The Lope

I don't get it. Why that slow, stilted lope? Is that really pleasurable to ride or for the horse to perform? Every video I've seen of a western pleasure lope looks so... painful. Like the horse is rocked way forwards and making mincing little steps.

Western pleasure for me has a totally different meaning- I really doubt working cowboys rode at that funny little gait. I have certainly never seen any horse of mine traveling at that slow lope out in the pasture. It looks like it takes more energy to do it than it is worth.

Yes; If done right the western pleasure lope is very comfortable.

Yes; Horses bred and built for western pleasure will lope on their own in the pasture.

As with every discipline horses that are not built quite perfect for the sport, or those forced into a fake 'frame' are not comfortable and look like total crap.

That makes sense. .

To me Western Pleasure is taking your horse out for a gallop in a field, popping over a few logs, trotting down the road, crossing a little stream etc. and just enjoying a beautiful day.

Well, I can honestly tell you there is nothing like training on the trail.

Sadly, not everyone shares this opinion and they feel like a stall kept, micro managed horse is better for them.

I was told;
Western Pleasure was based upon way back when...when cowboys still roped cows all day... they always took their finest, smoothest, fanciest horse into town (usually not the one they chased cows with all day), the horse was also your wifes horse or one safe for the kiddies... this was the 'pleasure horse'... however they have long gotten away from that...

However its a good class for chickens like me who don't want to chase any cows down or rope anything bigger and stonger than a hay bale.

I don't even HAVE a stall barn. They are out 24/7 with access to a run in loafing shed. I live in an area where it gets very cold- they would rather stand out in the snow than go in the barn. I'll rug them if it gets like -30 but they grow such a thick thick coat I rarely have to.

I have a bad mental image of John Wayne riding a western pleasure lope. It just doesn't work. :/

haha but I don't think john wayne rode his horse for pleasure he was chasin' bad guys! Haha

At the speed the WP show horses lope it would have taken them several extra days to get to town.

Most of the movie stars rode walking horses. They couldn't have done a western lope if they had wanted to.

I know your new Draftrider but this topic has been warnout over and over and over again.

To each is own.

Haha I used to love the classic westerns I watched as a kid...

Now I watch those large heavy men bouncy around around and all I can think of is:

1) How many times did they fall off durning filming?
2) ...do those poor guys have any kids on the ground today?
3) Those poor horses man those guys ride like crap....

There are very few westerns with good riders and horses that don't have thier heads in the sky....

To me; there is nothing pleasurable about riding and horse with it's nose in the sky...