Ok, quick question. Is the second horse doing a four-beat lope in the beginning, or am I completely wrong (probably)? Wow, I've never ridden a lope that nice, slow, and collected . . . wonder what it feels like
Ok, quick question. Is the second horse doing a four-beat lope in the beginning, or am I completely wrong (probably)? Wow, I've never ridden a lope that nice, slow, and collected . . . wonder
what it feels like
I don't like either one that well. They are doing the typical western pleasure invented gates. I won't belabor my distaste for WP as a disipline but I wasn't impressed with either one.
I prefer the second. The great thing about these horses is that, while they are going WAY too slow, they are at a very early stage in their training. When the girl was loping the second horse in the beginning, it would be nothing to just ride him up into the bridle a little more. The horse is capable. Same with the first, just bump the horses head up. He's too heavy for my taste, but the price, IMO, reflects a horse that needs tuning.
#2 doesn't look like he was built for WP. He has a hard time keeping his head that low and loping with so little impulsion and that makes his lope just hideous. His lope is choppy and he is using his head to pick himself up. He jerks it up with his front and and really drops it down with his back end. I really like his other gaits though.
#1 has a better overall movement though he does need some serious work. His lope has no impulsion and dare I say it..... looks like more of a trope to me. However, it looks easier for him to maintain that frame and speed. Where it looks like #2 is really having to work for it, it looks easy for #1.
#1 doesn't look sound to me. Moves shorter in the right hind than than left. That might be because of the "trainer's gait" jog, but of the two, I prefer #2.
In general, though, I agree with kevinshorses. I prefer horses to move under saddle a little closer to their natural gait.
Disclaimer: I am not a western horseperson, and am not all that familiar with what's desirable in WP.
#1 doesn't look sound to me. Moves shorter in the right hind than than left. That might be because of the "trainer's gait" jog, but of the two, I prefer #2.
In general, though, I agree with kevinshorses. I prefer horses to move under saddle a little closer to their natural gait.
Disclaimer: I am not a western horseperson, and am not all that familiar with what's desirable in WP.
I agree. #1 looked off on the right hind. I don't care for any horse moving like them. I would have to pack a lunch just to fetch the cows from the back 40.
If I were picking between these two horses, I would definately go with #1.
I love a good western pleasure horse, and the first horse has the ability to be one. There are some issues with the way the horse goes around in this video that should be easy to address. He falls on his forehand occasionally throughout the video, plus he's behind the vertical through most of the video. I like where his head is at. I like how his legs move. I like how he goes along on a nice drape rein. He'd be a nice one to work with.
The second horse seems like he'd have an easier time as a huntseat horse. He's bigger and longer so it is harder for him to get under himself while he's trying to go slow at the same time. He should be able to do WP, but he's a bigger challenge right now.
I would go with horse number one with a bit of tweaking.
I'd pick up his forehand by quite a bit. That will in turn lift his face from a peanut roll as well.
Also, when he is loping, she has his nose turned into the wall, which makes a slow lope, but kind of throws off the rest of him. If he were moving straight (and he does at a few points throughout the video) then he'd move rather nicely.
Horse number two has a nice jog, although heavy on the forehand.
Because he's only had a short amount of time in training, this is to be expected.
Horse number one definitely has a better flow to him. He is MUCH more capable of western pleasure movement than horse number two.
Horse two isn't bad, but just not what I would choose if I were to compete western pleasure.
I would like to see how slow horse one could go with a bit more impulsion, but because of how balanced he carries himself, I really don't think that would be an issue for him.
Man, now it makes me want to go lope around for days...
Good luck!
As an addition: Western pleasure has been my main competition for the past 8 or so years with AQHA.
Neither are impressive to me, both seem to need a ton of work and have strung out hind ends.
If I had to pick one though it would be #1, he looks a little better suited to what he is doing, however, his headset is ridiculously low and would need to be brought up at least a few inches.
My vote is for #1. Although his head is too low, his movement is more fluid and he is more collected at all 3 gaits. Horse 2 is strung out and the lope is not good. Not only is he strung out & not collected, but he is creating his front end lift by throwing his head up. He almost looks like he could have some lameness issues.
#1 was better, but I didn't really like either really. Their lopes are awful. They aren't even 3 beating from what I can see....but I guess that's just me...the WP world likes that.
Not as much anymore depending where your sanctioned.
In our area...Judges are now not placing horses that move such as this, as Kevin said...its not a natural gait, its man made, and a Horrible one at that.
Many western riders are now opting for the more natural head set, rolling lope, opposed to the peanut roller mentality, and the "im not really loping or trotting gait" :wink:
i am not going to coment on which i like better, because i dont know anythign abotu western pleasure, besides the gaits and stuff. but i couldnt take my eyes off the second.... but that might just be the dressage rider in me seeking out the one that i would pick for dressage
Although I don't particularly like either, I would say #1 has more POTENTIAL. ?He definitely needs to be driven up a lot more especially in the back end so that he really gets under himself and engages. People have said that his head is too low but I like it the way it is. It is where he naturally would hold it and he has a good flat front end with a nice slow back end. He just needs a lot of work really driving up under himself. If it were me, I wouldn't really pick either. I'm sure there is something better out there for that price range especially now that the market is down.
If I had to pick between the two, while I think #1's head was too low and his lope looked like a trot on the back end, I liked his overall look.
#2 besides looking huge, looks like he has to struggle in his gaits. When the person riding him started trotting him and posting, he definately didn't have the look of a western pleasure horse. He looked more suited to hunter/jumper.
It's been over 8 years since I've trained and shown western pleasure..I forgot how slow they looked.
im not a big fan of WP but the first horse does seem to do it with ease. he looks better and although his lope needs to have a more lopish look, his trot is nice and his head lays low easily. not only is he cheaper, but he looks bred for it! The other horse looks like it would rather be faster and freeer.
I wouldn't spend their asking prices for either horse IMO...for that kind of money you should be able to get a horse with a little more experience. IF I were to go for either of them it would probably go for number two, because he could wind up being a good all around horse...
I agree with what most people said. I think #2 would make a great all around horse if you planned on doing HUS classes as well. #1 did seem better in his hocks and more slow legged. Both horses do need to be pushed out more at the lope tho. Get them more correct then slow them down. #2 especially but both look like they were trained just to go slow and not correctly.
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