Stole this from Mike Matson on Coth, Zonik, E Gal's new ride

[Chancellor]

https://www.facebook.com/lbarilar/video ... 592498118/

As someone said on COTH, I'm not a fan of this horse's movement. What do you think of this?

[Ryeissa]

I like it.

[Chancellor]

It's too "mechanical" for me.

[galopp]

A beautiful horse, but tense, artificial, never gaining ground. Typical of what comes from Hegelstrand, HPM, EG.

[Rosie B]

I can't watch the video at the moment, but it's interesting that you find it tense and artificial. After I posted on the Zonik thread, I went back and watched the Zonik video again and those are exactly the words I was thinking when I stopped watching Gal and started watching the horse. He's gorgeous, but the trot looks completely fake to me.

[Chancellor]

ON COTH, they are saying that they like his movement better than Totilas' movement. But I definitely prefer Totilas.

[ejm]

He looks like a puppet on strings, flash but no sense of immense power coming from behind.

Someone on COTH posted a video of him as a younger horse and his trot was huge but much more natural without the gaited-horse animation of the front legs.

[Code3]

I like Gal's coat

[Sunshine2Me]

Does Mike Matson not like us any more???

[Chisamba]

Once or twice the horse tried to trot and was corrected. I would love to see video of the horse trotting free before training.

[Kyra's Mom]

I commented on the COTH thread. I wondered what that first 10 seconds was...extended passage? I had a terrible time telling if when he was trotting vs passage...or whatever. I know. Stallion show, electric atomsphere and all that jazz. He is young so certainly not complete in his training so will give the horse the benefit of the doubt. The rider, not so much. I pretty much don't like the results of the way the Dutch train. Too much negative tension making it mechanical to me. Maybe he would be better in a more sedate setting. Give me Blackberry (Valegro) any day. Truly a function of the TRAINING because he isn't the 'modern' type of uber leggy horse which can put their knees to their nose. Yeah, yeah Edward Gal is a wonderful rider. He is a great tactician and show rider but I still don't like the way his horses go and he does use Rollkur which I really don't like.

There is a video on the COTH thread from 2012 before Gal got him and he is displaying pure gaits.

And does anybody care what I think? No so much but I have my opinions nevertheless.

Susan

[Ponichiwa]

^ Blueberry, not Blackberry.

I, too, am a nobody from nowhere. I'm not a fan of how this horse is going, but I'm impressed that he's letting the rider in so much at such a (relatively) young age. That's mostly colored by the fact I'm really struggling with that aspect of my flashy-moving but tough-minded horse.

He's not my style. I like a bit less spastic in my rides. But that's why I'm sitting here on the couch watching vids of Gal out there getting big scores.

[Kyra's Mom]

[quote="Ponichiwa"]^ Blueberry, not Blackberry. quote]
Oops. Don't know where I came up with the phone instead of the horse.

Yep, I doubt EG loses one second of sleep worrying about what I say. I probably couldn't even ride the horse at a walk .\

Susan

[Josette]

I wouldn't watch the whole video as depressing knowing how these horses are handled and trained. I agree it is so artificial that it takes away from the true beauty and nature of the horse IMO.

[demi]

I hate the rolkur stuff and I too, think the horse's gaits look artificial, but I still like to watch the the guy ride...I guess it's like how I can love animals as much as I do, but still am able to eat meat. Irrational.

I think his coat looks silly

[angela9823]

I watched the video from 2013 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmAmmy0JJC8 and I think the horse has moved this way for some time. I don't attribute the movement to Edward Gal. The horse looks to be a mechanical/leggy type of mover naturally and when tense, moves very jerky. I actually think he does look better with Gal until the people start the clapping. He is still a young horse though and I think he's getting a little more consistent. But compare the video I posted where things are a bit less energetic from the audience and you still see the same type of jerkiness when he gets tense.

[angela9823]

Another full video of the pair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h48s_VsxZPw Much nicer and not so amped up. I think he's a nice horse. Not one I'd want to ride! He looks like he'd be a lot to ride and a rider could get in trouble with him. Gal does a nice job with him IMO.

[Chancellor]

^ Blueberry, not Blackberry. quote]
Oops. Don't know where I came up with the phone instead of the horse.

Yep, I doubt EG loses one second of sleep worrying about what I say. I probably couldn't even ride the horse at a walk .\

Susan

No, I am sure he doesn't lose sleep about that. I actually liked Totilas but this one not so much.

[galopp]

I think this horse was naturally more gifted, but it suffers from AH's initial show riding. The bodies/movement cannot withstand this kind of hyperactivity w/o suffering.