‘This Is Hard To Watch’: Olympian Breaks Down In Tears While Riding Horse That Refuses To Do Much Of

[mystery-ak]

‘This Is Hard To Watch’: Olympian Breaks Down In Tears While Riding Horse That Refuses To Do Much Of Anything


Kendall Tietz
Contributor
August 06, 2021 3:05 PM ET


German olympian Annika Schleu’s dreams were dashed during the riding portion of the modern pentathlon competition when a randomly assigned, unfamiliar horse refused to do many of the required jumps, bringing her to tears mid-event.

Schleu came in fourth in the Women’s pentathlon in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and was back in Tokyo to win a title, but she broke down in tears Friday in what one commentator called “an absolute real life nightmare” while riding the random horse she was assigned for the riding portion of the event. Schleu was in the lead in the women’s five-discipline competition heading into the third event.

https://twitter.com/Jason_Keen/status/1423599013308272644

The modern pentathlon, consisting of fencing, swimming, show riding, shooting and running, continued Friday. British pentathlete Kate French won gold.

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https://dailycaller.com/2021/08/06/olympics-tokyo-annika-schleu-pentathlon/

[jmyrlefuller]

For her, that has to sound heartbreaking. To have something like that happen out of your control... it just shows the pitfalls of using animals in sport.

For the average viewer, that has to be utterly hilarious. It'd be watching a bull-riding event to have the bull leisurely stroll out of the gate and stand there.

[Wingnut]

The horse took a knee....Maybe Bruce Springsteen can buy that horse for his daughter. She can ride it in her next Olympic try. 

[goatprairie]

Watching synchronized swimming is bad enough. Watching horses jumping fences is worse.
Who cares about horses at the Olympics? Why not have stock car races if they're going to allow horses?

[Smokin Joe]

Did someone set her up with a horse that just would not perform, or has this horse performed for other riders?

[jmyrlefuller]

Did someone set her up with a horse that just would not perform, or has this horse performed for other riders?

According to a friend of mine that rides horses, obviously not at an Olympic level:

The horse rode fine for other riders. Riders are taught to maintain their composure throughout the ride and to be in tune with the horse, because if you don't, it will not cooperate. By losing her cool, she ruined any chance of the horse listening to her. It was a grossly un-Olympic performance on the rider's part, according to her.

[roamer_1]

Did someone set her up with a horse that just would not perform, or has this horse performed for other riders?

She's jacked up. A lot of air under her ass, not moving forward approaching the jump... Obviously out of sorts... All that transmits to the horse. No wonder he's balking...

[Wingnut]

I read a german coach was expelled from the Oly's for going Mongo on a horse.

[roamer_1]

According to a friend of mine that rides horses, obviously not at an Olympic level:

The horse rode fine for other riders. Riders are taught to maintain their composure throughout the ride and to be in tune with the horse, because if you don't, it will not cooperate. By losing her cool, she ruined any chance of the horse listening to her. It was a grossly un-Olympic performance on the rider's part, according to her.

Yep. Though it is more mechanical than that.