On Saturday, S and I went to watch a Tennessee Walker show. We wanted to get a better idea of what the good and bad look like so that we knew where to go with her horse, Lilly.
The show was a lot of fun and those TWH people are a hoot! This particular organization that puts on the show is not the Walker people who do the "big lick" soring crap. The divisions at this show were:
• Country Pleasure
(a division intended for novices, and horses who have little front-end action)
• Trail Pleasure
• Light Shod
• Plantation
(these horses wore the most heavy shoes, and even still, they weren't all that bad. Certainly no more than an English Pleasure Morgan would wear)
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| A "big lick" Walker. |
There were a handful of riders who rode their horses in long shanks, but in reality most of the Walkers wore very simple curb bits with short shanks. A version of the 3-ring elevator bit (seen often on eventers) was also common. I didn't see any horses even wearing chains. The atmosphere was laid back and the horses seemed happy. They sort of just wear what they have. For example, many wore saddleseat attire with a dressage saddle. Women wore fedoras (in Morgans and Saddlebreds, you will only see men wearing these). Hell, some didn't even put a hairnet on! (This made me cringe a bit, I admit.) Even hats are considered optional. :)
We were able to talk to a few pros on what Lilly should be doing - and you know what they said?
Dressage.
Lunging in side reins. Lots of stretchy work. It's ok to let her trot to build muscle. The basics for a good horse are the same across the board. It's only those trainers who are in a rush or are lazy that skip those important dressage principles and end up with a horse "broken in half" - or, hollow and disconnected.
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| A much more pleasant pair! |
The Walkers do have a bad rap for the
very small percentage of the industry who do the big lick shows. But there was none of that there - just good people, nice happy horses and good clean fun. Everyone supports one another and roots for them (loudly!) in the ring. If you get a chance to go to one of these shows, do it. The Walkers are neat and are so well behaved! I even saw a young girl leading around a stallion with no chain. *gulp*
The National Walking Horse Association
As a younger person (12-17) I spent a great deal of time attending smaller TWHBEA horse shows in Michigan. My best friend showed plantation pleasure/light shod/western pleasure classes on several walking horses. Anyway, most all of the shows I went to with her were almost exactly what you described. A small few would have a "big lick" or two, but mostly it was just easy going, relaxed people and their horses having a good ole' time! :)
ReplyDeleteI rode a barefoot walker once and he was a laugh riot. Big licks make me sick, but a regular TWH show would be a lot of fun!
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