# Women's Modern Pentathlon - Riding Phase



## PolarSkye (12 August 2012)

Just tuned in . . . hopefully this will be more edifying than Beijing.  Liking the arena commentator .

P


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## Wizzkid (12 August 2012)

Umm why is it showing the swimming?! Or am I watching the wrong link?


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## Wizzkid (12 August 2012)

Oh ignore me think it was a re-cap!


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## emma.is (12 August 2012)

I really liked some of the horses being trotted up   a very nice smart bay show cob!

Our two athletes have horses that seem to be coping with the atmosphere and crowds well too


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## flowerlady (12 August 2012)

What time is it on?


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## hcm88 (12 August 2012)

flowerlady said:



			What time is it on?

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Starting now BBC1


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## gemin1eye (12 August 2012)

theres another thread here http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=555767


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## SpottyTB (12 August 2012)

is anyone else finding it hard to watch.. lol


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## PolarSkye (12 August 2012)

SpottyTB said:



			is anyone else finding it hard to watch.. lol
		
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Yes . . . me.  Saint of a horse.  

P


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## SpottyTB (12 August 2012)

PolarSkye said:



			Yes . . . me.  Saint of a horse.  

P
		
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No wander he didn't want to jump, poor thing was getting yanked around something chronic! Why do they enter for the modern pentathlon if they cannot ride?


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## christine48 (12 August 2012)

I think the horses all deserve a medal. They are so genuine!


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## bongo-girl (12 August 2012)

Heart in mouth moments!

Seeing as this is the phase of the MP that is more of a crap shoot than any other, you would imagine that the competitors might focus a bit more developing their riding skills, as this is the phase that is proving pretty expensive on scores and would be one you'd want to nail.  You really want to be able to adapt to a situation(horse) more than any other elements  of the competition, surely?

Are there any pentathletes on this board?  If so, how often do you get the chance to ride a variety of horses?


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## christine48 (12 August 2012)

That was an interesting manoeuvre!


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## Laafet (12 August 2012)

Wow at the horse being genuine enough to jump whilst the rider was falling off. Was a bit miffed that they suggested that it was the chestnut horses fault his rider fell off.


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## bongo-girl (12 August 2012)

Seeing the falls in slo-mo is pretty awesome though!!


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## flowerlady (12 August 2012)

hcm88 said:



			Starting now BBC1 

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Sorry meant to thank you but ran off to watch


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## bongo-girl (12 August 2012)

PAINFUL French round!  Don't think it would hurt for the commentators to say that she is catching it in the mouth and point out that the horse might not be performing well cos its molars were being removed over every fence.  It sounded like they were too concerned about not offending the rider by pointing this out.


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## Star_Chaser (12 August 2012)

shockingly bad sorry but I don't think they should have a horse under their saddle... maybe they should be jumping the jumps themselves


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## imaginegenerous (12 August 2012)

Only just tuned in. Like the horse in the ring at the moment.


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## starsky (12 August 2012)

That rider just jumped out of the arena!


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## Honeylight (12 August 2012)

Lets hope that some of their shooting's better or there will be some dead spectators this evening.
Can't understand why they do not work harder to improve their riding, seems mad to take part at this level other-wise. All the mistakes looked rider error & one of the one's that fell off had such an insecure seat that her participation was surely was a H&S risk.


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## Haha (12 August 2012)

Oh for goodness sake they are all trying their best they don't know the horses and one or two are quite forward.  I'd like to see some of you lot trying it


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## ReefingsDad (12 August 2012)

So would I! I'm 100% sure it would be a damn sight better than the shocking display we've seen over the last couple of days.

I've seen better at our local show.


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## bongo-girl (12 August 2012)

Haha said:



			Oh for goodness sake they are all trying their best they don't know the horses and one or two are quite forward.  I'd like to see some of you lot trying it

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Pretty confident I could do better actually.

But the fact is its not about these athletes 'having a try'.  They are meant to has some grasp of the elements of their sport - and these are the best pentathletes in the world   Would you see decathletes or heptatheltes have such a visibly weak link to their programme?

If non horsey people thought 'dancing horses' was cruel, cop a load of this, is all I'm gonna say!


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## Haha (12 August 2012)

bongo-girl said:



			Pretty confident I could do better actually.

But the fact is its not about these athletes 'having a try'.  They are meant to has some grasp of the elements of their sport - and these are the best pentathletes in the world   Would you see decathletes or heptatheltes have such a visibly weak link to their programme?

If non horsey people thought 'dancing horses' was cruel, cop a load of this, is all I'm gonna say!
		
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What better in all the events?? or just the jumping?  If so lets have your name and we must tell the olympic organisers they must have missed you


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## silu (12 August 2012)

Just as well our 1st GB representative doesn't compete at BE, as she might well have  been in hot water for bit abuse at the end of her round and IMO she was on the classiest horse in the competition...disgusting. Glad others feel as I do that the riding phase should be taken out/replaced with something else. This is the 2nd Olympics where the standard of both mens and womens riding has been appalling. Have no idea of the amount the riding phase influences the final results but seems it isn't that influential otherwise the competitors would learn how to ride.


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## Koala Kate (12 August 2012)

They're having a go ?????.,It's the bloody Olympics ! Not a primary school sports day !


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## bongo-girl (12 August 2012)

Haha said:



			What better in all the events?? or just the jumping?  If so lets have your name and we must tell the olympic organisers they must have missed you

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We are talking about the show jumping here.....)


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## ReefingsDad (12 August 2012)

It'll be ok if you just "try your best"...


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## Haha (12 August 2012)

bongo-girl said:



			We are talking about the show jumping here.....)
		
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I think you'll find the clue is in the title 'Women's Modern Pentathlon

It's more than just the riding phase


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## BeesKnees (12 August 2012)

Haha said:



			Oh for goodness sake they are all trying their best they don't know the horses and one or two are quite forward.  I'd like to see some of you lot trying it

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Of courses they're trying their best. That's not the point. The fact is they're putting a living creature through the effects of their mediocrity and that simply isn't fair. In fact in some cases id go so far as to say it is cruel. 

The horses are often not being set up correctly for the fences, and are then being hampered from being able to get themselves out of trouble, by tight jabbing reins and poor balance and control by the riders. 

It makes a mockery of the Olympics that such mediocrity is considered acceptable.  I think the riding phase should be removed.


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## Koala Kate (12 August 2012)

Perhaps the use of space hoppers next tome would be  more of a match to the " riders " abilites ?


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## bongo-girl (12 August 2012)

Haha said:



			I think you'll find the clue is in the title 'Women's Modern Pentathlon

It's more than just the riding phase
		
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I think *you'll* find the clue is on the title 'Women's Modern Pentahlon - Riding Phase'...


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## Haha (12 August 2012)

BeesKnees said:



			Of courses they're trying their best. That's not the point. The fact is they're putting a living creature through the effects of their mediocrity and that simply isn't fair. In fact in some cases id go so far as to say it is cruel. 

The horses are often not being set up correctly for the fences, and are then being hampered from being able to get themselves out of trouble, by tight jabbing reins and poor balance and control by the riders. 

It makes a mockery of the Olympics that such mediocrity is considered acceptable.  I think the riding phase should be removed.
		
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I've seen a lot worse from people posting vids on here


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## ReefingsDad (12 August 2012)

Yup, and of course all the people posting videos on here are olympic athletes.


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## Koala Kate (12 August 2012)

But they're not supposedly Olympic standard !!!!


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## Haha (12 August 2012)

ReefingsDad said:



			Yup, and of course all the people posting videos on here are olympic athletes.
		
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Your just after the popcorn followers


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## Koala Kate (12 August 2012)

Sorry RD. Cross posted


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## Koala Kate (12 August 2012)

Now you've lost me !


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## Haha (12 August 2012)

Koala Kate said:



			Now you've lost me !
		
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That didn't take long


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## Koala Kate (12 August 2012)

What's with the popcorn crack ?


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## Jake10 (12 August 2012)

Haha said:



			Oh for goodness sake they are all trying their best they don't know the horses and one or two are quite forward.  I'd like to see some of you lot trying it

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... They are supposed to be capable riders... Right  

My RS buys horses in then 1-2 days later puts them in the RS. Clients in the advanced group are expected to be able to jump a course of a similar height to the one the Pentathletes were jumping, on horses that they may have never ridden, with less than 20 minutes getting to know each other/warm up. They may also be expected to ride 2-3 horses over the same course in that lesson with no time to get to know them. 

Unfortunately I expect someone who is in the Olympics to be able to do at least that with minimal/no problems


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## MissMincePie&Brandy (12 August 2012)

BeesKnees said:



			Of courses they're trying their best. That's not the point. The fact is they're putting a living creature through the effects of their mediocrity and that simply isn't fair. In fact in some cases id go so far as to say it is cruel. 

The horses are often not being set up correctly for the fences, and are then being hampered from being able to get themselves out of trouble, by tight jabbing reins and poor balance and control by the riders. 

It makes a mockery of the Olympics that such mediocrity is considered acceptable.  I think the riding phase should be removed.
		
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I agree entirely with this ^^^^
I think we've all seen enough especially after the debacle of Beijing.  Things clearly have not got a lot better, and I think it's now time the organisers review this competition and either remove the riding phase altogether, or change it to something which is less demanding on the horse - like a prelim dressage test, which I think those riders were just about capable of doing without causing harm or distress to the horses!


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## BeesKnees (12 August 2012)

Haha said:



			I've seen a lot worse from people posting vids on here
		
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And again........ it makes a mockery of *the Olympics*, that such mediocrity is considered acceptable.


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## BeesKnees (12 August 2012)

Koala Kate said:



			What's with the popcorn crack ?
		
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I think it's called lack of a cogent argument


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## Catcus (12 August 2012)

I think some of the horses were a bit unsuitable tbh, the ones napping badly and rearing for no real reason, and the ones completely tanking round. I think the riders were brave, some of those falls were nasty - you wouldn't catch me getting back on board and carrying straight on! I do think they should learn how to stride properly and they'd get on a lot better, but perhaps that's just a lack of time getting used to it. I wouldn't class any of it as "cruel", it's 70 seconds of the horses life!


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## BeesKnees (12 August 2012)

Interestingly though, even the woman helping to commentate who I'm assuming is an ex Pentathlete said part of the challenge formriders was trying to rebuild the confidence of horses who had had previously bad rounds! 

And I'm sorry but clattering through those jumps has to hurt. Each round may be 70 seconds, but it is 70 Seconds then repeated how many times?


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## Honeylight (12 August 2012)

This was the first time I have watched any of this event. Previously I think it was highlights only & in Beijing I guess it was on in the night & I missed it. 

I was pretty shocked by the low standard of the riding & the ballot system too.
This is the Olympics & I would have expected riders to be beyond the novice stage if they had experience of competing at an international level. According to the commentary, most had taken part in World & European championships.. Also if it was their weak area then shouldn't they have had a lot more training & experience before a competition, with rides on strange horses?
I noticed riders hanging on by the reins & some had very weak seats. We are not talking about a riding club event, this is the Olympic Games!

The Korean rider yesterday & his horse could well have been killed. Time to rethink the competition qualifications before a tragedy occurs.


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