Saddlebreds vs. Walkers

Couldn't find a pic of that horse w/o a ribbon that was at a good angle so here:
photo by Shiflet

Yes, thats because I don't know who figured out that pads and yes, soring, made the horse step bigger. I think its ridiculous and cruel. I like flat shod horses more than I'll ever like padded horses.

The reason the walker pads are so high is to give the impression that the horse is travelling higher than he can. Those nice older pictures of the TWHs, imagine if those horses were put on 10" stacks. That would give the horse 10" "more" height to his movements.

Pads on Saddlebreds NEVER get to the degree TWH show horse packages get. Saddlebreds use pads to add slight length, support, and shock absorption.

I know of Tennessee Walking Horses but I dont know of any Saddlebreds personally...I recently did a soring report for our 4-H group and although I knew something about it, I didnt know the real "depth" of it until I did some deeper research. The "Big Lick" Tennessee Walking Horses are disgusting to look at as well as watch. A friend of mine purchased a Walker gelding that had recently been cut and was once a top stallion and show horse. He was a Performance horse and they had pictures of him in the showring. I have no idea if he was sored or not, but I dont THINK so. The lite shod and plantation shod Walkers look much more natural and not so "mechanical." It was also deeply disturbing to read a quote from Bob Cherry, TWHBEA Board of Directors: "Horses dont feel pain."

What these horses have are natural gaits, but they have been enhanced for the more showy look that people want to look at. These gaits that are shown in the Big Lick classes are not used for comfort in the show ring prodominantly but more for to show how far these horse's can go in a stressed out gait. You wouldnt see a horse like that going down a dirt road a hundred years ago.

ALL BREEDS, like some other people have stated thru and thru again have had problems similar to this. Its not just Saddlebreds and Tennessee Walkers. Its going to be the people that show good examples in every show ring that will hopefully breed those "other" show people out that want to do harm to any breed of horse. Just my two cents