By Chelsey Burris
The Olympics bring the world together to compete in top-level international sporting events. Thousands of athletes from around the world participate, and after a one-year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics finally got underway this summer! An unexpected star from the competition was our sport’s very own Suppenkasper, who went viral online for his unique freestyle with Steffen Peters, complete with electronic music. Dubbed “The Rave Horse”, clips of his ride have been shared widely across social media, gaining millions of views. Here are some fun facts about “The Rave Horse!”
Where It All Started
Suppenkasper trotted into the hearts of people all over the world with clips from his freestyle, which have gained over 10 million views.
A Horse By Many Names
The world has been introduced to him as “The Rave Horse”, but his registered name is Suppenkasper. Literally translated from its German origins, the word Suppenkasper is “Soup Kasper”, and it means someone is a finicky or picky eater, who doesn’t like to finish their food. Those close to him know him by his barn nickname, Mopsie.
He’s a Gentle Giant
Suppenkasper was one of the largest (if not the largest) horse in dressage at the Olympics this year, at a towering 18.2 hands (or just over 6 feet for non-horse folks)! Horses are measured at the shoulder, meaning if swimming superstar Caeleb Dressel (at 6’3”) stood next to him, his head would barely pop up over his shoulder. Or, if the diminutive gymnastics champion Simone Biles (at 4’8”) stood beside him, she would be eye to eye with his chest! Despite his giant frame, Suppenkasper has a reputation as a gentle giant, and Steffen Peters says he loves being surrounded by people.
He’s Gained Widespread Acclaim Outside Our Sport
The media ran wild with the beautiful horse who liked to dance to electronic music. Suppenkasper and Steffen Peters have been covered on Washington Post, NBC, and Insider, among many other outlets, as well as on social media. And Suppenkasper wasn’t the only dressage horse getting attention! Snoop Dogg and Kevin Hart hilariously reacted to watching dressage, with Snoop going so far as to say he needs to put a dressage horse in one of his music videos. Check out their off the cuff response and amazement at seeing a dancing horse in the video below (starting at the 1:13 mark), which has gained over 1.2 million views online:
He’s a Champion
At the Tokyo Olympics, Suppenkasper and Steffen Peters brought home a silver medal in the team competition. The big gelding is a champion back home in the United States as well, as the reigning Adequan®/USDF Grand Prix Horse of the Year. In 2018, just a year after Peters and Suppenkasper began their partnership together, they won a team silver medal at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon. They followed this up with a team bronze medal in the FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ Germany at CHIO Aachen in 2019, before going on an undefeated streak in 2020, where they won team and individual gold medals at the FEI Dressage Nations Cup USA. They are a powerhouse duo!
Meet His Rider
Although Suppenkasper has taken the main share of the viral spotlight for their freestyle, let’s not forget his amazing rider Steffen Peters. Peters is a 5-time Olympian and was the senior-most member of the US Olympic Dressage Team this year. At the age of 56, Peters became the oldest American to win an Olympic medal since 1952. Peters has had several famous mounts, including Udon, Legolas, Ravel, and now Suppenkasper. He was named US Equestrian’s Equestrian of the Year in 2008, 2009, and 2011.
The Music is Carefully Designed to Match the Horse and Rider
All horses and riders are different, and a lot of careful planning and work goes into designing the perfect freestyle music to match them. In this clip, check out how DJ/producer Taylor Kade designed and created the now famous music for Suppenkasper’s freestyle:
Peters and Suppenkasper Are Enjoying Their Internet Fame
It’s not often that a dressage horse and rider are discussed in the mainstream media. Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper are enjoying every moment of their Olympic success and newfound internet fame. Watch this video of them reacting to their viral video:
Congrats to Steffen, Suppenkasper, & Team USA!
