Western Pleasure is a popular western discipline that evaluates horses based on their quality of movement. Riders are required to walk, jog, and lope in both directions while maintaining a loose rein to display the horse’s calmness. Judges penalize riders who fail to remain composed during these movements. The sport emphasizes the slow and relaxed nature of western horse culture, along with flashy tack. Some controversy exists among Western Pleasure riders regarding the horses’ movement quality, but the main objective remains showcasing a well-behaved horse rather than striving for the slowest possible movement. Horses should naturally hold their heads aligned with their withers. During the walk, jog, and lope, horses should exhibit energy and suspension in each gait, and any excessively slow movements result in disqualification. Western Pleasure has evolved as a discipline that prioritizes the naturalness of the horse’s movements, while also aiming to showcase proper behavior.
Western Pleasure, similar to most equestrian disciplines, is suitable for individuals of all age groups. Many novice riders opt to gain knowledge and experience in the Western Pleasure discipline before transitioning to another aspect of western horse riding. Individuals who decide to continue their journey with Western Pleasure can aspire to become professionals by striving to participate in Adequan Select World Championship Shows.
Based on their records with AQHA, the American Quarter Horse Association has established levels of work that horses and riders must qualify for. These levels, known as Rookie, Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3, are determined based on a handicapping system for the exhibitors’ eligibility.
Riders who wish to compete in Western Pleasure shows must ensure that their trainer accompanies them. Furthermore, trainers specializing in Western Pleasure must have AQHA records if riders intend to participate in shows.
Before choosing a trainer for Western pleasure riding, it is important to inquire if they can effectively support you in reaching your objectives in this activity. It is crucial to ensure that your chosen trainer possesses suitable training techniques and appropriate horses, as well as the capability to assist you in accomplishing your desired outcomes in the show ring.
We Ask Trainers: Tips to Fix Bad Western Pleasure Habits
Western pleasure is a class that sparks controversy in the industry because critics argue it compels trainers to make horses move in a stiff and artificial manner. Nevertheless, similar to elite sports such as basketball and football, only a few individuals possess the ability to compete at the highest level. Michael Jordan and Tom Brady are not roles achievable by everyone.
Due to the rarity and exclusivity of the talent required to succeed in national-level western pleasure competitions, trainers often push less skilled horses beyond their physical abilities. Consequently, this frequently results in the horses acquiring undesirable habits such as excessively tilted lopes, a bobbing topline, awkward walks, uneven lopes, and poor self-carriage, among other issues.
GoHorseShow requested advice from trainers regarding how to correct undesirable western pleasure training habits. In addition to judges not recognizing and rewarding such movement, the most apparent remedy is to prompt horses to move forward while guaranteeing they maintain rhythm and cadence. Nevertheless, modifying these habits proves challenging as it necessitates sufficient time and patience.
We all desire self-carriage, according to Brad Jewett. Personally, I do not prefer horses that glide across the ground when loping. This means that the horse is likely leaning too much and only appears to have a three-beat gait at the lope. These horses struggle to add another class to their skills at horse shows. Essentially, all the problems mentioned lack rhythm. Horses with these issues have been forced to fit into a role that doesn’t suit them. To address these problems, I spend weeks working with these horses, having them walk and trot in circles, loosening their ribcage, and teaching them how to steer.
All of this contributes to breaking down the barrier created by being a pleasure horse. This is the starting point for me. A horse’s natural rhythm is crucial, regardless of the length of their stride. When I have to establish a rhythm for the horse, teaching them how to trail becomes challenging. In the case of a horsemanship horse, we prefer them to have self-carriage so that the rider doesn’t have to constantly kick or push their heads with every stride. Our industry has numerous talented pleasure trainers and horses, and on the whole, they excel at preparing them for a comprehensive program.
Melissa Shetler believes this is an excellent subject. Firstly, she expresses her fondness for her all-around horses that are based on western pleasure. She appreciates their exceptional responsiveness and obedience, which contribute to their remarkable versatility. Melissa acknowledges and appreciates the western pleasure trainers for establishing a strong foundation that has been instrumental in the success of her all-around horses.
However, there are certain habits that we, as trainers who work with horses in various disciplines, must modify to meet our specific requirements. A prime example is the challenge of straightening horses that have a tendency to exaggerate their sideways movement and extend their legs excessively when responding to leg aids. This issue can make it more difficult to effectively teach lead changes. In my experience, promoting forward movement has proven to be a highly effective solution for many training challenges. Horses that have been trained to move freely forward, while still responding to steering cues and leg aids, tend to yield the best results. It is crucial for them to understand that moving forward is not only allowed but encouraged as well.
When it comes to the finest horsemanship horses, they are capable of being urged forward while still responding to our leg and hand aids. The level of comfort is paramount for these horses. They need reassurance that they are not making any mistakes by increasing their forward movement beyond what they are accustomed to. To achieve this, I frequently engage in hand galloping with all of my horses. Additionally, I utilize many of our show horses to lead other horses. Once they have learned to trot with control, long trotting proves to be incredibly beneficial. It enhances the freedom of movement at all gaits. Just like loping forward, trotting with liberty while simultaneously guiding and responding to leg cues is essential.
I consider these horses to be my favorite because I enjoy transforming them into exceptional all-around horses. Therefore, I am willing to alter our training methods in order to assist them in adjusting to our practices.
Austin Gooding believes that it is essential for pleasure horses to have a strong foundation in the basics. He has observed that many horses become overly reliant on the rider’s control and fail to develop the ability to function independently. Consequently, their timing and self-carriage may suffer, or their fore and hind ends may not work together harmoniously. To address these issues, Gooding focuses on improving self-carriage, guiding, and instilling a willing attitude in the horses. One method he particularly enjoys is introducing them to western riding, as it helps realign their body parts and increases their range of motion.
This year, there is a greater focus on gate correctness rather than simply being slow at major events, which is a positive development. Nowadays, pleasure horses are exceptionally well-trained, to the extent that any shortcomings that the public used to criticize about modern pleasure horses could vanish quickly with slight modifications to our presentation during shows. In the show ring, many of us excessively rely on the brakes, possibly not out of necessity but rather because we have the ability to do so.
