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JUNE 2006 • VOLUME 10 • ©HORSES For LIFE™ Magazine
On
Sixty to eighty experts (veterinarians, judges and a few journalists) were invited to this workshop.
Two major conclusions were reached at this meeting, which the FEI formulated as following:
“There was clearly no evidence that structural damage is created by this training exercise when used in the right way by expert riders. However, the use of that technique by inexperienced people was a possible threat to the welfare of the horse. The role of top dressage riders as role models in the sport was underlined. Most of the participants agreed that the terminology “Rollkur” was not Comprehensible and decided it would be better to use a term which could be understood by riders, trainers and the general public. After an intensive discussion it was proposed the draft wording might be “hyperflexion of the neck”.
In the latest Bulletin of the German Equestrian Federation and the German Judges Association has responded strongly against the conclusions formulated at the workshop.
They published the following statement: Please note the following is a translation from German to English and any errors are the part of the translators.
At the national Grand Prix Judges’ seminar of the German Judges Association for Horse Performance Tests (DRV) and the German Equestrian Federation in Warendorf, which approximately 80 judges participated in, the Grand Prix judges took a stand on the FEI Workshop on the “Rollkur” topic: The German Judges Association for Horse Performance Tests (DRV) reacts with criticism to the FEI Workshop on the “Rollkur” topic. The hearing of various veterinarians, trainers and officials led to no result. No evidence was brought forward to suggest that extreme hyperflexion in deep posture would be suitable to gymnasticise the horse. The members of the veterinary committee of the FEI and the FEI Dressage Committee could not prove that this training method has a benefit though they could also not substantiate that it leads to physical and psychological damage in the horse. Head of DRV Eckhard Wemhöner: “The FEI has wasted a great opportunity to critically examine this method which has been controversial for years. Both FEI committees lacked preparation going into this workshop which allowed the advocators of the “Rollkur” method to stress the benefits of this training method through statements made by their veterinarians and through videos. This led to a successful outcome for them.
The FEI should have unequivocally counteracted this impression. After all, the currently worked on FEI-Dressage Manual is based on the principles of the classical school.” The DRV supports the demands of the German Equestrian Federation for scientific research projects examining the effects and consequences of “Rollkur”. Regardless of the results that will be expected from these examinations, the LPO (=Leistungsprüfungsordnung, The German Equestrian Federation’s rulebook for competitions), the guidelines for riding and carriage driving and therefore the training scale are the only relevant base for any judging activity. These are the pillars on which the performance assessment of rider and horse has to stand upon, for all classes and disciplines. These guidelines and rules are also valid for the rider’s behaviour in the warm-up ring. All opinions which deviate here from do not represent the valid set of guidelines that are in place and therefore do not reflect the position of the German Judges Association.
June 2006 • Volume 10 HORSES FOR LIFE™ Please note all resources presented are © copyright protected by the original owners and reprinted with permission OR © Copyright Horses For Life™ 2005 to 2006 Please write to us! We would love to add your voice. Write to us on our contact page or email your letter to the editor directly at letters@horsesforlife.com
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