Cytat:FEI Says YES to Extreme Flexion/Rollkur - It is now in the rules

What we were worried about has come to pass. Where from the inception of the FEI only the poll as the highest point was considered correct, the FEI has chosen to once again re-write the rules. One wonders if this is what they have to do, since they are not following their own rules to start with.

While we never did recieve a press release on the new guidelines for the stewarads, they were posted on the FEI site. By haunting the site all day yesterday we were able to find them, and we then published them for you yesterday, here on our facebook page.

Today when we went back and re-read the same announcement on the FEI site, we found an additional link had been added in. This one providing the guidelines for the stewards.

To say that we are disappointed by the FEI actions and how they have handled this, doesn't begin to describe how we feel. First to not send this significant change and sport altering decision out as a press release seems to be one more attempt to hide what they are doing.

But even worse than that, this additional link, took us to a document that clearly states that the FEI is sanctioning rollkur. What they now call extreme flexions. Nowhere was this documented in the original announcement. It almost seems like they are trying to sneak this past all of us.

This from the annex FEI Stewards Manual Dressage - New Annex XIII:

"3. Extreme flexion

In assessing the position of the head carriage the Steward will be mindful of each horse’s natural conformation, especially in relation to native breeds or ponies, and will therefore use discretion in determining this.

Deliberate extreme flexions of the neck involving either high, low or lateral head carriages, should only be performed for very short periods. If performed for longer periods the steward will intervene (refer to diagram and photos for examples of extreme head and neck positions)."

Let me quote that one more time for you.

"Deliberate extreme flexions of the neck.. should be... performed...."

Note that the manual for the stewards is only set up for Dressage. It appears there are no limits on those warming up for jumping and eventing.

It is not the job of the FEI to change the existing rules set up to protect the rules and the standards of dressage from generation to generation.

Please pass this on and make everyone aware what the FEI is doing. Don't let them try to sneak this past all of us.

Also please join us in protesting - by signing the petition in support of Article 401 and insist that the FEI follow the rules as set out in Article 401 by generations of horsemen before us.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/justsayyesto401/