Soring. For it, or against it?

I was speaking of the horse industry in general suffering if there was no shows. Perhaps I was getting off the subject somewhat. I do that alot.

Plenty of dressage, hunters etc. but the TWH is probably second to the quarter horse in what most folks have. Everyone I've ever talked with knows what big lick is. Perhaps not details, but they know its walking horse shows. Im in Botetourt county.

What do you consider main stream va?

Well, anything north of the I-64 corridor. And I see very few QH's. Mostly WB's, TB's. Guess you are in a totally different area. I have to drive to MD or 45 min west to the Winchester area to find a barn to board at with an indoor that will allow Western riding. :-/

Well that explains that....lol. I kinda figured that. Yes. That's a whole nother part of va up there. The mason dixon line should be moved to the i-64 corridor......no true offense intended.

I've been up to culpepper one time, to pick up a dog. But that's the extent of my travels to northern va. Lexington va the horse center is famous all up and down the east coast. They have walkin horse shows. Few here in salem va. Not far from me. .....the common country folks are mostly all QHs or TWH. The rocky mtn horses are catching on big time. Few big breeders in the area.

Probably because of the proximity to TN........just a fact. It does get a little frustrating that the reiners (what I ride) in VaRHA show in North Carolina.....there is very little in VA. I am so over the whole h/j thing that I will leave my horses at my summer house in NY and commute when I can.

I'll freely admit that I have not read this whole thread LOL... so I have no idea what's going on, but I'll answer the original question with my perspective and a few other things I read when glancing through.

First, I was raised showing Saddlebreds. We used "stretchers" on the horses that they would pull against to train them to have a bigger motion during training times only. It did not hurt them, it was like any of us working out with weights. Same with the shoes we used... not weighted, but we used a small pad between the shoe and the hoof for shows only (they came off when we got home).

Now, I am currently riding TWHs. We have 4 at our family farm. Mine is the one in my profile photo. None of ours are currently shown, though I'm considering showing mine in some flat shod western pleasure type classes. She's lovely and loves to show off her pretty gaits.. naturally. I ride her in an indian hackamore currently and only have shoes on her to protect her feet.

I don't believe in soring. I think people should be jailed for it. It DOES hurt them.

I don't like stacked shoes b/c I hate how unnatural they look.

I have no issue with TWHBEA. I have issues with what individuals within the organization do... but all in all, it's a horse association. I was looking at having my son join on a junior membership.

Grest post HighstepperLove! I agree, things like stretchers are no different then draw reins or side reins being used correctly to develop rounder back muscles. The problem is, time and time again we have both vets AND farriers quite firmly stating that stacks are still mechancal soring because of the horrific and unnatural strain put on the joints due to being forced to walk so unnaturally. Heck I don't even have an issue with slightly weighted shoes as long as you aren't putting unneccesary and unnatural strain on the joints!

The biggest issue with big lick I see is that unlike almost EVERY discipline in existance, it's impossible to show without soring up the horse one way or another. Even an honest and gentle trainer needs big huge unnatural stacks. And I really am not naive enough to believe honest and gentle trainers exist in big lick. The honest and gentle trainers stick to the natural classes because they KNOW the damage being done.

Saddlebreds, Arabians, Morgans were all DESIGNED to step high. Making a TWH step high is as unnatural and disgraceful as making a QH do it.
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Funny story on that note. I too showed/trained Saddlebred horses. I have used developers "stretchers" on my horses as well. It is not unlike the physical therapy bands we use at the hospital to strengthen arms and legs on stroke patients or other physically impaired person. All it is doing is making the muscle work against a bit or resistance. Now, that said, I had a friend many years ago that had a Paint Stallion. One day, she asked why I used the developers and I told her, I was building his chest and leg muscles. A few days later, I stop out at the barn and see her Paint stallion being ridden with developers on. I almost peed in my pants I was laughing so loud. She announced that she didn't get how we could ride like that as it was very bouncy and uncomfortable. Ha ha

It was the one and only time that horse wore the developers. He was no worse for the wear but it was very funny seeing that. I told her she couldn't have it both ways, if he was to have his head down, then she couldn't ask his knees up as they would collide in the middle. Ha ha

Oh my goodness, that is hysterical, Inga!!!!

I so wish I had, had a video tape of it. If for no other reason then to remind her of how silly she was. The horse was a peach and had absolutely no issue with trying new things. Ha ha

*giggles* That's awesome. I imagine it would be somewhat like putting side reins on a Saddlebred - they just aren't meant to move with a long low neck! I'm trying to imagine what a Saddlebred would like if you tried to pull the head down with all that fancy action. I love watcing a natural high stepping horse - makes the shows so much more fun to watch when you SEE how natural it is for them to move like that!
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