# !!!!VIDEOS!!!Which horse has the better movement?



## HorseGurl27 (Oct 13, 2009)

*Which horse do you think is the better mover for western pleasure. 
Which one do you think has more show potential? 

Both are 5 years old. 

Horse #1 has about 5 months of professional training 
Horse #2 has about 7 months. Horse one is $3500 and horse two is $5500. 

Tell me what you think one of these could be a potential purchase in the future!*


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## luvmyqh (Dec 10, 2009)

#1 but the head is to low!!


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## SpiritJordanRivers (May 31, 2009)

Ok, quick question. Is the second horse doing a four-beat lope in the beginning, or am I completely wrong (probably)? Wow, I've never ridden a lope that nice, slow, and collected . . . wonder what it feels like


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## ShutUpJoe (Nov 10, 2009)

It feels like cutting butter : ). I call it the country crawl. I like #2.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

I don't like either one that well. They are doing the typical western pleasure invented gates. I won't belabor my distaste for WP as a disipline but I wasn't impressed with either one.


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## BuckOff41570 (Nov 15, 2008)

I prefer the second. The great thing about these horses is that, while they are going WAY too slow, they are at a very early stage in their training. When the girl was loping the second horse in the beginning, it would be nothing to just ride him up into the bridle a little more. The horse is capable. Same with the first, just bump the horses head up. He's too heavy for my taste, but the price, IMO, reflects a horse that needs tuning.

Change the rider, change the horse.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

#2 doesn't look like he was built for WP. He has a hard time keeping his head that low and loping with so little impulsion and that makes his lope just hideous. His lope is choppy and he is using his head to pick himself up. He jerks it up with his front and and really drops it down with his back end. I really like his other gaits though.

#1 has a better overall movement though he does need some serious work. His lope has no impulsion and dare I say it..... looks like more of a trope to me. However, it looks easier for him to maintain that frame and speed. Where it looks like #2 is really having to work for it, it looks easy for #1.


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

#1 doesn't look sound to me. Moves shorter in the right hind than than left. That might be because of the "trainer's gait" jog, but of the two, I prefer #2. 

In general, though, I agree with kevinshorses. I prefer horses to move under saddle a little closer to their natural gait. 

Disclaimer: I am not a western horseperson, and am not all that familiar with what's desirable in WP.


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## QHDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

SpiritJordanRivers said:


> Ok, quick question. Is the second horse doing a four-beat lope in the beginning, or am I completely wrong (probably)? Wow, I've never ridden a lope that nice, slow, and collected . . . wonder
> what it feels like



Um I thought the same thing. It looked to me almost like the horse was cantering in the front and trotting in the back...


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## GottaRide (Dec 10, 2007)

If I were picking between these two horses, I would definately go with #1. 

I love a good western pleasure horse, and the first horse has the ability to be one. There are some issues with the way the horse goes around in this video that should be easy to address. He falls on his forehand occasionally throughout the video, plus he's behind the vertical through most of the video. I like where his head is at. I like how his legs move. I like how he goes along on a nice drape rein. He'd be a nice one to work with.

The second horse seems like he'd have an easier time as a huntseat horse. He's bigger and longer so it is harder for him to get under himself while he's trying to go slow at the same time. He should be able to do WP, but he's a bigger challenge right now.


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## Sixxofdiamonds (May 7, 2009)

I would go with horse number one with a bit of tweaking.

I'd pick up his forehand by quite a bit. That will in turn lift his face from a peanut roll as well.

Also, when he is loping, she has his nose turned into the wall, which makes a slow lope, but kind of throws off the rest of him. If he were moving straight (and he does at a few points throughout the video) then he'd move rather nicely.

Horse number two has a nice jog, although heavy on the forehand. 

Because he's only had a short amount of time in training, this is to be expected. 


Horse number one definitely has a better flow to him. He is MUCH more capable of western pleasure movement than horse number two.

Horse two isn't bad, but just not what I would choose if I were to compete western pleasure.


I would like to see how slow horse one could go with a bit more impulsion, but because of how balanced he carries himself, I really don't think that would be an issue for him.

Man, now it makes me want to go lope around for days... 
Good luck!

As an addition: Western pleasure has been my main competition for the past 8 or so years with AQHA.


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

Neither are impressive to me, both seem to need a ton of work and have strung out hind ends.

If I had to pick one though it would be #1, he looks a little better suited to what he is doing, however, his headset is ridiculously low and would need to be brought up at least a few inches.


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## Ridehorses99 (Dec 23, 2009)

My vote is for #1. Although his head is too low, his movement is more fluid and he is more collected at all 3 gaits. Horse 2 is strung out and the lope is not good. Not only is he strung out & not collected, but he is creating his front end lift by throwing his head up. He almost looks like he could have some lameness issues.


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

I like horse #2 better, but horse #1 looks a bit ouchy in the front legs. Make sure to check that.

Eh. I wasn't very impressed with either of them. Maybe keep looking a bit?


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## xEquestrianx (Aug 30, 2009)

#1 was better, but I didn't really like either really. Their lopes are awful. They aren't even 3 beating from what I can see....but I guess that's just me...the WP world likes that.


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

i think there both pretty 

i am not going to coment on which i like better, because i dont know anythign abotu western pleasure, besides the gaits and stuff. but i couldnt take my eyes off the second.... but that might just be the dressage rider in me seeking out the one that i would pick for dressage


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## Maverick101 (Nov 8, 2009)

xEquestrianx said:


> #1 was better, but I didn't really like either really. Their lopes are awful. They aren't even 3 beating from what I can see....but I guess that's just me...the WP world likes that.


Not as much anymore depending where your sanctioned.
In our area...Judges are now not placing horses that move such as this, as Kevin said...its not a natural gait, its man made, and a Horrible one at that.

Many western riders are now opting for the more natural head set, rolling lope, opposed to the peanut roller mentality, and the "im not really loping or trotting gait" :wink:


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Maverick, if that pic in your avatar is an example of a lineup at one of your WP classes, that is one that I would be interested in watching.


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

Maverick101 said:


> Not as much anymore depending where your sanctioned.
> In our area...Judges are now not placing horses that move such as this, as Kevin said...its not a natural gait, its man made, and a Horrible one at that.
> 
> Many western riders are now opting for the more natural head set, rolling lope, opposed to the peanut roller mentality, and the "im not really loping or trotting gait" :wink:



I am soooo glad to hear that, now if the rest of the world would follow suit all would be good, lol:wink:


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

Maverick101 said:


> Not as much anymore depending where your sanctioned.
> In our area...Judges are now not placing horses that move such as this, as Kevin said...its not a natural gait, its man made, and a Horrible one at that.
> 
> Many western riders are now opting for the more natural head set, rolling lope, opposed to the peanut roller mentality, and the "im not really loping or trotting gait" :wink:


 
Absolutely agree with your weel thought out response. 

Those horses in your avatar ARE really nice. Tell us about them, if you don't mind a hijack. Maybe the OP should hear what you say.


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## RoadRider / Rios Dad (Jul 2, 2009)

maura said:


> #1 doesn't look sound to me. Moves shorter in the right hind than than left. That might be because of the "trainer's gait" jog, but of the two, I prefer #2.
> 
> In general, though, I agree with kevinshorses. I prefer horses to move under saddle a little closer to their natural gait.
> 
> Disclaimer: I am not a western horseperson, and am not all that familiar with what's desirable in WP.


I agree. #1 looked off on the right hind. I don't care for any horse moving like them. I would have to pack a lunch just to fetch the cows from the back 40.


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## Maverick101 (Nov 8, 2009)

Allison Finch said:


> Absolutely agree with your weel thought out response.
> 
> Those horses in your avatar ARE really nice. Tell us about them, if you don't mind a hijack. Maybe the OP should hear what you say.


Well thanks guys

Yes, that line up was at our 2008 spring show. 

AS alot of people have already said the "classic" WP horses travel quite ugly in the sense that it is not natural, and it looks awkward, and often does make the horse look lame. However, quite a few WP riders (in our area) especially the younger generation, are not training this way due to the many reasons that people have already listed.

Now, some people like this...however.... a lot don't. Seeing that the whole point of WP is for the horse to be...Comfortable, and a joy to ride, these horses are not so, as RIO said it would take a whole day to check on your cows. Now WP is supposed to reflect the easy and comfortable ride that a cowboy would need in order to check fences and cattle for extended periods.....and again RIO makes a valid point...how the heck would you get that done on a horse w such slow and unnatural gaits???

This was the whole reasoning behind a lot of the western Canadian 4-H groups rallying around our local chapters of horse "gods" and requesting a change in how these horses are judged. Now, this didn't happen over night. But now Id say in a class of 10 horses you"ll have maybe 4 that will travel this way...and they often don't place (depends on the judge of course), but I see more and more of these horses being over looked. But again this is only in western Canada from what I have seen, but the more people advert from training this way, the sooner it wont be considered desirable at all shows/states/provinces etc

The sorrel horse second from the left is my guy Maverick He placed 3rd in that class. The paint on his Right ended up winning...a real nice mover, can collect himself quite nicely for a bigger horse.. he is actually owned by a friend of mine . The second place horse was "cut" out of the picture he is just off to the right of the paint. My Dad took the picture, and was really just trying to get Mav and myself in the frame.


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## WesternPleasure1029 (Feb 2, 2009)

Although I don't particularly like either, I would say #1 has more POTENTIAL. ?He definitely needs to be driven up a lot more especially in the back end so that he really gets under himself and engages. People have said that his head is too low but I like it the way it is. It is where he naturally would hold it and he has a good flat front end with a nice slow back end. He just needs a lot of work really driving up under himself. If it were me, I wouldn't really pick either. I'm sure there is something better out there for that price range especially now that the market is down.


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## Plains Drifter (Aug 4, 2009)

If I had to pick between the two, while I think #1's head was too low and his lope looked like a trot on the back end, I liked his overall look. 

#2 besides looking huge, looks like he has to struggle in his gaits. When the person riding him started trotting him and posting, he definately didn't have the look of a western pleasure horse. He looked more suited to hunter/jumper.

It's been over 8 years since I've trained and shown western pleasure..I forgot how slow they looked.


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## Plains Drifter (Aug 4, 2009)

RiosDad said:


> I agree. #1 looked off on the right hind. I don't care for any horse moving like them. I would have to pack a lunch just to fetch the cows from the back 40.


ROFLMTO! When I use to show WP, I use to joke that I could walk faster than my horse could lope. Looking at it on video seems a lot different than being there and participating.


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## Ink (Sep 25, 2009)

Haha, this reminds me why I hated judging WP in the 4-h contests. It was always a toss up on how to place those four-beat lopers.

If I had to choose, I'd pick #2. But like the others have been saying I bet you could find something better if you shopped around a bit.


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## BMUNCH (Feb 4, 2009)

im not a big fan of WP but the first horse does seem to do it with ease. he looks better and although his lope needs to have a more lopish look, his trot is nice and his head lays low easily. not only is he cheaper, but he looks bred for it! The other horse looks like it would rather be faster and freeer.


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

I wouldn't spend their asking prices for either horse IMO...for that kind of money you should be able to get a horse with a little more experience. IF I were to go for either of them it would probably go for number two, because he could wind up being a good all around horse...


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## cowgirlfitzy (Jan 27, 2009)

I agree with what most people said. I think #2 would make a great all around horse if you planned on doing HUS classes as well. #1 did seem better in his hocks and more slow legged. Both horses do need to be pushed out more at the lope tho. Get them more correct then slow them down. #2 especially but both look like they were trained just to go slow and not correctly.


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