Exaggerated flexion of a horse’s poll and neck, although surely practiced in the past, became popularized (so to speak) in dressage in the 1980s when Nicole Uphoff of Germany used it as a training technique with her horse, Rembrandt. Riding the notoriously spooky gelding in what was then referred to as a “low, deep, and round” outline helped Uphoff to manage the horse, according to much of what was published at the time. Switching to a competition-acceptable outline or “frame,” Uphoff piloted Rembrandt to back-to-back team and individual dressage gold medals at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Uphoff’s methods, not surprisingly, were emulated by other dressage riders, both professional and amateur. The German champion Isabell Werth, who won a string of team and individual Olympic gold and silver medals from 1992 through 2000, reportedly schooled some mounts low, deep, and round. The rider whose name has become most closely associated with the method is the Dutch star Anky van Grunsven, Werth’s chief rival in the 1900s and 2000s and who herself racked up a running string of team and individual dressage medals, ending with individual golds aboard Salinero in Athens 2004 and Hong Kong 2008.
As the years progressed, some dressage enthusiasts became increasingly alarmed by what they viewed as an improper training technique that violated the principles of classical horsemanship. Allegedly less egregious when used by knowledgeable riders, “rollkur,” as detractors dubbed it, could be downright harmful to horses when used by inexperienced riders, they asserted. In the mid-2000s the German veterinarian Dr. Gerd Heuschmann, working with German Olympic dressage champion Klaus Balkenhol, created headlines when they publicized the findings of Heuschmann’s anatomical and biomechanical studies of hyperflexion. Heuschmann said that hyperflexion not only fails to develop the prop
re: "Rollkur": Dressage’s Dirty Word
The truly sad part of this story is that it will take years for the condemnation to work down to the casual dressage rider who is not involved in high level competition. When they still see moments on tv or in the exercise rings at almost any com
re: "Rollkur": Dressage’s Dirty Word
This is much like the bearing rein.
re: "Rollkur": Dressage’s Dirty Word
correction: "the hind feet are not stepping under enough"
re: "Rollkur": Dressage’s Dirty Word
My heart goes out to this magnificent horse. Eliminated in the 2010 WEG because of blood in it’s mouth, they said it was "just" due to a small cut. But these pictures and this incident at WEG is just the tip of the iceberg and wha
re: "Rollkur": Dressage’s Dirty Word
makes me sad to see abuse for something that is so beautiful when done correctly. that poor horse……
re: "Rollkur": Dressage’s Dirty Word
I also agree there is no place for over flextion, only a few strides, really? I don’t understand much about the double bridle, does it really take two bits to control these beautiful horses??? I use a bitless bridle, trail ride, do a dressage test, and
re: "Rollkur": Dressage’s Dirty Word
Any form of cruelty or force goes against the essence of this sport and good horsemanship. I write from India, where I have heard about horses being tied up in rollkur position in their stables for hours. I cannot take this matter to our local federati
re: "Rollkur": Dressage’s Dirty Word
I was flabbergasted to see Adelinde take the silver medal when she had her horse hyperflexed more than once! If rolkur is outlawed, it should be prohibited, period, and that means that no one should win any medal who has used it anywhere in his/h
re: "Rollkur": Dressage’s Dirty Word
The training techniques in Western Pleasure horses are as appalling, and quite similar! Leaving them standing for hours in their stalls with their heads tied in to their chests! The horrible pain these horses go through is inexcusable! And to watch the
re: "Rollkur": Dressage’s Dirty Word
A horse that is trully collected does not need to be held in that painful position we see on the first photo, not even for a few strides. It is really, really sad that they were awarded with a silver medal. I guess there is no room for empathy fot the