That Horse Is NOT Spooking It Is Dying - (Blog In Description)

Over the past few weeks, we have posted several Dressage Disaster videos of horses spooking in the Grand Prix at the Global Dressage Festival. While most riders can relate to a horse casually spooking here and there. It needs to be addressed that there is a difference in how and why horses spook. Today we are going to take a look at what the difference is between a Grand Prix horse frantic and fighting for its life and a random spook which you would likely encounter at home with your own horse.
Dressage Disaster
Last week we posted Dressage Disaster: Valentine Loses Heart. In this video, Valentine, ridden by Ashley Holzer walks into the stadium looking like a pack of wolves was chasing her. It was not a cold or windy day and it was not her first time in the arena.
You can watch that video here: • Dressage Disaster: Val...
Valentine generally has a pretty boring Grand Prix, in fact, if you watch the Grand Prix test from two days before you see a horse that is lazy off the aids and lazy in the Grand Prix as it fails to piaffe the full amount of required steps.
What happened between the two rides?
A Different View
Instead of saying the horse is having a bad day and spooking, let's ask the question "What did the rider do to elicit the change?"
I know, in the equestrian world trainers and riders LOVE to gaslight reality to pretend like it is not their fault that something happened. What if we change the narrative for just one moment (humor me Karen). If that horse was in the field would it spook at the same thing? Did that horse spook the last 8 times it was in the same arena? If the answer is no then perhaps it is time to ask a different question. What is the horse trying to say? What is this behavior an indication of? Might be a good place to start.
In this video today, we are watching a clip from Dr Andrew McLean in a seminar he did on Dealing With Resistance in horses.
You can watch the full video here: • Dealing with Resistanc...
He states that dressage horses spook more than any other type of horse and it is not breed specific. There are two reasons horses spook in dressage. The most common is that their head is too low and they are unable to see in front of them. The second is due to Anoxia and are literally fighting for their life.
Anoxia is an extreme form of hypoxia. Hypoxia occurs when one part of a person's body, such as the brain, can only obtain a reduced amount of oxygen. Anoxia occurs when the body does not get any oxygen. This may result in a hypoxic-anoxic injury.
Ashley Holzer openly admits to training with Sjef Janssen who is one of the glorified founding fathers of Rolkur. You do not have to be a rocket scientist or an Olympic medal-winning dressage rider (stop gaslighting this Karen), to see that Valentine is frantic and running for her life in that video.
That horse is not spooking, she thinks she is dying.
Final note:
My concern is that for those who do not see it, the system is failing you in horsemanship, or you have witnessed enough abuse in the horse world that this has become acceptable. And that is sad.
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[@heathercollins4432]

Yes..I'll be happy to get an apology from those that made fun of me when I responded to that video that something was wrong with the horse...

[@DressageHub]

Exactly. I am so tired of people justifying shit riding.

[@phoenafox]

@@DressageHub why don't you go and become a veterinarian and work with dressage horses to be sure there isn't a cover-up otherwise you're just like the "Karen" you mention, let's not be hypocritical and really look out for the health of the horses. I'm getting serious 'mask issues" vibes. To be fair, people just don't feel like doing things they normally haven't issues with, celebrities talk of stage fright often, not to over-anthropomorphise but perhaps there are just "off" days for horses as well. The bigger picture is the health of the horses and what should be done to ensure they aren't in danger and are comfortable.

[@mirrepoix]

@@phoenafox unless they do 8 years of education to become an equine vet and then work with dressage horses, they can't talk about poor welfare? interesting. quick question: did you get a doctorate in english before you typed this comment? because by your own logic you are not sufficiently educated to be writing comments criticizing people. you say the bigger picture is the health of the horses and yet you're telling people they're hypocrites for advocating for horse welfare. why are you so angry and scared of that? maybe someone should have a look at how you ride, these critiques might be hitting too close to home for you.

[@george.6556]

We need more educational videos like this to explain why we shouldn't be riding our horses in tight frames, behind the vertical. Thank you

[@BestHorseInTheStable]

I've witnessed so many distressed horses being "trained" in 'Pessoa Training Systems' or equivalent contraptions, and do wonder if any of them suffered from hypoxia or anoxia... It's confronting and disturbing to see horses being strapped into unnatural positions and then expected to move forward, and then abused further because they can't 😭 Thank you for posting this video and the brilliant blog explaining it ❤️🐴

[@annanorton1793]

Horse abuse all over the place.

[@donnaworrall9353]

@@annanorton1793 Sadly in every discipline and people just turn there heads and look the other way.

[@donnaworrall9353]

Their

[@sparks8934]

I don’t care for dressage for those reasons

[@l.8023]

I just looked up Pessoa Training System and I'm sorry I did. I've been away from dressage for a while but I'm not that much of an old timer. Back when I was riding the philosophy of dressage was that these contraptions that force a horse into a frame absolute don'ts. You worked with a plain snaffle bit and maybe lunged in (NOT tight) side reins until you were grans prix level and that was it. What's happened the last 20 years.

[@horsesensetv1259]

Thank you for posting this! it's super important people are aware of the requirements of various disciplines and the effects it has on the horse. Dressage asks so much both mentally and physically from the horse and we must ensure anything we ask of the horse is fully understood from IT'S perspective. Done correctly dressage can be the most beautiful thing to witness, however I fear that the standards required at top level are above and beyond what is good for the longevity and happiness of the horse and all too often people take the quickest way to get results at the expense of the horse. As riders we need to accept that anything we do with our horses can and does cause a degree of discomfort and if you can't minimize that as much as possible or don't believe or accept that happens then you are not doing what's right for the animal and should not be riding as a matter of principle. I do think our industry needs to forget tradition and take advantage of the benefits of equine science to redefine what is beautiful in dressage and improve standards of welfare in not just dressage but all disciplines.

[@JCElzinga]

Tldr.

[@horsesensetv1259]

@@JCElzinga here , ' ! ? " : ; Put those in for yourself and don't learn... Ignoramus 🤭😘

[@callista19w]

Because round is not what we should we be training for but that requires slow correct training so the sport has settled for “round” as being acceptable.

[@lisaz.6266]

So true!

[@Rebecca-fu5hg]

So many riders forget that round is the result of correct training from back to front. Not the other way around.

[@laineyerin5801]

I know nothing about horses. Its fascinating that horse owners don’t know this. And somehow KZbin was like “you should know this”

[@luisperes6369]

Not common to see someone teaching like this! We are not many, unfortunately for the horses...nowadays we see most of the horses unbalanced, too deep and too fast with most of the riders pulling their heads down with the reins, thinking they are working through the black, like that. Most of the times they are wrong. Being round on the hand must be a consequence of being straight, in balance and round in the whole body. There is not a single horse, born or unborn, that has a better balance with his head down.

[@Rebecca-fu5hg]

You can always spot these horses too, they have saggy bellies and backs due to the over flexion and underdeveloped and over stretched back and croup and there is so much horse behind the leg. Its looks like the rider is right on top of the withers and riding from there forward. Its gross looking.

[@kathywright8855]

Having the head down too far is not just in the dressage ring. I saw a western pleasure riding class of about 12 Quarter horses. To say that I was in shock when I saw what they were doing is putting it mildly. Every single one practically had its nose dragging in the dirt. If the head happened to get above the knees, the rider would yank at the bit until it went back down. When asked to do a jog, they barely moved forward. When asked for a canter, again, they barely moved. My jaw dropped when I saw them try to gallop. With their head so low, they couldn’t get out of the canter but managed, somehow, to go a little faster. The rules for this class was that the ears shouldn’t go above the withers…somehow it got translated to make the nose drag in the dirt. These horses are called “Pea Rollers” because that’s what they could do if there they had a pea to roll.

[@darceejean]

thank you - been preaching this for years

[@cottoncandy4486]

I have always asked for collection in the most natural way possible, so I don't always get it my boy's nose is usually always slightly in front of the vertical, ALWAYS , he is a high headed horse, so I'm happy with that and if it marks me down which it some times does I really don't care I really don't , at least he is a happy relaxed boy. That to me is all I want. I will never ever make it into high comps but its about a relation ship with a horse, who gives me his all.

[@lisabaker9036]

Yes! Thankyou! I have thought this for years!

[@EquusKeepusBrokus9791]

I used to teach and if something happened while a student was riding and got mad at the horse, I tell them they cannot talk so if something is wrong, body language is the way they do it. It’s 99.9% riders fault because they are not paying attention to the animals signals. They (horses) are not mind readers. And I get really frustrated when a non horse person says they got bit or bucked off because the horse didn’t like them, or some other sorry ass excuse. I can go on about this all day. Sorry for ranting, I just wish for once, riders take into account what they did wrong and be more mindful about the animal rather than ourselves.

[@DressageHub]

Yes! It's amazing how few people can read body language

[@trellenrussey8432]

Yes!! Thank you!! If a horse is in a show ring and the judges aren't STOPPING this...should remove the judge!!!

[@Cricket-zp6wi]

Very educational!

[@majapoljak2023]

Thank you for this important perspective

[@destinationaddictionsamsar7894]

Warwickshciller is a trainer that trains a lot of different types of horses in many different disciplines. And even he found that a lot of eventers especially those in high levels barely know the basics, that when you just swing a rope they go crazy. Then to think a horse that can't even stand a swinging rope is being subjected to high levels of stress with no knowledge how to deal with it is crazy.

[@heathercollins4432]

"Warwick Schiller..."

[@timwiesenfeld8031]

Every discipline needs its own stress factors. Western riders constantly swing ropes, saddles, shout, plastic whatnot, yet lack in jumps, banks, balance in my experience. My eventer was fine with the weirdest jumps, water, hedges, yet would go bat shit crazy when having to walk beneath a lasso. But also, why would I care? That kimd of behaviour is not needed in her life, so it is fine. Also, horses are just different. Western horses have to be completely chilled out and if they are not, they are deemed unridable or unworkable. Eventers mostly have a very high part of thoroughbred in them , who are way more alert and awake, they act different. We can also just accept that fact

[@heathercollins4432]

@@timwiesenfeld8031 - totally agree. I do dressage with my horses but they are "trained" the same as western horses. I know many dressage riders that also work cattle (including roping) with their horses. It's fun and the horses seem to enjoy having a "real job" to do for a change...

[@TheOldandslow]

and Tristan Tucker TRT Method approaches it from a physiology perspective. Warwick had him on a podcast and I started looking into TRT Method and it has been a game changer for my emotionally damaged OTTB. My horse went to Warwicks place for a clinic and he was awarded Horse of the Day, a very bad award to receive. Lets say that I am happy to learn how to support my horse by a variety of methods that all have in common the horse first mindset that brings me around moment by moment to my horses needs. He has come so far and is really much more able to deal with stressors and triggers. Its such a challenging journey, but so wonderful to see him happy with big, wide eyes and relaxed lips. His topline has generated many positive comments from the local dressage folks, and I seriously do not work him or longe him, its just organically appearing due to his relaxed body and self carriage. The riding is the easy part, the hard stuff is helping them get a handle on life skills. I am hopeful enough of us have woken up and are generating a wave of positive change and awareness.

[@moniquesmith5501]

I love equitation science! When I watched the ride I was surprised she did not excuse herself from the arena.

[@DressageHub]

She did

[@aprilmarini5109]

@@DressageHub did she? She certainly went on with quite a bit more of the test before leaving the arena.

[@_Obey_]

This was in my recommended for some reason. I don't get what I'm even looking at here, nor do I get wtf people talk about in the comments...

[@ashleysmith2109]

Any situation which is causing annoxia-hypoxia will cause the loss of brain tissue and cells, and has to be corrected immediately. A repeated cycle of annoxia is terrible to even think about. In paramedic school they taught us that it only takes 30 to 60sec of hypoxia to start loss of brain cells. Longer, sustained hypoxia is going to start causing irreversible brain damage very quickly. Doesn't matter if it's a human, horse, or dog.

[@sdeshera]

She needs to learn to carry her hands and stop interfering with the horses movement.

[@Kat-mu8wq]

We work our horses to have a slight next tuck without evading the bit, it's better than him hollowing his back and sticking his head in the air. ..Though I don't blame him, I have a habit of hollowing my back when I ride.. its easy done.

[@craziedaisy1499]

I use to like dressage when I was a teenager, until I educated myself more and learned more about horses and riding. I have not watched it or cared for it since I learned the utter cruelty in the sport.

[@secretsquirrel7374]

Classical dressage is a much kinder way of training but sadly competing in BD you don't seem to get good marks at the lower levels.

[@Tseringlhatso]

Agreed. Any sport where they have to routinely check the horses for blood is simply unacceptable. If you routinely used barbs against the flanks of your dog, you would be prosecuted. So why is it acceptable with horses?

[@secretsquirrel7374]

It always pleases me to see people just give with their inside rein and the horse reacts by going softly into a correct outline. I can't bear to watch these rollkur trained horses being hauled into an overbent neck but totally dipped behind the saddle and straight hocks dragging along behind. I can't understand why they seem to get good marks. Just look at poor Totilas and Edward Gal's horse he just rode in Tokyo. The final halt at the end gave it away completely! It's supposed to have been banned but they clearly don't care. I was watching the old blue tongue video of Scandic the other day and I could have cried.

[@jsmomx8]

They should face CHARGES and horses removed!!!!

[@comesahorseman]

Look carefully at woodcuts or paintings of the "old masters" of dressage riding and training their horses. The profile of the front of the head is always a little in front of the vertical. Let that sink in.

[@katiehartman1341]

I have a heavy hand but when I hold the reins I use three fingers and keep a tighter hold just because my horse is green and is working on bending her head down. My other horse has a soft mouth so when I pick up the reins she instantly bends into it. Most of the time I just hold the reins so she doesn't trip and then we canter around unless I'm actually schooling or doing a lesson

[@caitlynharbidge3056]

Its huge as a rider to know if we ride heavy handed or not, mad props sis!

[@Lindina2]

+

[@Solitude11-11]

I don’t understand how you say you have heavy hands...if you are aware can you not adjust? I’m genuinely confused. I can’t imagine just riding along knowing I’m doing that. If you aren’t aware, or haven’t been taught correctly then that’s one thing, but this baffles me. And why are you ‘bending down’ a young horses head? With a tight hold? Do you not teach self carriage and balance? A horse is quite capable of not tripping if you are in balance, it’s not physically possible to hold a horse up with a bit in its mouth. Work on an independent balanced seat and you won’t need that death grip on the bit. Edit: check the comment below yours...

[@houmous942]

Is it me or nowhere is it explained how this can be anoxia and what causes it? Thanks...

[@Solitude11-11]

Read up on rollkur, basically the windpipe is compressed and the horse can’t get enough air, hypoxia which can lead to anoxia. Anoxia can cause a host of symptoms due to oxygen starvation of the brain causing damage.

[@secretsquirrel7374]

It is written in captions on the screen from 1:14 onwards. Look up the Scandic blue tongue video to see an awful example of this.

[@elizabeths1117]

Just curious.... what expertise do you have that supports your claim that the horse in this video is dying?

[@DressageHub]

The video is a vet.

[@BeeFlynn]

@@DressageHub Isn’t this Dr Andrew McLean? If so, he isn’t a veterinarian. He has a Ph.D (equine cognition and learning) and a BSc in Zoology. However, he is extremely knowledgeable and considered an expert in this area.

[@sylviastreet413]

I didn't see any horse die during this whole video

[@themicrobiologist562]

I’m not that knowledgeable but I do ride and I can se win this rider that she is really stiff and not flowing with the movement of her horse. The horse is stiff too, and looks very uncomfortable in what should be an easy walk. I looked up rolkur and it is terrible abuse to the horse! I can’t believe people would do something like this! What untold suffering are horses past and present going through!?!

[@terryschultz6819]

interesting.....

[@PerfectStrawberries_official]

wait im kinda confused?

[@stephanieplatt6138]

Horses and riders using rollkur should have t tier tittles revoked. Riders should have to declare rollkur on thier show application forms . riders should be deducted points upon entry with rollkur. A dressage show or event should include the rider dropping the reins for a length of the thing so judges can judge the animal in natural cadence and judge the controlled cadence and add or subtract points . end animal cruelty at shows .

[@FilmerOfBobcats]

The horse looks perfectly alive and well to me.

[@heathercollins4432]

Nice try at finding humor (????) in something that isn't funny....

[@updownstate]

Who would even do this to horses?

[@robbinrice6972]

Dressage was originally for soldiers on horseback to be able to move in war.

[@secretsquirrel7374]

A psychopath only interested in winning and not the welfare of their horses.

[@biinyomiina7a152]

“When their noses are too deep and they’re behind the vertical. Which is not a bad place to ride them, I’m not saying it’s bad to ride them long and low and down. But if they’re like that all the time, they can’t see above.” What is this guy saying? It’s not bad to ride a horse behind the vertical? Am I misunderstanding or is he just bloody delusional. Or does he not want to step on the toes of a lot of people who are training/riding this way? Why are people praising him in the comments? Your horse should never be behind the vertical! This entails that your horse is either just unbalanced at best or worse is both unbalanced and is being held against the hand and forced to be “on the bit”.

[@amberblyledge7859]

I disagree that that particular Valentine spook was Anoxia. They did not seem so pinched as to not allow air. Rolkur and not being able to see? Probably. If I remember correctly, horse’s eyes rotate in the socket, with the movement of their head to keep the pupil horizontal. But only to a point. This is why they can’t look up and down without sky gazing or bringing their nose way back. When a horse is comfortably in front of the vertical as they should be in RELATIVE elevation, they can see better. There pupils are pretty even with the ground as they should be. When the head goes behind the vertical the mechanism of the eye can no longer compensate and must follow the head. Thus they can not see infont of them and the sides look all weird and freaky to them.

[@DressageHub]

This horse is trigger stacked from a rolkur (and whatever else) warmup. This is not a normal spook. That horse is running for it's life.

[@Rebecca-fu5hg]

@@DressageHub That lovely bump in the middle of the crest about 1/4 of the way down the neck from the head is so telling and says it all.

[@amberblyledge7859]

@@DressageHub As I did not see the warm up, I can believe that.

[@cynthiabrown2806]

I can't say I agree or disagree with the cause of this specific situation, but I will I liked the blog description as well as this excellent description of rolkur and why it is abuse. The horse is running for her life as the result of the rolkur training or something painful and negative. It's terrible what passes for horsemanship across the riding spectrum!! Well done both of you! Thanks for the info and happy riding. ✌&🐎

[@Solitude11-11]

Hypoxia is what happens when the horse is subjected to rollkur etc, anoxia is the damage sustained, and does not necessarily manifest immediately. Potential cognitive and motor issues amongst others. Brain damage basically.

[@suefranks2534]

I’ll start with I read the click bait Title then I read the Blog.............Then I watched the video . This horse is obviously not Dying. Try Kindness please.

[@DressageHub]

The horse thinks it is dying.