Anky van Grunsven

Spruce Meadows - Sept 10,2006
Demonstration in front of 60,000+ after 1st round of the CN International show Jumpiing Competition.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Anky
• van
• Grunsven
• Spruce
• Meadows
• 2006

[BIANCADANCING]

What is the song in this video called. LOL

[horsesavvyca]

Per "Iamonlymyself" in a earlier post the music is...

"Partout's Tango" freestyle and was composed specially for her by Cees Slings and Victor Kerkhof. It's on the CD and DVD "Anky's Music"

;-)

[thompa5]

Yeah I understand, I just think a great horse and rider can still compete at high levels if the stars line up...But obviously as you pointed out I don't think they'd be the best in the world at it.

[horsesavvyca]

As a comparison look at human athletes. A few have attempted to play in more than one professional sport at a time (Bo Jackson). A few have tried to change professional sports. In both cases it has not lasted long or they failed to achieve to the highest levels.

[thompa5]

i gotcha

[horsesavvyca]

I only meant the difference between "well" and "best."

[thompa5]

I wasn't just talking about her, but in other styles of riding you see the same horse running top times in timed classes (speed events) then the same horse within hours performs excellently in a western pleasure class. I think this is very similar. It demands a very intelligent horse and rider of course.

[thompa5]

Are you saying a horse that can jump at g prix level isn't "special" like a 4th + level Dressage horse? Your comment doesn't really make sense. I still think the ultimate horse trained appropriately could do well in both at high levels. I think it's harder for the trainer to do more than one discipline at a time. Why limit yourself if you consider yourself the best. (This is not directed at any particular trainer)

[horsesavvyca]

While managed breeding can improve the odds of a horse being able to perform at Grand Prix, or any high level sport, it is entirely possible for a horse to get there without it. The first horse Anky took to Grand Prix was a grade horse ;-) Karen O'Connor just won (2007) individual gold and lead the US to team gold in eventing at the Pan Am games on a card caring 4:3 Shetland pony named Theodore... Of course Eventing has Dressage elements as well ;-)

[AnnaApplesauce]

It would be one super horse to do grand prix in both disciplines well. There are of cases where jumpers are injured in the pastern, and shouldnt jump high, so theyre switched over to dressage where theres less stress put on it. I would be amazed if a horse bred for jumping got up to prix st.george, it wouldnt have the movment of others bred for it, but it could happen. Dressage horses need to be a little 'special' once they get to 4th level + which is something that isnt desired in a jumper.