RC: Re: Stallion behavior-Whipping

[Bette Lamore <woa@stormnet.com>]

Hi Mary Ann
Don't forget Jumping! Love that class. No politics--- just time and
speed. My jumping days are over but my husband had tears in his eyes
(hadn't seen that since the birth of our first son) when Hal won his
championship. We used to love to participate in Country English Pleasure
but now that class has become what used to be English Pleasure, English
Pleasure is what used to be Park, and God knows what to call Park
classes. I believe there is a place for all disciplines, though. Some
like ballet, some like hip-hop---neither are these natural movements for
people (just try it sometimes) but what I object to is the way some
trainers (not all) get them to do those gaits---but tricks and draw
reins so that their noses are touching their chests just before a class
etc. Part of that--- a LARGE part are the owners who do not understand
how long it takes to get a horse to get under himself and release his
shoulder. And so there has been more and more pressure to do what used
to take 10 months to do it in 4! Some trainers charge exorbitant amounts
but a lot of them are just trying to make a decent wage for their
efforts---long hours at the shows or riding-and their skills. People
will pay a fortune for Country Club memberships and the finest golf
clubs and lessons, but somehow horses should not cost much--- trainers
should train out of the privilege of working with the horses and not to
make a decent living (I'm not talking about the Big Boys, but the bulk
of the honest trainers.) And many know that the gaits are all screwed up
but they also know they won't win if they don't imitate and that if they
don't win, the owners get mad and pull their horses....and on and on...
So who is to blame? Ignorant owners who need to be educated and we need
a few brave trainers to do so. I have been burned by some of the biggies
and I have no sympathy for them, but I also know a lot of good ones who
are forced by sheer economics (if they want to keep working in their
field of passion) to compromise their principles or at least to bend
them.
But I'll tell you, I do love to see a true English Pleasure horse move
out and I love riding saddle seat. It's like being on a locamotive--lots
of power and your hands have to be oh so gentle--like you can't pull or
you'll cut the stick of butter in their mouths. And you continuously
have to feed out the curb rein which gathering up the snaffle rein--it
is oh sooo delicate, and you are one with your horse in this beautiful
ballet. When it is done right. Go see Jeff Wonnell work sometime and
you'll see what "old school" is and how beautiful English or even Park
can be when taught correctly. BTW English and Park horses are born, not
trained---only to bring out their natural talents (have you ever watched
Michael Jackson? He came out of the womb dancing)
Didn't mean to get on so much of a soap box but it has become common
here to slam show riding. There are problems there just like in
endurance. There are horses that can do both-- and some famous ones
owned by people on ridecamp. After all, some like opera, some like
movies, and some like wrestling. 
Spencer wrote:
> 
> The show horse whippings are a BIG reason I don't go to the arab shows....
> many of those so called best of the best halter horses are not rideable due
> to the whipping.   Also take a look at the so called English Pleasure
> classes.... give me a break... who the heck EVER developed that... perhaps
> those that like the look of the soured gaited horses and are trying to make
> Arabs that way............AND then the $%^&*()  'Park" types.. lots of
> action and going nowhere slowly..  my, my what has happened to horses for
> the sake of  'window' dressing.... endurance may be the only real, natural
> horse activity with competition that exists!!!  Just IMHO!!!!!!!!!!!!   Mary
> Ann
> 
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-- 
Bette Lamore
Whispering Oaks Arabians, Home of TLA Halynov
http://www.stormnet.com/~woa
I've learned that life is like a roll of toilet paper, the closer it
gets to the end, the faster it goes. Smell the roses!


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.    
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp   
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=