Throughout its history, Western Pleasure has consistently faced a notable amount of criticism. This criticism has encompassed various aspects, including the use of peanut-pusher headsets during the 60’s and 70’s, the excessive slowness observed in the 80’s and 90’s, and more recent concerns regarding horses veering off course.
Western Pleasure has transformed from a demonstration of working horses’ ability to ride comfortably and obediently on the rail to a specialized event that has seen significant improvement due to exceptional breeding and impressive prize money. Nevertheless, it is puzzling why a seemingly simple and uncomplicated class has become a subject of controversy throughout the years. Show Horse Today recently interviewed acclaimed trainer, breeder, and three-time NSBA Hall of Fame inductee, Tom Chown, to gather his perspective on the present condition of the western pleasure industry, the progress it has made, and the modifications that may be necessary.
The speaker explains that we are currently living in a time when we have successfully bred the finest horses for western pleasure, but their natural movement has been significantly altered by the current training methods. This alteration has resulted in a departure from the smooth and effortless movement with genuine collection and self-carriage that these horses used to exhibit. Instead, the horses now display a mechanical and strenuous movement.
How did we reach this point? How did the western pleasure horse, which was bred over the years to have self-carriage, natural lift, flowing strides, and level top lines, end up receiving so much criticism? Is it solely due to a lack of understanding from those outside the discipline, or is there more to it? Many people, both those involved in showing and those who are not, have expressed discomfort and turned away when they witness some of the horses in the western pleasure class struggling as they move along the rail in the show ring. If these reactions do not indicate a significant issue with the current training methods for western pleasure horses, one only needs to observe the decline in western pleasure participation at most shows in recent years.
According to Chown, I believe the issue revolves around a lack of knowledge. The younger generation has become accustomed to seeing horses move at such a slow pace during the jog and lope that they are not even performing these gaits properly. Once they witness this winning style, they assume it is the correct way to go about it. Additionally, many individuals have the mentality that if being slow is good, then finding a method to go even slower is even better. This mindset applies to the slow jog, fast lope, lack of understanding of the gaits, and the intention to create the appearance of a split in the hock.
However, it is not advisable to approach it in that manner. A proficient trainer will focus on maximizing the innate movement and self-carriage of the horse, rather than dissecting the horse into separate components and attempting to correct them individually. Such an approach often hinders the horse’s ability to execute the gaits flawlessly.
Appreciating True Collection, versus Mechanical Movement
When considering anything, balance is key. If you prioritize having the lowest headset, slowest horse, and deepest hock to the extreme, you will compromise the horse’s natural way of moving, which relies on balance and integrity. In the pasture, a horse maintains “self carriage” while loping, which is a comfortable and natural way of carrying itself. The horse instinctively lifts its core, which includes its ribcage and back, and uses its head and neck for balance. However, for those who have never witnessed this fluid and natural movement, it can be difficult to imagine.
Chown explains that in order to maintain the horse’s topline parallel to the rail and show its back’s roundness, the horse must lift its ribs and back, referred to as its “core”, and use its legs as a pendulum. If the horse fails to lift its “core” and instead hollows out its back, its gait becomes discombobulated as it struggles to compensate for the lack of lift, causing the front and back ends to move independently. However, when the horse successfully lifts its “core” and moves its body as it is meant to, the result is a beautiful, smoother, and freely flowing stride.
Excessive slowness is frequently observed in the western pleasure ring in today’s context.
According to him, there is a common misconception that the slower a horse goes, the better it is. However, this is not true. A horse must have the ability to move forward with the mentioned “lift”. Present-day western riding horses demonstrate this impulsion as it enables them to switch leads. They have an elevated back and a smooth, flowing motion that allows them to keep their heads and necks in a natural position without excessive movement. This is known as self-carriage and is the desired appearance for western pleasure horses too.
As previously mentioned, the horse needs to use his “core” or back for lift and suspension, while the power comes from the drive in his hips and loin. Any correct movement, whether it’s a lead change for western riding or a proper spin for horsemanship, necessitates power and forward motion from the horse’s hind end. This powers the lift and the front step required for speed. When a horse fails to engage his hind end properly, preventing him from lifting his ribcage/back or core, there is a loss of power or impulsion. This causes the front end to move separately from the hind end, hindering the horse from building momentum to continue moving forward, speed up, or slow down further. When the horse’s front end moves independently from the hind end, it becomes challenging for the horse to maintain balance, resulting in the observed “head bobbing” or exaggerated up and down movement of the head and neck seen at many shows today.
According to Chown, there are two reasons why a horse bobs its head. The first reason is that it may be lame or struggling to move forward and maintain balance. Chown emphasizes that a horse’s head and neck are essential for its balance. Regardless of the event, if a horse’s head and neck are moving up and down, it appears to be lame and unbalanced. Chown questions whether this is truly an accepted standard for a lope or if it is a misconception. Chown firmly states that as owners and trainers, we are aware that head bobbing or excessive movement indicates lameness when a horse is moving, even at the jog or trot. Therefore, it is incorrect to reward this same presentation in the show ring during a lope.
Chown questions the jog, which is a two-beat gait that also necessitates lifting the core, allowing the horse to suspend himself and maintain accurate diagonals. Chown clarifies that this lift is the key aspect of self-carriage.
He states that the slower a horse is able to jog and lope correctly and naturally, the more he is allowed to lift through his back or core and bring his legs underneath him creating suspension.
These days, it is more frequent to hear the announcer request an increase in the pace of the gaits in a western pleasure class, yet only a small number of horses demonstrate any alteration in gait speed, resulting in confusion for both spectators and judges.
When observing a pleasure class, a common initial observation is that numerous riders position their horse’s hip inward to accentuate a “deep hock”.
If individuals only focus on the deep hock, they have a tendency to disregard the other mentioned aspects. The exaggerated inward movement of cocking the hip to achieve the appearance of the ‘deep hock’ is simply a trick, and does not indicate that the horse is truly bringing their hindquarters that far underneath them.
The process is as follows: when a horse’s head is directed towards the inside, it compels him to leave his drive leg, or his outside hind leg, behind him. This creates the appearance of a deep hock. If the horse’s drive leg is not properly positioned beneath him, he lacks the means to elevate himself and propel forward. Consequently, in order to move ahead, he must hollow or drop his back, which disengages his back and core. This compels him to raise his head and neck to maintain balance and generate enough impetus for his front leg to move forward. Put simply, without being able to utilize his drive leg or have a solid foundation, he loses his innate ability to carry himself forward smoothly. As a result, he exhibits a lame or strained, mechanical gait that we mistakenly perceive as deserving of recognition. Moreover, many individuals, driven by the desire to win, shamefully invest large sums of money in training that perpetuates this illusion, disregarding the well-being and happiness of our horses. Consequently, this is the reason why a significant number of our horses may experience lameness at such an early stage in their careers.
We Ask Trainers: Tips to Fix Bad Western Pleasure Habits
Western pleasure is a class in the industry that is considered controversial by many. It is often criticized for requiring trainers to make horses move in a more mechanical and unnatural manner. However, similar to elite sports such as basketball and football, only a few individuals have the ability to compete at the highest level. Not everyone can achieve the same level of greatness as Michael Jordan or Tom Brady.
Due to the rarity and exclusivity of the talent required to succeed in western pleasure at the national level, trainers frequently push less talented horses beyond their physical abilities. Consequently, these horses often acquire undesirable habits such as excessively tilted lopes, undulating backlines, unnatural walks, unsteady lopes, and poor self-control, among various others.
GoHorseShow inquired trainers for advice on correcting poor western pleasure training habits. Apart from the fact that judges do not acknowledge or reward such movement, the most clear-cut resolution involves inducing the horses to move forward and ensuring they possess rhythm and cadence. Nevertheless, altering these ingrained habits is a challenging process that demands both time and patience.
Brad Jewett expresses his desire for self-carriage and states that he is not a fan of horses that “skate” during the lope. He believes that these horses are likely overcanted and have a somewhat three-beat gait at the lope. Additionally, these horses struggle to add another class to their repertoire at horse shows. Brad explains that these horses lack cadence and have been trying to fit into a role that is not suitable for them. To address these issues, he devotes weeks to walking and trotting in circles, helping the horses break loose their ribcage and teaching them how to steer.
The initial step in breaking down the barrier of being a pleasure horse is to focus on all of these elements. In my opinion, a horse’s natural rhythm, regardless of stride length, is crucial. However, it becomes challenging to train them for the trail when I have to establish their rhythm. Ideally, in horsemanship, we prefer horses with self-carriage, so that the rider does not constantly need to kick or push their heads with each stride. Thankfully, the industry possesses numerous exceptional pleasure trainers and horses who excel at preparing them for a comprehensive program.
Melissa Shetler thinks that this topic is excellent. Primarily, she expresses her fondness for her western pleasure-based all-around horses, praising their exceptional responsiveness, high level of training, and their tendency to be well-behaved. These qualities contribute to making these horses outstanding in various disciplines. Consequently, Melissa appreciates the western pleasure trainers for establishing a strong foundation that allows her to build upon. She believes that this has played a crucial role in the success of her all-around horses.
However, there are certain habits associated with horses that we, as trainers, need to modify according to our requirements. For instance, horses that have a tendency to overcant and excessively push off the leg can present challenges when it comes to straightening their bodies and teaching them lead changes. In my experience, promoting forward movement has proved to be an effective solution for various issues. Horses that have been trained to move forward willingly, while also responding to steering and leg cues, tend to demonstrate the highest level of success. It is important for them to understand that moving forward is not only allowed but also encouraged.
The most skilled horsemanship horses are capable of being urged to move forward while still responding to our leg and hand cues. It is crucial for these horses to feel comfortable, as they should not feel like they are doing something wrong by going faster than they are accustomed to. To achieve this, I incorporate a significant amount of hand galloping into their training. Additionally, I utilize our show horses to lead other horses. Once they have learned to control their movements, long trotting becomes highly beneficial as it improves their freedom of stride in all gaits. Similar to cantering forward, trotting freely while guiding and responding to leg aids is of utmost importance.
Once more, these horses hold a special place in my heart as I love transforming them into exceptional all-around horses. Consequently, I find it worthwhile to modify our training methods in order to assist them in adjusting to our practices.
