Judgement in the show ring

I really agree, I love my HUS class.. but I would be the first one to say I don't jump, and my horse could NEVER jump going like he does for AQHA HUS classes .

English Pleasure is much more fitting for the class.

I know this is a little late, but! I just started with a new trainer and she judges Western classes. Four beaters and peanut pushers are now to be DQ from placings - no exceptions. She said they actually changed it in the judging books now. They do want to see a natural even headset and forwardness and those are the horses that *hopefully* will be winning big this year.

To me when a horse is doing a 4-beat and his nose is almost touching the ground they look half dead and like they can't hardly go (not natural) imo. :)

I just started showing a couple of years ago and I have seen a huge improvement in eliminating the peanut rollers and the lame lopers. As a matter of fact, I was in an APHA show in February and one girl was showing a paint with a 4 beat jog that was soooooo slow and a 4 beat lope that would have won most classes five or ten years ago and she didn't place in any of her classes. My gelding is big and covers a lot of ground and we definitely do not have the lame lope. We finished 6th in WP (a class of 26) that was judged by a carded APHA judge. They are moving in the right direction - it will take a little time to get all the judges there.

Glad to hear things are getting better.

I agree that the class where people use English tack should not be called HUS. It is so not HUS. I am not sure it is English Pleasure either, though. English Pleasure makes one think forward movement. I guess English Pleasure is better than HUS.

You also have to remember, while Judges do have a part in it, they can only Judge and place horses that are brought to them that day. It isn't always their fault how placings end up.

There are plenty of poor examples of WP, so I do understand how the current view on it has been started.

However, there are naturally slow legged, deep hocked, flat-kneed movers, being ridden by equally talented riders out there. These horses are quite versatile, and are equally athletic. It is not unusual to see top placing WP horses showing in Western Riding and other pattern events. At home, most of these horses spend little time 'on the rail'. They are being pushed all over the arena, leg yields, haunches in/out, shoulder in , countercantering etc. Just because a horse is moving in what someone may consider a slow pace does not mean the horse isn't engaged properly from behind. Butt froth is good after a workout

Yes, I would say HUS has improved but the western pleasure classes I observed at a large QH show here in Florida has an awful lot of unhappy horses. The walk is so slow a turtle would pass you plus it took forever for someone to start the gait changes. And most of the horses at the jog you didn't see diagonal movement of the legs and the lope alot were canted or had spurs dug in their sides. I'm not saying they are all like that but those horses placed. Maybe someone from AHQA rules & regulation should attend more shows. I am very glad that there is now a steward at shows though.

I couln't agree more! And I'm absolutely certain that it WILL change. Going to take some time though.

Pam
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