KrisK Posted June 28, 2006 Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 Just wondering how you're doing? I hope things are a little better for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddy bob Posted July 5, 2006 Report Share Posted July 5, 2006 Hello Kris, Thanks for thinking of me! Things are improving a bit. I have not been online for a few days. All of my spare time has been spent with the horses lately as they were unfortunately neglected for a while. They are glad to have me back. I realized how much my other animals were missing me and how much I missed them. My young gelding has been entered in his first show and he needs preparation. I'm sort of nervous. I hope you are doing well and enjoying your dogs. Isn't it interesting how we begin to care for people we've never met in person? Muddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisK Posted July 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2006 It's good to know that you're feeling better. Yes, it is interesting but then again, we are all here with at least one thing in common...our love for our BCs And who knows, someday we might meet...or perhaps we already have, and didn't know it The world is a very small place these days! Good luck with the show....What is it that you will be doing with him? I'm afraid I know very little about the 'horse' world! And as for feeling nervous, I've always felt if I wasn't nervous when I was competing at something...I was a total BOMB So..nerves are good! Take care! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddy bob Posted July 5, 2006 Report Share Posted July 5, 2006 He is what is known as a gaited breed. He does gaits other than a trot and they are very smooth by comparison. I will be showing him in a show sanctioned by Friends of Sound Horses, a small but growing group that doesn't allow the outrageous methods of shoeing or promote torturous "training" techniques associated with some gaited breeds. We will be judged on how well he performs his natural gait while we go around an arena. Sounds simple, but I still get nervous. I'll be happy if he just behaves. FOSH only puts on one show in this state each year so I never get a chance to calm down through a season of showing. Muddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bc friend Posted July 5, 2006 Report Share Posted July 5, 2006 Good luck with the show. I'm sure your gelding will do fine but a first show is always special. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carson Crazies Posted July 6, 2006 Report Share Posted July 6, 2006 Running Walk or Rack? What breed is he? I am pleased to hear that they don't advocate some of the practices I've seen with TWH's. *shudders* I've ridden TWH's, a Standardbred / Arabian X mare that was the mostest coolest horse , and a few Arab/Saddlebred X's (five gaited) I'm trying to remember, but I believe SB's have a pace or a trot, depending, and Saddlebred's (if five gaited) have a slow gait (running walk), and a rack in addition to canter, trot, and flat walk? Then TWH have a flat walk, running walk or rack, and canter (although unfortunately they don't canter much at shows)? My memory of gaited horses is rusty, but I've always been fascinated I love gaited horses - the natural ones. Anyway, glad you're Ok. Let us know how it goes! Details please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisK Posted July 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2006 Laura - TWH...is that the Tennessee Walker? When I was a kid (oh so long ago), I loved reading horse stories and I'm sure one was about a Tennessee Walker and how special they are. Muddy - Thanks for filling me in. I've learned something new today and now I'll have to check out gaited horses in more detail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted July 6, 2006 Report Share Posted July 6, 2006 Good for you Muddy for going for the natural gaited horses. What folks do to the TWHs, saddlebreds and other gaited breeds for the sake of showing just makes me sick. Good luck at the show, and let us know how you do! Kris, Yes, TWH is Tennessee Walking horse. I believe they are still also referred to as Plantation walking horses when shown natural/natural shod (to differentiate them from the TWHs that have pads, weights, etc.). J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carson Crazies Posted July 6, 2006 Report Share Posted July 6, 2006 Yep, Tennesee Walking Horse. I used to date a guy that had two... and they were really neat horses - and my introduction to horses in general. I liked them a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted July 6, 2006 Report Share Posted July 6, 2006 Hey Laura, What's going on this morning that we keep posting at the same time? Some sort of cosmic thing? J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carson Crazies Posted July 6, 2006 Report Share Posted July 6, 2006 I believe they are still also referred to as Plantation walking horses when shown natural/natural shod (to differentiate them from the TWHs that have pads, weights, etc.).*nods* I had the (dis)pleasure of attending a TWH show a few years ago, and when they got to the ones with the pads/weights/chains (which comprised the majority) I was appalled. Up until that point I had only seen/ridden/handled naturally shod horses, and I was pretty upset by the whole thing. I still can't get the images out of my head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carson Crazies Posted July 6, 2006 Report Share Posted July 6, 2006 Must be Julie . Maybe its the rain. ugh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted July 6, 2006 Report Share Posted July 6, 2006 Kris, Scroll down to the middle of the page this link takes you to and you'll see a picture of the way many TWHs are shown: http://www.imh.org/imh/bw/tenn.html J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisK Posted July 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2006 Julie! Please tell me that horse doesn't have extra large shoes on the front hooves??? If that's the case, that is beyond disgusting! Even a complete novice like me can see that is wrong! Why would you do that to an animal that already has a natural gait?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted July 6, 2006 Report Share Posted July 6, 2006 Kris, They actually have these things that fit over the hooves that include pads and weights to get that high step (so, yeah, extra-large shoes). What I find ironic is how they talk about this beautiful natural gait these horses have, and then they feel the need to alter it with all sorts of artificial devices. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carson Crazies Posted July 6, 2006 Report Share Posted July 6, 2006 Yes - and I've seen shoes that were MUCH bigger than the ones on that horse. The ones in that pic are kinda downplayed compared to what is typical, IMO. Then again, I was so stunned when I saw it in person, maybe my mind made them seem bigger. They do that mostly to exaggerate the motion even more, if I am remembering correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisK Posted July 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2006 Okay...I think I'm going to throw up now..that's sickening. Kudos to you Muddy...for showing your horse in his natural state!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaggieDog Posted July 6, 2006 Report Share Posted July 6, 2006 I interned with the division of APHIS that oversees the enforcement of the Horse Protection Act (anti-soring legislation) and saw some nasty stuff on the inspection videos. The enforcement isn't what I wish it could be given a lack of staff and funds, and the Horse Industry Organizations have to regulate themselves to some extent which can be a very shady thing imo. I wish the office had more funds to hire and train impartial enforcement people. My horse is a TWH rescued from an abusive situation by a friend of ours. He wasn't sored as far as I can tell, but he was up on blocks too young and shown too heavily as a 2 year old so now he has trouble w/ his hind legs locking up if he's ridden for too long. He's a joy to ride though when I get a chance - we only go for about and hour (more than 4 causes the aforementioned problems). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddy bob Posted July 6, 2006 Report Share Posted July 6, 2006 The trouble with many of these horses that are shod in stacks is that they are not naturally gaited. These horses are actually bred to pace so that when one adds all that rubbish to the feet the two beat pace is broken into a four beat running walk. Plantation walkers have an exremely heavy shoe with long hooves and no stacks. They are not naturally gaited either. Light shod horses wear a shoe of smaller dimensions but long hooves seem to be the norm. The majority of the horses seem to have been sored at some point. I used to be assistant trainer in a walking horse barn where we attempted to show "clean" (not sored) light shod horses. Most of the time it was a disappointment. But occaisionally a judge would like what he or she saw. At the odd show where the USDA was able to attend and attempt to enforce the horse protection act, exibitors would often just load up and go home and never get caught. To find out more about the practice of soring google FOSH and check out their website. Muddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddy bob Posted July 6, 2006 Report Share Posted July 6, 2006 At the last TWH show I attended the DQP (person that inspects the horses for signs of soring. It stands for designated qualified person.) was dating one of the trainers. She had already passed DQP and was in the warm up arena. Her horse had leg wraps with saran wrap peeking out from under. As she rode a substance began to ooze out from under her wraps. There are supposedly rules that ban "foriegn substance" on any horse. I was so disgusted I have never been back to a TWH show. muddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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