Do you prefer dressage or racing?

[WatermelonHead]

What are other options?

[seamonkey694]

racing

[DressagePrincess]

Definitely dressage...dressage horses are far better athletes and enjoy much longer more successful careers. Race horses are worked before they're even fully grown at 2 yrs old...in case you didn't know a horse isn't fully mature until 7 and it is cruel and abusive to work them hard before then because their bones and ligaments are too soft and much more vulnerable to injury. Not to mention breeding of thoroughbreds is the most corrupts terrible inbreeding system in the world.

there are plenty more horse sports out ; the three in the Olympics are dressage, three day eventing, and show jumping. Another really cool sport is reining. Volting and driving are also big. And also...polo...i play polo and its awesome! You can find a lot of polo all over the place, people just tend to ignore it but its not hard to find.

[KentuckyGirl185]

I really like both of them.

[muzz929]

I appreciate dressage at the Olympics and think they do a fantastic job there of showcasing talent and rider skill but over all I am a racing fan due to the competitive nature of the event and the fan fare at places like the Derby.

[lilcraz224]

both i guess

[kmnmiamisax771]

I prefer to watch horse racing. Nothing beats a day at the racetrack... watching the ponies in the sun, trying to pick a winner, then seeing a group of horses race down the stretch to a photo finish. There's a lot of excitement involved at all stages.

Dressage is beautiful, there's no denying that. I love the extended trot and the freestyle stage where they set the movement to music is amazing. It's also fun to memorize a dressage course, then try to do it perfectly... it's a wonderful connection between horse and rider. But if I had to choose between dressage and horse racing, I'd take the racing.

I've ridden many disciplines... I've trained quarter horses for western and english, I've retrained thoroughbreds, I've done hunters and hunt seat equitation, done a little dressage, and competed over fences. When I ride, I prefer to do hunt seat and jump. Western is just very boring to me... I know people who love it, but I just feel like the horse and rider are never moving anywhere. In hunt seat, you ask the horse to use its full stride and you move quickly, but not uncontrollably. And jumping a course is like a big dressage exercise with obstacles that you have to jump over... you have to understand pace and aim for the perfect distance before the jump, then balance the horse through the turn, and manage their stride through the whole exercise, all the while keeping your balance and position so you don't fall off... it's like a huge lesson in multi-tasking.

[Azeri951]

It's like apples and oranges. I like both, but they are different in almost every way. Actually, it's like comparing apples and beefsteak.

I much prefer to gallop a good race horse than ride a dressage, even an upper level, dressage horse. I prefer to watch a good race especially if I am personally familiar with the horses and/or the trainers.

Dressage principles are extremely useful for all horses, up to a point, including race horses when they are first being broke to ride. It's just that most people don't recognize them as "dressage" principles, per se. It's only just "training," anyway, Remember, that's all the word "dressage" translates into. Don't need a top hat and tails to properly school a horse.