I'm ''just'' a trail rider and I have ''only'' a standardbred..
I'm ashamed to admit that the looks of my horse means a lot to me.
I work hard to get him ''well'' muscled and round, working with an arched neck (and of course also with his back and hindlegs, but the neck means more to me than I want to admit). It shouldn't really matter, should it? I mean as long as he's sound and strong and so on, what does his looks matter?
It's also much of the same reason I usually keep his fetlock and ears trimmed, and can't stand keeping his mane as it's not getting long and beautiful (tho I rather like him roached/shaved too so :P As long as it's not that half-long thing.. x)
I enjoy messing with his appearance, and I like working with him and so.. but I don't think my motives is very good..and I still feel bad that his neck isn't rounder and nicer.. I want his butt bigger too, but I suppose that'll come with cantering and so on. (see..? lucky I love to canter, otherwise I'd force myself to it just because I know it'll build muscles.. x__X
I'm used to hearing that a horse needs to be round and pretty much look like a bodybuiler, and that standies are bad, ugly horses, and trail riding isn't really riding - not like the ''allmighty'' dressage or jumping is.. (no matter I ride both dressage anf jumps on the trail..) I suppose that's a big reason for me to want to show Crow as good looking as possible, to show them wrong and that he's a good horse and it's good riding. I don't trust them to see it if I don't get him really stunning..
Partly same thing with gaiting.. since that's a bad thing to do with standies especially, I need to prove that he's still healthy and strong even tho I gait him a lot.. and that I'm not some selfish, ignorant person that knows nothing about horses (give me a penny for everytime I hear that trail riding standie-owners are ignorant and careless..).
How much do you care about your horses looks, like this? I mean.. do you think all horses should look round and have these big muscles instead of the slimmer, tougher and a bit bonier type that many trail horses I've seen here has? Does it matter?
I don't even think it looks bad on other horses if they're slim, it looks like tough, hardy and good horses, but I feel terrible if Crow would look it.. ; No, I don't know why.
How silly am I? :S
Why do I care what they think?
I'd work as hard to get him well trained and what I concider nice looking anyway, but I probably wouldn't feel as bad about his stick neck or flat butt if I cared less about the others..
I realize I might have written something that could offend some people, at least to me this is a sensetive topic and well..I usually manage to anger people, so..just in case, I wanna say that no offense is intended..
I'm ashamed to admit that the looks of my horse means a lot to me.
I work hard to get him ''well'' muscled and round, working with an arched neck (and of course also with his back and hindlegs, but the neck means more to me than I want to admit). It shouldn't really matter, should it? I mean as long as he's sound and strong and so on, what does his looks matter?
It's also much of the same reason I usually keep his fetlock and ears trimmed, and can't stand keeping his mane as it's not getting long and beautiful (tho I rather like him roached/shaved too so :P As long as it's not that half-long thing.. x)
I enjoy messing with his appearance, and I like working with him and so.. but I don't think my motives is very good..and I still feel bad that his neck isn't rounder and nicer.. I want his butt bigger too, but I suppose that'll come with cantering and so on. (see..? lucky I love to canter, otherwise I'd force myself to it just because I know it'll build muscles.. x__X
I'm used to hearing that a horse needs to be round and pretty much look like a bodybuiler, and that standies are bad, ugly horses, and trail riding isn't really riding - not like the ''allmighty'' dressage or jumping is.. (no matter I ride both dressage anf jumps on the trail..) I suppose that's a big reason for me to want to show Crow as good looking as possible, to show them wrong and that he's a good horse and it's good riding. I don't trust them to see it if I don't get him really stunning..
Partly same thing with gaiting.. since that's a bad thing to do with standies especially, I need to prove that he's still healthy and strong even tho I gait him a lot.. and that I'm not some selfish, ignorant person that knows nothing about horses (give me a penny for everytime I hear that trail riding standie-owners are ignorant and careless..).
How much do you care about your horses looks, like this? I mean.. do you think all horses should look round and have these big muscles instead of the slimmer, tougher and a bit bonier type that many trail horses I've seen here has? Does it matter?
I don't even think it looks bad on other horses if they're slim, it looks like tough, hardy and good horses, but I feel terrible if Crow would look it.. ; No, I don't know why.
How silly am I? :S
Why do I care what they think?
I'd work as hard to get him well trained and what I concider nice looking anyway, but I probably wouldn't feel as bad about his stick neck or flat butt if I cared less about the others..
I realize I might have written something that could offend some people, at least to me this is a sensetive topic and well..I usually manage to anger people, so..just in case, I wanna say that no offense is intended..