Gaited Horse People

[lantairvlea]

I don't mean to offend, but I've noticed some things about "Gaited Horse People." Of course, the same thing could probably be said of most anyone who is glued to a single breed or type. My mom also falls under the category of being a "Gaited Person

Comments

[candysgirl]

I'm a Polish Arab girl. I like small-ish, quick, agile horses. Arabs tend to fit the bill. That doesn't mean I discount any other breeds. There are certainly some that I'd never own, including pretty much any draft and most gaited breeds. I just don't have use for them. I appreciate all of them for what they are and enjoy the occasional ride on someone else's, but they're not for me. I'm an extremely ADD rider and need a horse that can do anything from an endurance ride, to jumping, to dressage, to running a barrel pattern.

What I don't get is the mentality that ONLY one breed is worth anything at all. My fiance does flags and barrels with his QHs and I'm constantly asked at the shows, "Why on EARTH did you get *THAT* horse". I'd heard enough of it one day and snapped at one guy, "My horse can complete an endurance ride, jump a course, do a dressage test, or hold his own in every one of the classes at this show, speed or pleasure - take your pick. Can't imagine why I have him... What can your horse do?"

[lantairvlea]

I definitely get the "I just don't have a use for them," it's the same phrase I've used explaining to my mom why I'm not head-over-heals about her gaited horses.

Of course my grandfather teases me about my "European horses" and there's good-natured ribbing back and forth.

I love my Polish Arab boy. Super-responsive, super-smart (too smart...), and a lot more sensible than most people give credit to the breed. It seems some QH people are particularly hostile to Arabs, but I suspect it is more of a personality clash as, from what I've seen, you have a lot of QH people who just want to get on and ride (rope, run barrels, whatever) rather than communicating and socializing with the horse (and Arabs are definitely social creatures!).

I definitely recognize that some breeds' base personalities fit better with certain people than they do others. That's part of the reason they all developed in the first place.

Yeah, the mentality that one breed is the end-all of the universe and nothing else is worthwhile just strikes me as wrong.

[candysgirl]

Oh the 'QH people' drive me nuts. Just because you can stay on a QH around a couple of cans does NOT mean you can actually *RIDE*. I'm not knocking barrel racing, I think its fun, but good god the QH people who think 'riding' = being able to stay on while your horse runs fast as you yank it around barrels with huge, shanked bits drive me up a wall. My "crazy" Arab practices at home in a rope halter...though I'm told we're not allowed to show in that. My dressage trained Arab learned how to turn a barrel in about 5 minutes, why? Because he already knew how to use his hind end. No, we can't beat a QH off the line in a sprint, but he can turn better than most we'll be up against

[lantairvlea]

I heartily agree

[candysgirl]

Yeah, my boy will stand half asleep by the gate. I typically have to lope a circle to wake him up a little before we break the timer before a run. After a run, we walk to cool down a bit and he's back to nap land. Yeah...he's a wee bit lazy... My fiance's QHs are the wackos! They rear and act like fools before entering the gate

[lantairvlea]

He sounds like an awesome little horse. When Kash is worked regularly he's awesome, though even coming back from time off it doesn't take too much to settle him. He didn't have superb training (if much at all) his first six years before I got a hold of him, but very trainable so long as you treat him fairly (start kicking and he'll stop, yank on his face? he doesn't like that).

I don't know why people stand that type of behavior in their horses. I don't care how fast it is or how well it does a particular job, it needs to be well-behaved!

*Laughs.* That's what I'm doing with Cinnamon Strudel right now. Halter with some reins snapped on. She hasn't even had a half dozen rides on her yet, but she's completely chill with the weight of rider and saddle and is figuring out the riding cues (stopping is definitely more confirmed than going at the moment, but I don't mind that).

[candysgirl]

He totally rocks. No one at the QH shows seemed to comprehend the going slow concept. Really, I plan to keep him until he dies. What's the rush? He's 4 this year. He can complete an intro level dressage test. We've not shown, but I'm told we'd make a fair showing despite having ZERO pro training. Its all been me with the occasional help from a cowboy friend of mine. He can run a barrel pattern, although we don't do it often since I don't want to wreck his joints. He can trail ride although we haven't totally mastered water crossings - at the beginning of the summer he was fit enough to complete a 25mi ride (he's been sitting in a pasture for the last 3 months though so...yeah...fat pony!). And we can jump a small course (vet cleared him to go over 18" or less

[lantairvlea]

Again I agree! I can ride a horse that's being a nutcase, but I sure don't want to if I can avoid it