September 26, 2012

Stock Horse Pleasure


Horses that will win in a sport that requires functionality rather than aesthetics to win will be bred to be functional rather than spotted, or pretty, or whatever the judge is looking for that show season.  I'm not just picking on the Western world here, either.  A horse that was able to stay sound when he pulled a plow five days a week and a buggy on Sundays was incredibly valuable, but that's not valued as highly in a twice-a-year trail pony, or a halter horse, or a low-level eventer whose owner can afford the necessary veterinary care to maintain minor unsoundnesses.  I'm not saying you have to buy conformational perfection-on-a-stick, or that it's a bad thing to maintain minor unsoundnesses, but I am saying that sports like this becoming popular can only help the state of the breeding industry (at least in quality, still haven't resolved the quantity problem...), which I have commented on before.  Compared to peanut rolling, trantering western pleasure, which I got very familiar with in college, this is a huge leap forward.

Also, they appear to have cue cards instead of Dressage letters and memorized tests, which makes me giggle.

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