Dressage isn’t perfect, but what part is baby and what part is bath water?

Watching the Dressage competition at the Olympics was inspirational. And horrific. There were impeccable riders with fluid bodies and invisible cues. And riders who were brutal, with hard hands and cruel methods. There were horses who were light and brilliant; who moved with such freedom and elegance that it took my breath away. There were horses whose bodies were so filled with tension and resistance, that I choked just watching.

In other words, pretty much the way I feel when I see high-dollar horses compete. There have always been two ways to train and ride, and one look at the horse’s eye tells the truth.

Social media predictably exploded: Some defend abuse and some deny it. Some just like to pour gasoline on the fire. Rumor, guilt by association, and out-and-out lying stand beside positive training…