[HorseGurl27]

Which horse do you think is the better mover for western pleasure.
Which one do you think has more show potential?

Both are 5 years old.

Horse #1 has about 5 months of professional training
Horse #2 has about 7 months. Horse one is $3500 and horse two is $5500.

Tell me what you think one of these could be a potential purchase in the future!

 

[luvmyqh]

#1 but the head is to low!!

 

[SpiritJordanRivers]

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

 

[ShutUpJoe]

It feels like cutting butter : ). I call it the country crawl. I like #2.

 

[kevinshorses]

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.

 

[BuckOff41570]

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.

Change the rider, change the horse.

 

[smrobs]

#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.

 

[maura]

#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.

 

[QHDragon]

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

Um I thought the same thing. It looked to me almost like the horse was cantering in the front and trotting in the back...

 

[GottaRide]

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.

 

[Sixxofdiamonds]

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.

 

[Honeysuga]

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.

 

[Ridehorses99]

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.

 

[SorrelHorse]

I like horse #2 better, but horse #1 looks a bit ouchy in the front legs. Make sure to check that.

Eh. I wasn't very impressed with either of them. Maybe keep looking a bit?

 

[xEquestrianx]

#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.

 

[ridergirl23]

i think there both pretty

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

 

[Maverick101]

#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:

 

[smrobs]

Maverick, if that pic in your avatar is an example of a lineup at one of your WP classes, that is one that I would be interested in watching.

 

[Honeysuga]

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 soooo glad to hear that, now if the rest of the world would follow suit all would be good, lol:wink:

 

[Allison Finch]

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:

Absolutely agree with your weel thought out response.

Those horses in your avatar ARE really nice. Tell us about them, if you don't mind a hijack. Maybe the OP should hear what you say.