# My 2006 APHA Gelding Out of A Danson Impulse



## WesternPleasure27 (Nov 9, 2008)

This is Gus- my new coming 3 y/o. I got him in June, met him in May when he came into training at the farm I train at for halter breaking.
I saw him lunge and decided I HAD to have him and guess what, I got him lol.
These videos were taken of approximately ride 12. I plan to show him W/T HUS next year and get him used to the show scene stress free and not push too hard. Mid or end season I hope to have him loping...he just wasn't strong enough physically or mentally this year considering he went from not being halter broke to being broke to ride in about a month and a half.
I know these videos are just snippets, but let me know what you think 

Lunge/Round Pen Work:





First Rides Western:


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## amandaandeggo (May 21, 2008)

just curious . . . why is he in english tack in the 1st video . . . what are you planning to ride him mostly in?


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

I'm not in a critiquing mode, but I must say that in the riding views (well the one that I watched) you are making him go behind the vertical at times. I doubt you are purposely doing it and it is hard to know exactly...but thought you might want to know :lol:


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## WesternPleasure27 (Nov 9, 2008)

amandaandeggo said:


> just curious . . . why is he in english tack in the 1st video . . . what are you planning to ride him mostly in?


He will be an All-Around WP/HUS pleasure horse.
He is in english tack in the first video because that's what I primarily ride him in as that's what he'll be shown in mostly next year, after that, he will move into showing both Western Pleasure and Hunter Under Saddle.



SonnyWimps said:


> I'm not in a critiquing mode, but I must say that in the riding views (well the one that I watched) you are making him go behind the vertical at times.


This is because I'm asking him to bring his nose in, he isn't consistent yet as he's only 2 and hasn't even had 30 rides yet. He does come BTV, but these are only for split seconds, he isn't being held there.
Thank you for pointing it out though.


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## AKPaintLover (May 26, 2007)

I like him. I like how he moves, and I think he is doing quite nicely for two years old.


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## kickshaw (May 7, 2008)

keep doing what you're doing


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

I think he's going to be a cutesy. Once he develops and gets into shape I can easily see him as a decent show horse. Good for you! Make sure you keep us updated on him


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## Harlee rides horses (Jan 13, 2008)

I like how he carries himself...I think he'll make you a better western horse than English, once he develops more and slows down.


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## WesternPleasure27 (Nov 9, 2008)

Harlee rides horses said:


> I like how he carries himself...*I think he'll make you a better western horse* than English, once he develops more and slows down.


He ought to, that's what his pedigree says as well lol


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

My turn to "Attack" huh? :evil:It's really, really hard to critique a 2 year old and it's rider but I'll give it a shot. Once you build his neck muscles and get him collected he'll be really cute.

I know that riding babies really messes up a person equitation but you are allowing your legs to slide forward into a chair position, you also almost look like you could use a hole or a half hole in your stirrups but I do know alot of people will ride with their trainer saddle stirrups a little short so you may be doing that on purpose. Also I can't tell if I'm looking at your actual heels or if I'm looking at a spur strap but it looks like your heels are up. pushing your heels down as you know will help deepen your seat and slow your horse.

He's cute, you should have fun with him. The only major issue I can forsee you having with him is (IF APHA is like AQHA) that he's small compared to the 17 hand monsters that are the current "in" thing in the show ring.... but he's flashy and cute...I like him.


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## mayfieldk (Mar 5, 2008)

APHA isn't as bad as Quarter horse with monster horses... I just got my English Equitation ROM on my 15 hand gelding.  With that being said, sometimes we are hidden behind 16-handers, hehe.

However, don't make him go that slow yet, or all you'll be doing is teaching him to disengage his hind end and travel like 80% of other WP horses. The 'great' wp horses aren't any better then the others by skill.. they're just TRAINED better. He needs to know how to go forward in order to collect; so bring his head up a little bit and allow him to do so. If you leave his head where it is, you'll just be running him into the ground. Like many good trainers I have known say: the main mistake people make when training a western pleasure horse is making him go too slow too soon. He'll be dragging himself along by the forehand in no time.

Other then that, he's a very pretty, slow-legged mover, although I didn't get to see him lope and that is 'the money gait', lol. I really like him a lot, and good luck with him


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## WesternPleasure27 (Nov 9, 2008)

mayfieldk said:


> *However, don't make him go that slow yet, or all you'll be doing is teaching him to disengage his hind end and travel like 80% of other WP horses.* The 'great' wp horses aren't any better then the others by skill.. they're just TRAINED better. He needs to know how to go forward in order to collect; so bring his head up a little bit and allow him to do so. If you leave his head where it is, you'll just be running him into the ground. Like many good trainers I have known say: the main mistake people make when training a western pleasure horse is making him go too slow too soon. He'll be dragging himself along by the forehand in no time.
> 
> Other then that, he's a very pretty, slow-legged mover, *although I didn't get to see him lope and that is 'the money gait', lol. I really like him a lot, and good luck with him *


I wasn't slowing him down at all, that's his natural jog gait :wink:

Also, I'm showing him HUS first so that he can move out and use himself right, I think I wrote that somewhere already...okay went back, I didn't write that in but the fundamental of forward before slow is something I preach a lot lol.

No lope cause he isn't loping yet...I wanna keep those slow legs sound 



Thank you everyone for your compliments and suggestions.


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## GottaRide (Dec 10, 2007)

Good job with him.
Like someone else said, Keep doing what you're doing! 
I know I hated that when my trainer said that to me as I was training my gelding, but really it's true. Everything will fall into place as long as you stay on the same track you put yourself on.

Where do you plan to show? I see that you are in WI. I'll be at all the WPHC shows next year!


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