[3TailsWaggin]

I can't believe I am saying this, but I just can no longer support AQHA Western Pleasure. I am appalled by how BAD these horses move. I guess I've been out of the showing loop long enough to see it now. I used to show WP, but honestly we never had horses that moved this horribly.

This horse is a winner... but to me he looks pained as he lopes, he's all roached up in his back, his head is bobbing around like crazy, and his rear legs look stiff as boards to me.

Plus the fact ... this "lope" is not covering any ground and sure as hell will get you no where fast.

I used to be a staunch supporter of AQHA, but I just can't support this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_Z6CqVvW9I

 

[kiddsmom]

It's been that way for years.

 

[3TailsWaggin]

It really saddens me. I want to slap these people upside the heads.

I've been watching Reining and Cutting and Dressage for so long, I guess I stopped seeing what they were doing in the Western Pleasure class. Watch a Reining horse work. THAT's how they are supposed to use their bodies.

 

[amazongold]

Good grief, that looks awful! He's hopping ike a rabbit. What happened to free and easy movement? Are their noses supposed to drag like they're kids being punished and sent to bed early?

 

[3TailsWaggin]

We call that nose to the ground "peanut pushers". There is NO way a horse can use his forehand effectively with his face on the ground like that. hate it hate it hate it!!!

 

[amazongold]

We call that nose to the ground "peanut pushers". There is NO way a horse can use his forehand effectively with his face on the ground like that. hate it hate it hate it!!!

Not to mention that the horse looks like he feels miserable. Yuck!

 

[kiddsmom]

THIS HORSE puts that horse to shame.

 

[3TailsWaggin]

Personally, I think top level dressage horses are WAY over collected, but I do like the movement they get. And love her or hate her I do like Anky!!

 

[MSUlady]

You know, the AQHA gives lip service to encouraging judges to reward good forward movement, but the classes are never going to change when movement like that keeps getting rewarded. I must say, though, at least it was a real 3 beat canter. Back when I was showing QH shows there were some horses that were slowed down so far that they developed a 4 beat canter.

THIS HORSE puts that horse to shame.

Apples and oranges. Can't really compare the two when they're trained to do completely mechanically different movement. It's like comparing a dressage horse to a gaited horse. That's not to say that high level dressage horses aren't a joy to watch, of course.

 

[3TailsWaggin]

Oh, I know about the 4-beat canter. I had Gandy doing it, didn't want her to do it, but had her loping so slow, she'd break in the rear.

Today, we just hang on and run and have fun No more of that stuff for me.

 

[Golfgirlrobin]

They actually breed an animal to look and walk that way on purpose? And I thought what people had done to german shepherds was bad.

The only horse shows I ever go to are cutting horses, we've got a friend who breeds them, and they are such athletes it's a joy to watch them. I don't think I'd feel that way about Western Pleasure.

 

[kiddsmom]

3-Beat canter? Debatable.

 

[3TailsWaggin]

I agree, that's almost not a 3-beat canter to me either. Looks like he's actually dragging the rear legs. If I saw one of my horses moving like that, I'd be calling the vet! LOL!

 

[kiddsmom]

Also looks like the tail has been cut/nerved.

 

[3TailsWaggin]

I think the tails... they put in all these "tail extensions" so it's not a real tail. That's what I've been reading lately. How stupid.

And the first thing I learned in Pony Club was to NOT cut your horses tail straight across at the bottom, LOL. We had to pull our horses tails to get them shorter and natural looking.

I'm so old... I remember when showing AQHA we had our horses tails ABOVE THE HOCK. That was the length back in the day.

Times sure change.

 

[labby]

Yep, can't you just see that horse working a ranch? *insert sarcasm*

 

[patm]

I don't know that much about Western Pleasure Horse, but I know animal movement, and that DOES look horrible and like the horse is in pain - very un-natural looking. Of course the dressage horse looks "un-natural" too, but in a much better way.

 

[MicksMom]

OMG, that's just ugly! I've watched WP on & off for years but haven't seen anything that bad. BTW- I thought the same thing about the lope. Did you all get a load of the comments? How wonderful they looked, etc?

...I'm so old... I remember when showing AQHA we had our horses tails ABOVE THE HOCK. That was the length back in the day.

Times sure change.

Hey- that's not old! I remember that from when I was a kid!

 

[3TailsWaggin]

MicksMom, you are old if you remember that ;P

Labby, If that horse worked on a ranch... the cows would laugh at it!!

 

[amazongold]

MicksMom, you are old if you remember that ;P

Labby, If that horse worked on a ranch... the cows would laugh at it!!

LMBO - yup, they sure would!