- Question 4: What do you like to see the most in the 14-18 YOUTH W.Pleasure classes.... Do you penalize horses if they are loping true but going a little bit fast? What rein length you like to see? I have seen horses showing with different headsets: level with the withers, a bit below the withers, and some show with lower headsets... which do you prefer to see in the YOUTH events?
1.The youth classes must follow the same guide lines as all other western pleasure classes. Excessive rein length, either too short or too long will be taken into consideration and judged accordingly.
2.I don't think there is any differnce in what I want to see in any division of Western Pleasure, I want a nice walk, two beat jog, 3 beat lope, not a crawl. I like a horse with good expression, that looks like it enjoys it's job. I want a horse that looks comfortable in its head carriage and consistent in its performance. Size of the horse does not matter to me. If the horse is a good mover but a little fast, that to me is better than a horse that is too slow and not using itself well.
3.For me I am looking to reward the best pleasure horse presented to me regardless of which class it is in. In all pleasure classes I want to find the horse that looks like a "pleasure to ride" it's topline stays level, ears are attentive, face is not behind the vertical, and is collected and cadenced in all three gaits. If this horse has a bit more speed then poor moving slower horses then this horse will still win. - Question 5: When you have the bits dropped, do you just look to see if they are legal or do you take the bit into consideration as to the horses performance and your placing?
1.The bits only need to be legal. Whatever bit is needed to make the horse perform at is best is the bit that should be used as long as it is legal.
I just check to see if it is legal. 'Usually' a high powered bit will cause the horse to 'tell on it' before the bit check.
2.Our job as judges is to make sure the bits are legal not decide whether the horse is being riden in the correct bit or tack for that horse.
3.BOTH!, especially in an English class. I would rather see a horse in a grazer or correction bit than the highest allowed cathedral. But one must show the horse to its best ability and if this takes the severe bit and it is the best horse, best mover, who is following the rules, it will be my winner. - Question 6: In WP, what is penalized more: Lifting the hand and driving to correct movement (say if the horse got lazy), or allowing the sloppy movement in order not to show any hand/leg movement from the rider? i.e., My horse is loping sloppy and needs to be checked, do I lift and drive, or to I leave it until I'm where I'm not seen and then correct it so the judges do not see my correction?
1.I personally would rather see the horse lope its best, your are going to get penalized either way, so you might as well start teaching your horse to stay loping for the entire class and not let him think he can get flat in front of the judge.
2.Sloppy movement, moving too slowly, not engaged would be the bottom of the class just above a blatant disobedience, missed lead, bolt, spook, kick-out etc. To answer your question, if you felt as if your horse was not engaged behind, I would push some buttons and get the horse to move up under itself. Remember, the judge is not ONLY looking at you. Be aware of your surroundings, realize where the judge is watching and present your horse to the judge to your best advantage.
3.I'll give you more credit for trying to do a quiet, simple fix if needed than to let your horse get worse and worse as the class progresses. Obviously, if you can get it done while i'm not looking it would be the best scenerio, but it is not always the case. Your placing would be depedent on the outcome of the rest of your classes rides.
4.If the lifting and driving is something more then subtle then wait until you are not seen. If it is subtle then do it as needed to make the horse look it's best. In tough competion a slight fix is less penalized then a poor moving horse. - Question 7: My horse (all top WP breeding) naturally carries a low headset and I worry I'll be penalized for it... do you take into account the horse's natural head carriage and way of going or just the rule about so many strides with the poll below the withers? (Note: There was also an article referenced in the April AQHA Journal page 72 & 73 where some felt correct a topline was not being rewarded.)
1.We must all try to follow the rules as written. I know in our program we take topline very serious. We work very hard in not allowing the horses to learn to carry their heads to low and even develope a que on our finished horse to correct topline errors. My therory is do not give the judge an easy out by exhibiting your horse with a rule violation.
2.I must take into account the horses natural head carriage. I cannot stand a horse who is intimidated and behind the bridle. This horse would most likely not be free-flowing. I think all horsemen can decipher if the horse is naturally carrying its head low or if it was intimidated to put it there. - Question 8: If you are placing two horses that are both relaxed and keeping a consistent pace, but one has a natural shorter stride than the other, which one gets the higher placing? Both are doing the best they can. How do you pick? Is it just personal preference?
1.When all parts of performance are equal and it just comes down to style of movement it is just personal preference at this point. I reward the horse with the most unity in their stride regardless of the length. If unity is equal I prefer the horse with the deeper hock.
2.The winner on my card would the horse that moved the best in relationship to its conformation. Personal preference would be the horse with the Natural Stride even if it is a tad longer. I do not place the horse that I refer to as 'Chippity-Choppy'.
The better mover wins, whichever horse that may be in my opinion.