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Anybody here show western pleasure??

8K views 35 replies 23 participants last post by  barrelbeginner 
#1 ·
I am new to Horse Forum and so far haven't really found anybody else who shows Western Pleasure or All-Around Pleasure at all? Am I the only one? Lol!
 
#5 ·
I do show western pleasure, but I just hit up the local shows that offer a variety of events. My main passion is barrel racing, but I like to make sure my barrel horses have a brain in their head ;-) so they do all the showing events including western pleasure.

I would call ourselves "real" western pleasure competitors, but we do have fun doing it!

My 3-year-old in western pleasure




My 8 year old (haha, easy on the rein contact, I know!)




I too hate seeing the old style of peanut rollers. Unfortunately, I do still see judges around here placing that way. Granted we aren't breed shows so I'm not sure what those are doing in my area, but I sure hope they are meeting the new standards.
 
#6 ·
super cute horses!! so far in california judges have not been tolerating the super low headset since the rule changed a few years back. a little lower than level is okay, but peanut pushing definitely is not. it is not enjoyable to see a super low headset!
 
#11 ·
I've got to say, riding a natural WP horse who has been trained correctly is a kick in the pants! And it's a whole lot more difficult than people realize until they have done it.

I don't show western pleasure and it's not something I would want to do all the time, but in high school I got a chance to ride some of my neighbors WP QH's and it was a fun challenge coming from a jumping background. I always thought it was just sitting there while the horse putted along, but a lot goes into it.

A true slow lope, not the limping, 4-beat that gets so much hate (for good reason) is super fun.
 
#14 ·
I'm a WP/All Around enthusiast, but haven't shown in years. I just live vicariously through the live feeds at big shows! Happily watching the APHA World Show right now.

My 3 yr old AQHA is casually learning aspects of WP/HMS/HUS/SMS/Trail because I enjoy it, even though I don't have the time or budget to actually show.
 
#16 ·
I show breed shows,but mostly have been just doing the halter & SMS:D Haven't shown performance classes for many years:-(. Haven't had the time/money or horse to. I did try get my one mare to but only showed her once in HUS ,she may look the WP type but she is more HUS movement.After not shown for so many years in performance I also needed to have Lessons{didn't know as much as I thought I did when it came to riding a pleasure horse:lol:} Have primarily ridden western my lifetime ,just starting English so was wanting more WP type & maybe dapple in the HUS . I have a good trainer/coach that has helped me last couple years & now I'm feeling way more ready to get out there!!!! I just switch breeds & bought a new AQHA WP/all-round prospect so very excited for this next show season:D. My new Gelding is more WP but has the movement that he should also do the HUS. :)
 
#18 ·
I showed WP locally (before and during the whole 'badness' occurred). Me and my mare did very well in it (she was a QH).

Now I have a Morgan colt who's a nice prospect for western pleasure (although he'll do other classes as well) :wink: I'm hoping he'll be a really competitive mount in Morgan Associations Shows. So glad WP is getting out of some of its bad habits!! :) Nothing wrong or like a true WP horse!
 
#19 ·
I show western on the Morgan circuit, though took the last year off to go back to basics with my mare. Not sure if we will make it back to the western arena this next year or not. I don't want to rush going back to the curb before she is ready, so it may be another year off.
 
#20 ·
So I have a question.. When it comes to WP do the horses gaits have to be slow? I would love to show my mare, but she is a very fast horse. Would we get disqualified for doing a normal speed trot and lope? Just wondering as all the WP horses I've seen are unbearably slow..
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#22 ·
Western is definitely slower than hunter pleasure. Part of that is how the horse is conformed and the horses showing western are typically more mentally suited for western, happier to go slow. It is not how slow the horses go, but how the horses go slow. With work your horse may be able to go western, maybe not. To ride western correctly, it is a lot of work, very precise.
 
#21 ·
Slow IS normal for most WP horses in the AQHA/APHA/ApHA stock horse show world. It's just refined (or ruined) by training.

CrossCountry, you can show in whatever classes you wish to pay for and are eligible for (ie. only quarter horses at an AQHA show.) But to be competitive, your horse will need to be representative of the particular class ideals as spelled out in the rule book and based on the judge & competition in that particular area.
 
#23 ·
I have been thinking about doing hunters/jumpers with her. She is a 10 year old registered Appaloosa. I've tried slowing her trot and canter, and they are fine to me, but I don't think I could show her with how fast they are. We currently just do playdays and gymkhanas.. Thanks for the information! I appreciate it!
 

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#26 ·
As the owner of a custom western show clothing business, all of my employees and myself show western pleasure. It is a great discipline, people who dont show it dont realize how hard it actually is! It takes strength and extreme athleticism for both the rider and the horse.
 
#27 ·
I haven'y shown yet, I am training now to start showing when the season opens back up in Spring 2015. I am really excited, and nervous, to start showing. But hey, that's why I found a trainer! I love to compete, and I have a beautiful Spotted Saddle Horse that I use (it's my trainers horse) who will do great in this class.
 
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#28 ·
I dabble here and there with it. I currently own a western pleasure gelding whom im training for barrels! I also do a little western dressage (intro level) but I have learned I am more for speed! I am so glad to see its not nose to ground anymore too!
 
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#29 ·
I've shown WP on the Arabian circuit and now I'm showing WP with an AQHA stallion. I love the slow rolling gaits, that when they're performed correctly feel so smooth and fun to ride. I used to only ride hunter and always wanted to ride western but never knew how. A friend told me, "AW if you can ride that english stuff you can ride WP. NO problem.". I got the opportunity to train in WP a few years later and jumped at it. UMMMMM yeah, it's not NEARLY as easy as it looks or as my friend told me. It took a lot of different control, different muscles, different mind set, different EVERYTHING. I love it. I'm also doing some Western Dressage, just started that and that's a whole 'nuther ball game too.
 
#30 ·
I've shown WP local and at my local fair. I'm hoping to go to a couple bigger shows, maybe not. I LOVE riding my gelding. Its fun. and smooth. He doesn't have that SLOW icky lope though... Which is good:)!
 
#31 ·
I used show WP a lot till my mare got so the instant the announcer would call for a gate she would respond. Now days the WP horses are dragging the heads hardly moving a lot of them doing the four beat canter. Ick. I would not want to ride or own one that is only broke to move like a doped, lazy, dragging horse.
 
#34 ·
If this was directed at my post, I definitely didn't mean to offend anyone! I also didn't mean to generalize WP..So sorry. I just was interested in competing in it, but my mare is so fast, and the WP horses I have seen are very slow. I wasn't sure if they HAD to be slow to compete, or if it could be a good working trot/lope. So I thought I'd inquire about it..

Sorry again.
 
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