Western trained horses are not lame!

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Kate_13

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In regards to the post made about the videos 'Walk to canter' e.t.c I would just like to maybe point people into the train of thought that western horses have been trained differently to english. Their gait and head carriage is different.

The same way of working is the same, they work from behind and these horses have immense power behind.

The lope or 'canter' is a lot slower and therefore the rear hinds work slower hence looking lame. I can assure you that they are not.

I would be so grateful if some English people on here could appreciate the western style. There are some cracking QH and arabs that perform great reining, pleasure and cattle cutting. Maybe have a look at some of these in action.

I know it is all about what people like, but it would be nice if western riding could be appreciated for what it is and not be slated.

I don't mean to offend, but it narks me that people comment before understanding a different way of riding.
 
I'm guessing that this is aimed mostly at me? That's okay. I did comment on the vid.

I didn't say all western horses are lame. What I said was-* this horse* looks lame behind to me. Nothing else...

I agree that there are some wonderful western horses out there.
 
So was I right then???
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.... see other post under OMG
 
I've always thought the western way of going was a bit....odd but I rode a quarter horse western today and it felt fab and was so comfy, didn't feel at all lame it felt like a washing machine! (I've just been informed by a giggling Cazza that I'll be riding the tumble dryer next week and the dish washer the week after
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this is an interesting post - i've got to say that this is a huge subject and widely debated especially in the US. we're talking western pleasure in particular here, a class where the horse is judged at walk, jog and lope. the ideal is level head and neck carriage whilst maintaining elevation in the shoulders, flexed at poll but slightly nose out, outline stays same throughout transitions, slow sweeping strides without a lot of knee action, hind legs driving, good alert but relaxed expression, and a real 3 beat gait in lope with good cadence, all on a draped rein, the horse in complete self carriage. sounds great and looks wonderful when horse is capable and trained well. the horse should also be capable of extension when asked, and this is now often asked for in pleasure classes, as there is a general shift away from the exaggerated slow lope that can look as tho the horse is lame, and also causes some horses to 4 beat. really it's very much the same as classical dressage principles in that the horse's movement should look natural and beautiful, not forced and ugly. But, let's face it, how often do we see 'dressage' being performed that makes you wince..? at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter what discipline is being performed - correctness and beauty trancends such things!
 
well, it's taken me ages to actually look at it - kept getting this strange young lady mucking out a stable......anyhow, just saw same lady riding english, walk to canter. obviously western trained horse but not the prettiest mover in the world...she prob does a bit of everything - horsey looks more like a reiner although his head is not as small and pretty as the nicer ones.
without wanting to be bitchy, her and horsey look rather average, - he doesn't move well or correctly, he is on the forhand and has to raise his head to make the walk to canter transition, and not really using himself behind, although he is prob sound as a pound.
 
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