Damages And Differences: The Damage Of Rollkur
The Damage of Rollkur
Over 80% of dressage and show jumping equines have damage in their necks due to Rollkur. But what exactly is rollkur? Rollkur is a German word meaning hyperflexion in a horse's neck, most prominent in dressage and showjumping, but is also found in almost every other discipline. Equestrians need to understand the difference between being “on-the-bit” and hyperflexion.
A picture of Rollkur in a dressage event. Picture By Theresa Sandin-Sustainable Dressage. There is a clear difference between being “on-the-bit” and rollkur. When a horse is “on-the-bit” he should carry himself, his back should be lifted and his hind end should be engaged. Jane Savoie explains in her article “The Three Second Solution: Putting …show more content…
Riding a horse in rollkur or tying his head down for extended periods of time causes damage to the nuchal cord/ligament. Dr. Vet Host Wellier found that “-80% of horses used for dressage and jumping had damage around the attachment of the nuchal cord on the head.” but horses used for hacking, trails, and other less intense activity had little to no damage in that area. To continue, a horse that is ridden in rollkur becomes extremely weak in the back and hind end. His back becomes hollow, which results in “sway-back”, or a large dip in the horse's back later on in life. Not having a correctly built topline causes the horse to be unbalanced and weak. Also, the pressure from a rider’s rough hands can cause locking in the jaw, and tongue and induce lots of drooling. Theresa Sandin of Sustainable Dressage says “The pull stiffens the tongue, and the effect of the bit, especially when heavy or harsh, makes it worse. The pull on the jaw causes the horse to clench the jaw, stiffening …show more content…
Even in western riding events rollkur is prominent. First, hyperflexion is currently ‘trending’ in the western pleasure world. Horse and Man suggests that it’s becoming an epidemic in the horse world. People are forcing their horses into hyperflexion starting as early as two years old to slow them down to the crippling lope. But it’s not just in western pleasure, it’s also very prominent in reining. It’s often found in the warm up rings. Finally, rollkur is found in cross country. Very similarly to show jumping, horses are forced to keep their noses tucked into their chests while approaching a jump, and are given a release a few strides
Over 80% of dressage and show jumping equines have damage in their necks due to Rollkur. But what exactly is rollkur? Rollkur is a German word meaning hyperflexion in a horse's neck, most prominent in dressage and showjumping, but is also found in almost every other discipline. Equestrians need to understand the difference between being “on-the-bit” and hyperflexion.
A picture of Rollkur in a dressage event. Picture By Theresa Sandin-Sustainable Dressage. There is a clear difference between being “on-the-bit” and rollkur. When a horse is “on-the-bit” he should carry himself, his back should be lifted and his hind end should be engaged. Jane Savoie explains in her article “The Three Second Solution: Putting …show more content…
Riding a horse in rollkur or tying his head down for extended periods of time causes damage to the nuchal cord/ligament. Dr. Vet Host Wellier found that “-80% of horses used for dressage and jumping had damage around the attachment of the nuchal cord on the head.” but horses used for hacking, trails, and other less intense activity had little to no damage in that area. To continue, a horse that is ridden in rollkur becomes extremely weak in the back and hind end. His back becomes hollow, which results in “sway-back”, or a large dip in the horse's back later on in life. Not having a correctly built topline causes the horse to be unbalanced and weak. Also, the pressure from a rider’s rough hands can cause locking in the jaw, and tongue and induce lots of drooling. Theresa Sandin of Sustainable Dressage says “The pull stiffens the tongue, and the effect of the bit, especially when heavy or harsh, makes it worse. The pull on the jaw causes the horse to clench the jaw, stiffening …show more content…
Even in western riding events rollkur is prominent. First, hyperflexion is currently ‘trending’ in the western pleasure world. Horse and Man suggests that it’s becoming an epidemic in the horse world. People are forcing their horses into hyperflexion starting as early as two years old to slow them down to the crippling lope. But it’s not just in western pleasure, it’s also very prominent in reining. It’s often found in the warm up rings. Finally, rollkur is found in cross country. Very similarly to show jumping, horses are forced to keep their noses tucked into their chests while approaching a jump, and are given a release a few strides