# This is just FUN to watch! Amazing!



## MeganAndPastick (Aug 9, 2010)

Beautiful horse. I really don't like dressage tho. I think they riders are pulling to hard on the horses mouth. Everytime I watch a dreassge compotition the horses have there taisl wagging back and forth which doesn't come off as normal too me.


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

Oh no! I was just reading that apparently Blue Hors Matine passed away this year after breaking her leg while out in her paddock ;( So sad! RIP fancy dancer!


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## corinowalk (Apr 26, 2010)

Poor girl. What a beautiful dance though! 

As far as the tail swishing goes...some horses do it to help with balance. Some are just tail talkers. I've seen horses in every discipline do a tail wring or two!


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## Citrus (Feb 26, 2010)

It looks beautiful but is the horse bracing against the bit? It seems like her mouth is open the whole time.......


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

WOW. UH-MAZ-ING. That has to be the best dressage video I've ever seen. Thanks for sharing!


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

That happens alot in dressage. The horses are trained to keep their necks bowed, but as for drooling/tail swishing, some horses do do this alot, even in other disciplines. You have to imagine how hard these horses are concentrating!


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

equiniphile said:


> WOW. UH-MAZ-ING. That has to be the best dressage video I've ever seen. Thanks for sharing!


 Thats what i thought the first time i saw it. I love the timing they have, plus it's so up-beat. I watched the horse who came in first that year, & they were pretty good but it wasn't as _entertaining_ as this one!


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## Arksly (Mar 13, 2010)

She was a sweetheart. Unfortunately, I think they just pushed her to hard to soon. She was young for that level and that was her only big show. As for dressage riders pulling on the horses mouth... Some do, of course, but they are technically supposed to just keep contact, sit down, and listen to your seat and leg aids while your hands are ther just for support.


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## JumperStride (Jul 1, 2010)

I ADORE this rider <3 I've watched this test a thousand times. As for her being pushed too young, she was nine years old at the time of this competition. I don't think thats too young at all. She was a talented little mare. I believe Anky won that one that year? I greatly dislike her as well as how she rides. She's a snot. Buttt enough of that. This ride is still incredible and SO much fun to watch. You've reminded me of my all time favorite freestyle though, I'll be off making a thread for it now ;]


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## Gidget (Jan 19, 2010)

AWESOME!

I liked the music  Up beat like you said.
I don't think I ever seen a dressage video like this before!


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

She was injured back in 2009 i believe while coming off her trailer. She fell & destroyed some tendons in her leg. They retired her because of it, & were planning on using her as a broodmare.
I guess, how the story goes, someone was driving past the fields & stopped in at the barn to tell them that there was an injured horse out there. Her leg had been busted completely at the knee so they put her down (she probably was rolling next the fence or something & got hung up).
Pasture accidents happen alot, especially with sport horses. You always hear of TB stallions dieing becuse they broke a leg in their pasture.


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## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

AWW! thats soo sad! I saw this video before and fell in love with her! Also horses tail swish because they are ticklish too


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## Deerly (Apr 18, 2010)

lilruffian said:


> That happens alot in dressage. The horses are trained to keep their necks bowed, but as for drooling/tail swishing, some horses do do this alot, even in other disciplines. You have to imagine how hard these horses are concentrating!


The drooling comes from stimulating their salivary glands when the horse is correctly on the bit.

A good dressage horse is not "trained to keep their necks bowed" and the headset comes from the rest of their body and movement and collection - NOT from anyone yanking on their mouth or trying to force / hold their head up and arched.


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## dressagexlee (Dec 15, 2009)

I've always loved Matine, it's too bad about what happened to her. 
In interviews after his ride, Andreas said (in Danish) that he was actually riding her cautiously through the whole of the 2006 WEG. She was nervous as it was her first international show in such a huge ring with so many hundred thousands of people. You can even see for yourself - how she hesitated going near the edges of the arena and got a little perky with her ears.
But I'll never forget the big hug he gives her at the end!


If you're interested, Andreas is not riding for BlueHors anymore (I believe the deal ended in the same year that Matine was injured), but instead for Tørvesletten (the website is in Danish, but it's pretty easy to navigate - lot's of pictures and video). The five year-old Stamina is a really nice prospect.
Video at Falsterbo Horse Show - nice salute!
Video at Verden, Germany - in a stylish bowler hat?
(Andreas has improved his seat and legs, as you can see - not so much his hands!)


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