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Olympic medalist, commentator, author and trainer Jim Wofford, noted, "I do think it is not so much the fault of the cross-country-- because I think the cross-country tests themselves are fine--but what we are asking the horses to do in the dressage and show-jumping is requiring more discipline and domination by the rider, while the cross-country requires agility and initiative on the part of the horse.

"The riders and trainers have focused so much on the element of collection in dressage," Wofford continued. "Once you start asking that from your horse, the horse starts to surrender his body to the rider. And when he surrenders initially, he surrenders his initiative on Saturday also and then if the rider doesn't make that decision [on where to take off at a fence] for the horse, they fall."

Etherington-Smith fears the state of affairs could get even worse if a controversial proposal to make the dressage phase more difficult goes through.

"That has to be taking away from horses' ability to think for themselves, which is one of the key elements in cross-country," he said.
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