best laid plans

NBC is running coverage of the World Equestrian Games.

Right now, they're in the stadium jumping portion of three-day eventing, and it's hilarious. Many of the riders are so bad they can't get around a reasonably simple course without major faults. They lean on their horses' mouths. They hold their hands too high with reins too long. They lean way back and way forward with their toes down and lower legs flying out from the knee. They land on their horses' necks when the horse hits the ground. It's amazing. How do they get to this level with such bad form? How are they not embarrassed?

(Here are some pictures from a high-level event. The bad riding is indefensible.)

And don't even get me started on cross country. I'm grateful I missed that part. It should be outlawed until all courses have breakable fences, in memory of the really astonishing number of horses and riders killed on cross-country courses. A quick Google search for "eventing deaths" should give the curious all the information they need.

Back to laughing at the riders and feeling sorry for their lovely horses.