# Popeye K



## kathryn (Jan 16, 2009)

Does anyone know about this stud? I found one of his kids for sale and they made a big deal that he was sired by Popeye K, so I wanted to know if anyone has ever heard of him or done anything with him.

Thanks!
Spencer Ranch - Popeye K


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## kassierae (Jan 1, 2010)

He's one of the top hunter sires out there, if not THE top hunter sire.


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## QHDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

Yep he is a very fancy hunter that has sired some fancy babies.


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## kathryn (Jan 16, 2009)

Oh awesome haha! Cause I am looking for a hunter horsey so I feel like his son would be a good match!


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## upnover (Jan 17, 2008)

Popeye K is one of the top Hunter stallions in the country! He goes in the toughest show ring with the toughest competition and wins like every class. And not only is he FAAAAANCY he's known for his amazing and laid back personality, which I hear he passes on to his offspring.


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## kmacdougall (Feb 12, 2010)

I would probably sell my kidney, right arm, lung and liver for a Popeye K baby! What a horse!


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## kathryn (Jan 16, 2009)

His owner said a shortterm lease might be a possibility for me! Which would be incredible. Here is is, please don't steal him until I've talked to her about leasing him! Haha if she does let me lease him, you can buy him in October 

DreamHorse.com Horse ID: 1514810 - Nemo


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## NittanyEquestrian (Mar 3, 2009)

I've heard that some of his babies are a little kooky and hard to start but once they are under saddle and going then I've heard good things about them so I dunno. He looks cute even though he's super on his forehand and he has a nice flat jump which is what they look for in hunters so if you get the lease then good luck!


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Well, I've heard of him, and that's saying something since I don't follow eventing


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## kassierae (Jan 1, 2010)

Pssst...Not eventing. Hunters.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Oops =) Shows how much I know about English riding xD


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## My Beau (Jan 2, 2009)

kmacdougall said:


> I would probably sell my kidney, right arm, lung and liver for a Popeye K baby! What a horse!


If I was a hunter rider I'd up you my right eye for a Popeye K son! I say go for it, it would be a great opportunuty for you


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## PAHunterRider (Apr 5, 2010)

NittanyEquestrian said:


> I've heard that some of his babies are a little kooky and hard to start but once they are under saddle and going then I've heard good things about them so I dunno. He looks cute even though he's super on his forehand and he has a nice flat jump which is what they look for in hunters so if you get the lease then good luck!


Although you can never forget the 50% that the mare contributes to the equation, I have never heard of nor seen any "kooky" Popeye K foals (and I happen to know many). Further, they do not look for a "nice flat jump" in the hunter ring. I'm not sure where you have ever heard that but it is entirely incorrect. Hunters should have a nice rounded jump which is called the bascule http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bascule_(horse) 

Other disciplines look more to a flat jump but definitely not a hunter. One outstanding trait of Popeye K (besides his calm steady temperament) is his fabulously round jump!


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## kmacdougall (Feb 12, 2010)

My Beau said:


> If I was a hunter rider I'd up you my right eye for a Popeye K son! I say go for it, it would be a great opportunuty for you


Well all I really need is my butt to sit on that wicked piece of horse, so really everything else can be put on the table as sacrifice!! And I'm not even a hunter, I'm a jumper!
I gotta say though.. I'd give probably anything to sit my rear on Popeye K. It's strange since I'm in the jumpers but that is the horse I covet more then ANYTHING. He's just so.. correct. A real gentleman.


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## NittanyEquestrian (Mar 3, 2009)

By flat jump I meant that you want they horse to jump like this \ and not like this ). A horse with a truly ROUND jump never wins in hunters as they chip and then over jump to get an actually visually round jump and in jumpers it doesn't matter how they get over the fence. I was not referring to a bascule I meant the overall appearance of the jump which is where the confusion may lie. They are generally completely flat at the point of the jump, like in this picture of a Popeye K baby. His jumping style appears to be more powerful than truly round as he has great impulsion and does flatten significantly over the point of the jump while keeping his legs tucked and his back relatively flat. This is the jump I was referring to as winning in the hunter ring. And I have only personally heard of a few babies out of Popeye K, so they might not have been the norm and I don't have any first hand knowledge with any of his offspring. That being said, this is a public forum and everyone is entitled to express their opinions and experiences whether they agree or disagree with your own.


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## PAHunterRider (Apr 5, 2010)

N.E.: I respect that we may have different opinions and certainly on the quality of a stallion, although I think that your statement regarding Popeye K was made recklessly. We all know how it goes when you pass along something that you "hear."

That said, I must again correct your blatantly WRONG statements on what constitutes a good hunter jump. The "bascule" refers to the body position as it travels over the jump or as you put it the "overall appearance of the jump." Same thing, not sure where there is confusion. 

And, please, a horse with a truly round jump will chip? Are you serious? Watch a good pro ride a horse with good bascule around a course. There is no chipping or overjumping and they are wonderfully round. In the picture that you have posted the horse has jumped in from a long distance and is hollow-backed. He has hiked his knees up nice which was probably to compensate for the long spot. A flat jump IS NOT a winning jump in a hunter ring and I can not fathom where you may have gotten this information. Do a Google search for Pete's sake, if necessary.

From your posts, I can only surmise that you are more of a trailer rider and have not had much experience in the hunter arena. The purpose of these boards is to inform and bad information is just that - BAD INFORMATION.


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## NittanyEquestrian (Mar 3, 2009)

I'm not quite sure what a trailer rider is...but I have seen horses like the picture I showed winning at high level hunter competitions in both Hunter O/F and in Equitation. Also, the wikipedia article that you so kindly added also states, "A "flat" jump is often desirable in hunt seat equitation. A jump with a great deal of bascule is challenging to ride, and is said to "pop the rider out of the tack." In a competition where the appearance of ease is critical, a flat jump can benefit the rider." I have very rarely seen horses with true bascules in a hunter competition, even on the A circuit. As stated, it makes it harder for the rider to sit and the hunters tend to like the long spot as it makes for a prettier and by default an ultimately flatter jump usually. In the jumpers they tend to have better bascules but as a whole jumpers of any discipline these days tend to be flatter and not as round as horses in the past on a whole. And I am talking about the amateur rider set, as the OP is just learning to show and is not a professional rider. I would agree that the truly good professional riders can get a horse to perform better than the average rider and will get bigger bascules and better rides out of horses. 

The OP also asked what people had heard about the stud and I told them what I had heard. I also cautioned that it was not first hand knowledge so they could do with it what they wished. I had also stated that every baby I had seen under saddle out of Popeye looked pretty nice and seemed to go just fine but they were older as in the 4-6 range and I haven't worked with any personally. I simply stated that I had heard some of them were hard to start and/or work with as babies. Which doesn't necessarily transfer to how they are under saddle or after being professionally trained. I also don't agree with "fad stallions" and I'm more into breeding to improve the mare not just because a stud is "really awesome". While the babies that he has on the ground seem to be doing very well I would caution people to not get "breeding blind" and consider potential buys/leases/etc as the horse itself at that point in time and not what it could be or by what it's parents did or were. 

Please refrain from attacking other users of this forum for their opinions. Just because you don't agree with my opinion does not give you the right to assume anything about me as a rider or degrade my input. Thank you.


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## HunterBreeder411 (Apr 6, 2010)

Hello- 

I have been reading on this forum for quite some time now and felt it was time to make a name and start posting! Popeye K is a fantastic Stallion with a wonderful temperment that he tends to throw to his babies. I have only ever heard great things about his babies, so I would say if you get along with this guy, definitely go for it!!

As for Nittany- You should not be giving information posing as a professional when you are not. Your post's contradict itself and shows your lack of knowledge when it comes to true AA Rated Hunters. While it is true that Equitation horses tend to have a 'flatter' jump. That is why they are good Eq horses, so the riders can stay with them. 


A true hunter has a very round jump and jerks its knees to its eyeballs. 

Leave the training to the trainers and please try not to pose as one. :wink:

OP- Good luck with this horse, he is super cute and looks like a very good boy!


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## kathryn (Jan 16, 2009)

Thanks HunterBreeder411! His owner actually still hasn't gotten back to me after the inital contact, unfortunately. Hopefully she will soon!


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## NittanyEquestrian (Mar 3, 2009)

I never said I was a professional hunter rider and I was only posting according to what I have heard from riders trainers and seen at shows that I have attended in my area. I also never said a hunter didn't "jerk its knees to it's eyeballs". I also never degraded Popeye K I just didn't gush about him like everyone else. My original post that everyone had such a problem with my comment about flat jumpers was about the son that the girl was looking at leasing. Go back and look at his pictures and you will see that he jumps flat and long and hangs his knees. This is how most of the hunters I have seen jump. Yes there are "true hunters" that jump round but they aren't that common at the shows that I have seen anymore. Also the judges I have seen don't always place them over the flatter jumpers for whatever reason. Judging dictates how people ride, train and jump and I have seen a trend towards flatter jumpers thats all I was saying. Not that I agree with the trend, just that I had observed it.

That being said the rider is entering her first year of showing on the circuit and is looking for more of a "made" horse to give her a good season and a confidence boost as she stated in a different post. So knowing what I did about what she was looking for I commented on his flat jumping style because I knew it would be easier for her sit too. I don't like his knees but he seems to be ok with the height and it might just not be a challenge for him to have to snap his knees. I doubt that the OP is going to be doing anything above 3'6 for her first year out anyways. I'm sorry that between your ignorance of the OP, my apparent lack of "knowledge" about everything and meagre trailer riding skills have offended the hunter greats that have posted on this thread.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Thank you to PAHunterRider and HunterBreeder411 for saying what I wanted to but couldn't figure out how to word regarding the jump that is ideal in the hunter ring. NE, while you may see flatter jumps winning here and there, I can assure you that it is not the norm 

Popeye K is a lovely stallion, with a lovely bouncy, round jump:


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## upnover (Jan 17, 2008)

NittanyEquestrian said:


> A horse with a truly ROUND jump never wins in hunters as they chip and then over jump to get an actually visually round jump...



Um, could you expound on that a little? I"m thinking you're using the word "Round" differently then how other people would.

Thanks for posting that video JDI! Lovely bouncy round jump is right!


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

JustDressageIt said:


> Thank you to PAHunterRider and HunterBreeder411 for saying what I wanted to but couldn't figure out how to word regarding the jump that is ideal in the hunter ring. NE, while you may see flatter jumps winning here and there, I can assure you that it is not the norm
> 
> Popeye K is a lovely stallion, with a lovely bouncy, round jump:
> 
> YouTube - Popeye K



Ditto. Lovely video too!

A hunter horse and an eq horse are as different as a hunter and a jumper. Popeye K is not an eq horse.


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## centrestableswendy (Dec 21, 2008)

My trainer has 2 of his babies on the ground for sale right now. PM me for more information. We're in central PA, and she could tell you anything and everything you could want to know about the temperaments, abilities, etc etc.


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## kathryn (Jan 16, 2009)

HAHAHA I just realized my trainer has a Popeye K baby! I'm silly


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

Nittany, I believe you're completely confusing where the bascule happens. ALL horses "flatten" at the peak of the jump, regardless of height or disicipline:



















Regardless of height, that looks like ANY horse will look when they've reached the point of their body being completely level with that of the jump. The bascule is what's happening before the horse reaches that point, so posting a photo of a hunter that has already concluded the apex of his jump is a little misleading.

And it also goes without saying that a bascule also tends to be in proportion to the jump as well - unless a horse is over jumping a hunter jump, he's never going to look like the Grand Prix jumper. Hunter fences tend to be much smaller, so you're simply not going to see the massive apex you do in GP jumpers due to sheer size of the fence.

Having a round jump doesn't means a horse NEEDS to look like this:










I don't know how you can call something like this "flat":










THIS is flat:


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## NittanyEquestrian (Mar 3, 2009)

I think my explanations were confusing not that my thinking was confused. I was talking in relation to the horse that she was thinking about leasing and what I thought she would be doing with it to begin with which I assumed was more geared toward Eq at hunter shows rather than actual "hunter" type classes. Then when I tried to explain it got a little confusing. 

My comment was that the hunter horses I've seen lately didn't truly round, just picked up their knees really nice and cleared the fence. I mostly only saw the amateur, young rider and green horse classes at the last show I attended but all theoretically should be judged to the same standard, right? I realize that height and things make a difference but I generalized where I probably shouldn't have. 

In the hunter shows I've seen lately a horse that really rounds and bascules will clear the jump higher and didn't appear to be placing as high as those that jump cleanly but without at lot of "extra" arch especially in the lower heights. If that is not the norm across the country then so be it, I don't follow hunters across the country.

Here's an example of a horse that I think jumps flat and is being advertised as an accomplished winner in hunter classes. 

  *ANOTHER FAVOR*“Riley Jane” is a 1995, 16 hand, Thoroughbred / Quarter Horse, chestnut mare. She has won numerous show and year end awards. She is a great teacher, talented jumper, automatic lead changer, and good mover. She is sadly outgrown and looking to teach her next rider.


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## csuebele (Oct 25, 2009)

I'm out of my league with the styles of jumping, but as far as Popeye K babies go, we just purchased one. The ad said that she had a temperment of 1, which I didn't belive till we saw her. She is the sweetest horse I've ever seen. Only had her a few weeks, so we'll see how she does.


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