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We are
beginning a series of three articles for amateur riders wishing to
show in Western Pleasure who are working without a professional
trainer. This first article will discuss the selection of a western
pleasure horse.
When purchasing
a horse, attitude is very important for a western pleasure horse,
any arena horse or any performance horse. Number one, we look for
a horse with a quiet attitude. In other words, a high-strung horse
would not be considered a quiet minded horse. Normally, a
high-strung horse does not make a good western pleasure horse. A
western pleasure horse must be able to handle pressure. For
example, the horse must accept being trailered, the noise of crowds
and the activity going on around it. A horse with a good, quiet
mind is that is easily trained makes a good western pleasure horse.
Conformation is
also important for a western pleasure horse. A horse with a
relatively short back and a thin throat latch is preferred. The
hocks should sit up underneath the horse. The horse should be
naturally balanced and able to carry itself easily. A horse that
naturally carries its head at wither height is a good prospect. The
withers should not be lower than the hips as that makes it more
difficult for a horse to have self carriage at a slower speed.
It goes without
saying that the horse needs to be sound and stay sound. The horse
does not need to be flashy but a horse that stands out and catches a
judge’s eye can be important. A sorrel or bay with four white
stocking feet or a paint horse is going to catch a judge’s eye. Any
horse that has eye appeal to the judge is going to stand out. This
could be good or bad, depending on the horse’s performance. If you
are in a class with thirty horses and you have a lot of average
looking horses, a stand out horse can make the difference. So,
looks are important but if the horse does not have a presence, it
will still be hard to catch the judge’s eye. In a class of five it
may be different but if the class is large, you want a horse that
has a presence, will stand out and catch the judge’s attention
You also want a
horse with a naturally slow gait. The best western pleasure horses
I have worked with have a naturally slow, quiet gait. This
doesn’t mean that you can’t take a thoroughbred and make it into a
western pleasure horse. I’ve seen thoroughbreds with a pretty lope
and jog but most likely you want to start with a horse that has a
slow, pretty lope and jog already and then fine tune them. If you
have a horse that has the looks but is a little more forward, you
can work with the horse to bring it down. If the horse is too
forward, the pace of western pleasure will be too much work for it.
These are the
things we want to look for when selecting a horse for western
pleasure. You want a horse that is right for the disciple you have
chosen. A horse that would be a good western pleasure horse would
probably not be a good candidate for jumping. Every horse has its
area of expertise where it works best and is most comfortable.
Next month we
will discuss training the horse and then we will follow up with the
proper show clothing and equipment.
Ride March 2009
Charles Wilhelm
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