Horse abuse in America

[Vela]

That HAS to be the worst canter ever! I don't like anything about it, including the posture of the riders. Lurch. Stop. Lurch. Stop. Weren't TWHs originally bred to cover lots of ground at a fast, smooth pace? That looks anything but smooth. Give me the sweet rocking-horse motion anyday.

Vela (and/or Jess), I'm not familiar with TWHs, are there ways to produce the big lick without harming the horse? Or is such a high step entirely man made? Someone once told me that once the headset was in place, the gait came natural to racking horses. Does that include the high step? (Is there a difference between racking and walking horses? One in the same isn't it?)

I had some other TWH horse questions but forgot them at the moment. If I remember I may post 'em in Pet General, so as not to hijack this thread.

The Big Lick is not something that they do naturally. It is acehived with artifical aids, not necessairly soring, but the heavy leg weights and the chains. There are SOME horses who do naturally step higher than others but the Big Lick is completely artificial. I don't like the chains or the weights, i think to does permanent damage to the internal structures of the legs. They never used to walk like that on plantations, how would you get anywhere if they did? It's idiotic. I also don't like the posture of the riders. I prefer the natural gait, the forward rolling plantation walkers, and that's what I promote in my boy. As Jess showed, the come by that completely naturally.

Racking is basically a very fast gait. A TWH horse can sometimes be registered as a racking horse, but not all TWH can rack at speed and not all racking hores are TWH, some are saddlebreds, or a combinatio of the two. Jake does not do it. He can't maintain his rhythm at super high speeds, although as I get him in better shape he maintains it better and better. At one point they used standardbreds (harnes racers) to increase the speed of the gait. Here is a video link to a racking horse.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DytqyLjJd0A

Racking horses do come by it naturally, they can't really do anything artifical to make that gait with speed. They either can or can't. I'd love to get a racking horse someday.

As far as quarter horses go, they have their fair share of collateral damage =/ They sometimes inject alcohol in the base of the tail to "kill it" so they can't move it anymore, because heaven forbid you don't want a western pleasure horse's tail to move in the show ring. They do nasty thing to them to get their heads low too, and have a nasty 4 beat canter (supposed to be 3 beats) that makes them look like they are lame.

[cassiesmom]

I read about a program similar to this in Reader's Digest. I wish there were more such programs, working with people that need skills and encouragement in their life.
http://www.pennsylvaniaequestrian.co...-in-Prison.php
My mom used to ride before she and my dad were married. I never got into it. I'd rather stay behind and pet the barn cats! I don't like to watch horse racing, but I like to see horses in fields and pastures.