This appears to be a big show in China, the number of horse's ridden in the drills is quite staggering. The norm at the Spanish Riding School, of which this is an obvious "knock off" is 8-12. I think the Spanish Riding School is a much classier venue, and this is obviously what you can expect when you have Liberace design your equestrian center. I don't know what is wrong with you tube lately, but to full screen the clip you need to double click it, and then it will take you to the "X" for full screen
Courtesy of Dianne Olds Rossi
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Heilan Equestrian Center--Xin Qiao, Jiang Su Province China
Posted by
Wade G. Burck
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8 comments:
Wade,
is there a reason why those frisians are wearing those eye-covers (I don't know the right englis word for it)?
Bjorn
Bjorn,
Good question. The English term for "eye-covers" is blinkers or blinders, although I have heard those English folks from across the wet bit call them winkers, but they always take liberties with my English. LOL
Blinders are only used on the cheek of bridles on harness horses, to prevent them from seeing passing carriage's as well as the carriage behind that they are pulling.
All harness racing horses, as well as some Thoroughbreds and show jumpers wear a hood over the head with "cups" under the eye holes, instead of at the sides like a carriage horse bridle, called a shadow roll. It prevents the horse from seeing shadows on the ground, and trying to jump them.
I have never seen a blinder or shadow roll on a finished riding/performance/high school horse, as you note these Fresians are wearing. I suspect it is because of rider inadequacy(on the clip at 2:24 you will see one of the horse's shy to his left away from the audience)but they may also be wearing blinders so that Madame Col. Dianne Olds Rossi can't see them, and want one.........
Wade
I have gone through the video and see no blinders on the Friesians. Am I missing something? I think this is overkill, way too many horses in one arena so that there is nothing one can do. However if this is the entire show they don't do anything but trot in line. The run fast Zorro riders only do that, "run fast" then do very poor rears at the end. The horses are all well groomed and both riders and horses are turned out well. It was a surprise to see it.
Madame Col.
What...You didn't think a horse can have a blinder so you can't see it? LOL I didn't see any either, and assumed it was my old eyes. He's European, so who knows.
There is virtually nothing on the internet about this place. I have to wonder if it is just a "pretty" riding stable for "daddy's little princess," and they maybe so show's for mom and dad a couple of times a year. The arena it's self was gaudier then the Memphis Zoo's panda exhibit, and you have to wonder if the Dutch or Austrian Governments held their Chinese feet to the fire and made them build this crystal cathedral to meet "their" requirements to "promote Dutch and Austrian architecture and culture," in addition to a couple of million dollars in "rent" for the animals. The number of animals used is indeed impressive, but the horsemanship was atrocious. But then again as they are using all girls(probably to show the world their humanitarian side) you got to think finding 24 skilled female dressage riders in China was about as impossible as Casual Cal from Universoul Circus finding enough black circus performers to make a decent "all black" circus.
Wade
Well at least my eyes are still good, thought I had lost it. Someone did a lot of work to keep all the girlies on the horsies now if they did something I would say bravo but they only showed their opulence and grandeur. Forget 24 ladies and horses there had to be 40 or more. Lots of horse flesh to feed and groom.
Forgot to sign my name
Madame Col.
I was only counting the ones who were worth counting. The grey ones. LOL
Wade
Wade and Madame Col.
I think I made a honest mistake about the blinders on the riding horses.
Bjorn
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