Well, you asked for an opinion so here goes... Much of what we do with horses in not natural. I rarely see horses running across a pasture completely collected, HOWEVER, I agree that training can go too far. I would never sacrifice a horse's soundness for a ribbon. I like my horses to look and be happy doing their job. I think soring etc. is wrong. I have saddlebreds and I do show a couple of them saddleseat. I try not to ask them to do anything that is really unnatural for them. Of the 5 asbs that I own, only 3 are suitable for SS. In other words, they trot through the pasture with elevation (no training, just breeding). My other two asbs are hunter pleasure horses, as that discipline suits them. They move very naturally and are asked to move in a collected manner that suits their conformation.

I'm with you DaisyKJ. None of us should be sacrificing soundness etc. I think all horseman should choose to put their horses in the discipline that best suits that particular horse. As for the Rollkur..WOW, that does look a bit overflexed. Personally, I love to watch dressage, but I occasionally question the happiness of the horse at the higher levels. I'll bet this sounds odd coming from an SS person. I am sure that many people see saddlebreds and think that the head carriage is abnormally high. My SS horses actually carry their heads pretty high. If they didn't, they would likely be hunters . Here is my disclaimer: I don't know anything about training a dressage horse. My words are strictly novice observations. It is possible that upper level dressage horses are just so in tune with their rider, that their expression looks inverted. I know what you all are thinking...SS horses often look scared to death . Some probably do, I hope mine look expressive and happy.

Well said, ASBSrock. I don't know a lot about dressage, either. Other than enjoying watching it occasionally, I have no idea what goes into training a dressage horse. I've often wondered if some of the techniques and aids you see used frequently are really necessary. I think when it affects the horse adversely (and you can tell by a wringing tail, tossing head, fighting the bit, etc.) then it is pushing the limits of right and wrong. I'm not a proponent of never using a whip or spurs, but I definitely don't agree with overuse. I think a lot can be achieved without force, as long as you have the patience.

Yes - there are many different types of frams and hyperflexion is a WRONG one. The thing about being in a correct frame is that it helps the horse carry their rider by rounding their backs. If we're going to ask them to do un natural things, we need to teach them how to do it easier. I don't agree with people cranking their horses into frames - that's how you get hyperflexion a lot of the time. A horse should come into his frame naturally - they are exercising a muscle. Every horse can go into a frame but not all of them can go into a Grand Prix frame. I think this is what some people don't understand - your Quarter Horse, no matter how hard he tries or wants to, will NEVER look like that horse at the Olympics! He's just not built for it. You can have the most delicious, decadent chocolate fudge cake, and you can have a plain ol' funnel cake. Both are cakes, and both are good. They're just different. If you crank your horse into a position guess what? He won't ever want to go back into it! And with hyperflexion, the only way to fix it is to release pressure and to try again, which rewards the horse because that is what he wanted - to get out of his uncomforatble frame. So yes, hyperflexion is very wrong and may even be abusive but frames as a whole actually help the horse.

Oh, about the spurs - they're mandatory past a certain level in dressage and they aren't used for forwardness, they're used to ask for specific movements and to finetune.

I agree it is wrong as many other things in the horse world are. The first thing that came to mind is how good the satisfaction of punching someone in the nose when you know they know they are miss treating an animal. Then ask them how they like it.
I think they should be punched in the nose every time they do something on purpose. I would bet a large amount of money they would soon see the light.
Sorry, I guess I'm in a mood. I just have no tolerance for abuse. What really bothers me is when other people see these things, complain about it, like at a show or at a barn but not do anything to get it stopped or corrected.
In my opinion (yes I know we all have one) they are just as guilty as the abuser.