There has been much news recently about Moorland's Totilas who is now being ridden by Matthias Alexander Rath, facing a future subjected to the training “guidance” of Sjef Janssen – the strong proponent of Rollkur, or Hyperflexion. I am happy to see that the German Federation of Professional Riders (BBR) is strongly voicing their opposition to this plan.
It isn't as if the base training of Totilas was already under some questionable scrutiny by a few onlookers – myself included – but to openly, and proudly, announce that he should be forced to undergo abuses so that his new rider may have any hope of competing him as successfully as Edward Gal did is simply shameful.
Maybe, just maybe, there will come a day when it is highly prized for a rider to ride even a great horse like Totilas to the best of their own ability in pursuit of happiness and joy – rather than in the pursuit of money and accolades.
EuroDressage posted the remarks from the BBR expressing their distaste –
This discussion about the questionable, animal-unfriendly training methods has led to a heightened awareness for the use of a riding style based on the classical example. And there are plenty of examples which have come to top performances with real training methods on happy horses.The BBR does not want to criticize Matthias Rath for engaging a foreign trainer. The focus is on Sjef Janssen's training method. The Dutchman is virtually considered the inventor of the rollkur, against which the BBR has vehemently been for years. Already since 2006 the BBR has sent flyers nationwide to point at the abusive method of the rollkur and has spoken against the method in several articles and statements. The BBR can not accept that an A-team rider joins a flawed system and considers it a “widening of his horizon”.
In the brochure “Ethics and Morals of Professional Riders” (published by BBR) Riding Master Günter Festerling unmistakably points at the importance of professional riders: “He will be responsible to uphold classical riding and preserve our modern equestrianism. With growing urgence his task will be to turn away from anything but the correct basis of riding and to continue to prove the validity and inevitability [of classical riding].
German Federation of Professional Riders (BBR)
Probably one of the best short online videos explaining the physically damaging aspects of Rollkur / Hyperflexion abuse is as follows –
I think that with the strong reprimand towards Matthias Alexander Rath and his subjecting Moorland's Totilas to Rollkur at the hands of Sjef Janssen also comes the real hope that there is a resolution in the future to save competition horses from this fate.
Even the Xenophon Society has spoken out against Rath's alliance with Sjef Janssen in the training of Totilas :
The Xenophon Society is concerned about the news that Matthias Alexander Rath, a member of the German Championship Team Dressage, wants to train with Sjef Janssen. The Dutch national team trainer is a renowned proponent, if not the discoverer of the so called rollkur method and proclaims it as new, more modern horsemanship.Members of the German Teams are role models in particular: they should guard very carefully the image of the equestrian sport as well as the principles of fairness and hores welfare. In our opinion Sjef Janssen's training method does not comply with the principles of fair horse training, like it is stated in the riding guidelines. These guidelines are part of the LPO (rules for horse show classes).
We deeply regret that Matthias Alexander Rath and the Institute Schafhof, where for years German team riders have prepared themselves on their way to Championships and where riders were always loyal to fair, classical training, will pursue this controversial road.
Board of Directors, Supervisory Board & Honorary Council of Xenophon
Matthias Alexander Rath aboard Totilas at Vechta 2012
It appears that the Totilas we saw ridden by Edward Gal has been replaced with a nervous young stallion and a rider who is not terribly clear in communicating.
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It is important that people speak out against riders employing the use of rollkur practices in their riding and training – no matter what level of competition they are at or which country they ride for.
So great to see both the Xenophon Society and the German Federation for Professional Riders voicing their opposition against Rath working with Sjef Janssen!
To see Edward Gal and Totilas, it was so clear they were never to be duplicated as a team. I am so saddened that the owners of Moorelands Totilas would take money over his health and well being. It makes me sick to think that such a magnificent animal was pawned off as if worthless for being perfect the way he was with Edward Gal. So many fans of Totalis are very disturbed that Totilas will end his life abused and in the hands of cruel people. He is a horse who should have been honored and never ridden by anyone else other than Edward Gal. Shame on his previous owners for being soooooo greedy.
Anne,
It is sad to see what has happened to Totilas as a result of money. However… the use of abusive training didn’t necessarily begin once Totilas was sold. Edward Gal regularly trains horses in LDR publicly and riding them behind the bit, behind the bridle. I doubt that Rollkur started when Totilas was sold but rather that his new rider and “team” are less tactful about its use than Gal was. A short video clip of Gal riding Totilas that shows him bringing him behind the bridle – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZkAqyniCgE
Cheers,
Erica
Why have you used the ‘What has happened to Totilas?’ video below an article criticising Sjef Janssen and his training methods? Is it to demonstrate how Sjef has made things go wrong with Totilas. You need to get your facts straight! He was not involved in the training of Totilas and Rath at this point. Don’t use publicly available material in a misleading way to support your opinion. You need to research your subject more thoroughly. Your articles are insulting and positively libelous. Be more careful!!