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Totilas crosses the border.

2K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  ~*~anebel~*~ 
#1 ·
It has recently been announced that the fabulously capable Dutch horse Totilas has been sold to Paul Schockemohle the very talented German show jumper for a reported sum in excess of US$13 million. The horse has already left the Dutch stables of Edward Gal, the very talented dressage rider who had taken Totilas to the top of the tree by producing scores at the highest level of dressage competition, the like of which may never be seen again. The couple scored 10s as a matter of course. The horse was owned by a Dutch firm whose sponsorship with Gal had expired.

Schockemohle is reputed to have said that he hopes that Totilas will help produce for the future premium horses for use by the German National Equestrian team.


My wife and I are in disagreement. I say that the unusual bond between the rider Gal and the horse Totilas is such that it will be difficult for any other dressage rider, however capable, to produce similar results in competition in the future. My wife says that a special bond will soon be established by competent high level dressage rider of which there are several in Germany. As yet the new rider for Totilas has not been announced by the Germans.

For me the formula to produce a winning Grand Prix couple is:
An able horse + a highly skilled rider + relationship between rider & horse + (in this particular instance), something extra special - in French: ‘je ne sais quoi’
It is not just that the rider needs to feel the horse it is also that the horse needs to feel the rider in return.

In due course the outcome will become evident. Everyone will be watching very carefully the new couple’s performance - especially at the 2012 Olympics. It will be a very confident rider who sits on Totilas’s back at that meeting.

What do you think?
 
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#2 ·
I'm not gonna guess here about this horse, but I know for sure some horses make a bond and work their heart off ONLY for the very special person. Doesn't matter how good other riders are. It very well may be a case here. But the new rider can become special person too. I havn't seen them in "real life" (not competition), so it's hard to tell.
 
#5 ·
Barry, yes, I've seen the performances by both of them. :wink: But still - I don't know what's gonna happen. Who knows - may be he'll fall in love with the next rider too. It's something you never can tell for sure.
 
#6 ·
Here's the real question.... Does it matter???

To a horse enthusiast? Yes. Absolutely. It's the question everyone's been dying to find out. I personally think someone in Germany will be able to get a decent ride out of him. Maybe even spectacular. I'm remaining optimistic on this.

But Schockemolhe bought this horse for business reasons. He already has a long long list of people interested in breeding, and that = $$$. More if his babies have half the talent he does, even if never has another decent ride again. I think he'd like for him to do well, but I think he's more concerned about his breeding future.
 
#9 ·
Gal has ridden lots of international quality horses. For him to find another horse will be easy because he has been on top of the world with Toto, who is not an easy horse. Basically he can hand pick whatever horse strikes his fancy.
Toto needs a special rider who is sympathetic, but demanding, in order to get the same scores. That is something that is very hard to find, even in the international arena. Besides that it also needs to be someone young enough that if they do fall off, they'll bounce. Hopefully Rath is up to the task, but I think Paul is making a huge mistake not inviting Gal to help transition the horse to a new rider. That was the same mistake made by the Canadian who bought Leibling II in a last ditch effort to make the team. The horse still ended up under Hester on the GB team because the new owner took the horse away from Hester in an attempt to get it going with her own coach. Good thing Hester already had all his qualifying scores on the horse!
 
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