefit to forcing the horses head so close to their chest?

[@vcelkaMaja12]

Thank you for sharing this moments with comments in video, to show that these disciplines aren´t nice or elegant. And definitely aren´t harmless.

[@Juliaegan28]

Own and people your 🐎 Valero has on of these bits in if you don't believe me got look at any of his final shows

[@Juliaegan28]

Sasha The Horse Girl I am not shore how your last sentic was meant as were you still talking about the bit

[@luhei2230]

Do you mean Valegro? He is bridled with a Bradoon and a Curb Bit, which is completely normal. Those bits are mandatory for the high level dressage tests he used to compete in. Charlotte Dujardin never used them in a harsh way and Valegro wasn´t trained with Rollkur. Those bits are not bad if a rider is able to use them correctly. You can also break a horses nose with a bitless briddle, that doesn´t mean bitless briddles are cruel. In this video you also can see a horse ridden bitless in Rollkour position. It´s about the riders hands, not about the tools.

[@luhei2230]

Sasha The Horse Girl I'll try, english is not my mother tongue, so please ask if you can't understand what I am trying to say. Fitting the bits is pretty complex since the horse needs to have enough space and feel comfortable. The bradoon is usually pretty thin. You can use it like a normal snaffle bit. The curb bit lies lower than the bradoon in the horses mouth and is used for the "extra fine tuning". You need to be careful with that one because it is closed with a chain beyond the horses chin and can cause a lot of damage if not used correctly. You can look up training videos of Charlotte & Valegro, she sometimes doesn't use a curb at all, it's possible to ride Piaffe & Passage and everything like that without a curb, but you will notice it doesn't look as perfect. Some horses don't have that much space in the gap between their teeth, in this case you can't use two bits.

[@sixxjenn1]

Lu Hei the bits are really not good

[@luhei2230]

Jenn Smith-Oxendine Why? Can you give any scientific explanation? Have you ever ridden with two bits? I can assure you, these bits in the right hands are so much softer than any bitless briddle in wrong hands. They are part of classical dressage since hundreds of years. Just because some idiots misuse it, doesn't mean the tool itself is bad.

[@tizequine4011]

this is why i dont like dressage!! of course i like certain dressage riders, because not all of them do this.. but still! this needs to be changed.

[@pa4o93ir49]

Weird how people wouldn’t see this as abuse

[@shannonh8241]

I agree RollKur is horrible.. but the maker of this video needs to educate themselves further.. so people can take it more serious

[@afilina]

This is on the same level of cruelty and douchebaggery as clipping a dog's ears or tail to make it look more ferocious.

[@diaryofagoat-lass1023]

I think Ginger from the novel black beauty said it best about the Bearing Rein "they'll just keep tightening it until out necks snap for sure!!" Very sad. Truly the dog is mans best friend but the horse is Mans best slave. -unknown And that's really sad to think because of how much MORE horses have done to help humanity.

[@littleprettyrider7233]

Haha hold up. My horse reared up and fell on me during XC. So I’m an English rider. We took her to Clinton Anderson’s best friend who is just like him and trains the same. Clinton does horsemanship which English riders DONT know how to do because they don’t even know who to lunge properly. None of them warm their horse up. Warming your horse up: flex it by bringing its nose to your foot, halt and do that and walk and do that, halt and back up, then do your warm up that English people think is ‘warming up’. Okay so also look at Clinton’s bit. Not harsh at all. Now Clinton’s horse IS SO WELL TRAINED BECAUSE IF HIM AND THIS HORSE, TITAN, has automatic cues. So please, think again if your saying, OH MY GOD THAT DUDE ON THE PAINT IS HURTING THE HOREE SOOOOOO BAD!! Learn to warm your horse up and you will realize that it is called bending or flexing. Thank you and bye

[@brookeball3880]

What is happening in this video is not ok, but you also have to realise horses aren't always trained to do this some horses do it naturally and many trainers don't pull their heads down this much when training and don't use harsh bits. Many trainers use natural methods and gradually get the horses head down. The position these horses are in is not the desired position either they are all over collected. This is only horses that over collect themselves or have riders pulling the reins down and not all bits used in this case are harsh. The desired position is a lot more natural than what is in this video. I ride myself and all the horses I have trained I use natural ways such as legs pressure and teach them not to over collect. I hope this explains it a bit more and helps you understand.

[@Anika-kc9wv]

Thank you so much for making this video, I had no idea what Rollkur was and I so glad I'm not causing my horses this kind of pain. P.S. Y'all should come over and do polo, we literally just run around with big sticks and hit balls. No Rollkur there.

[@T2211D]

I really think rollkur is no joke, but let's keep in mind that some horses fall forward a bit when they are collected. But, that is always less than 2 cm... This doesn’t mean you are misjudging the riders of using rollkur in this video. But I’m only saying if a horse is a little behind the vertical, it doesn’t mean that it’s rollkur, it could be, but sometimes not. Thanks for reading.

[@Julia-mi2ij]

This is why I prefer over the rein over behind. I'd rather have my horse with his head up then having him behing the vertical. Thankfully I have a wonderful trainer who always says "do this and that" whenever my horse is about to fall behind. Judges should do more. Horses at Grand Prix level show signs of tension combined with pain and some go behind the vertical several times without the judges seeming to care. At that level, ban them until FEI can confirm that their horses are being ridden ethically. No excuses unless it was legal at the time. kzbin.info/www/bejne/sKuTe36doN2XotE In this video we see a tense horse. Back goes hollow several times. Goes behind the vertical. Still got 80%. Some riders prioritize results over the horses wellbeing. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z3KliJuLnc2da80 Here we see a, from my point of view, correctly ridden horse. Always infront, relaxed, calm, happy. Fuck the FEI for not causing consequenses for people who ride unethically.

[@bishpleeez]

My horse tends to go slightly behind the vertical sometimes because he's not engaging his hindquarters enough. Then the reigns become loose when he falls behind and I need to drive him more forward to correct him.... But its not Rollkur ... I never pull or force him down like that. It's abuse... People who do that shouldn't ride...

[@ericaj6311]

OMG! So I've been riding since I was 3 years old and I was doing English riding for 2 years and then I moved to western riding idk why (don't ask lol) and now I'm moving back to English and I ride a thoroughbred and jump and stuff but I have a question. When u back them up u always use as little hand as I can I mostly use my seat and leg for backing is that right or no?? (No hate please I don't ever have tight rein or tight nose band thx) ~Eve