It's a big time, fancy-shmancy discipline. Then explain to me why so many HUS riders have horrendous equitation.
And that dreaded uber-low head carriage. I hate that. And again with those fake tails! I can't stand them. Gross.
That rider's heels aren't down. She's forward. And the overall appearance is just sloppy. Every single one of them. If you watch them post, their legs are all over the place. Some of them have their heels up. Some have a way shallow seat. My trainer would eat me alive if I rode like that. She already nearly bites my head off when I go into 2-point too early. (It's kinda funny and scary at the same time. I can envision little devil horns appearing every time I do something wrong. lawlz. ) I'm not implying that I think I'm perfect. I know I'm not an amazing rider. But at least my weight is down in my heels.
This rider is all toe. No weight in the heels. She was actually sitting up straight, but the horse looked pretty front heavy. Why is this acceptable? You don't see respectable jumpers riding like that. Their legs are always tight and they're sitting on the vertical. And the horses are looking forward instead of at the ground! Imagine that. I don't understand the attraction.