JUDGING THE PERFORMANCE HORSE 1 Possible Classes o

JUDGING THE PERFORMANCE HORSE 1

Possible Classes o o o o Western Pleasure Hunter Under Saddle Hunter Hack Reining Western Riding Hunt Seat Equitation Western Horsemanship Trail 2

Western Pleasure o o Western Pleasure is one of the most popular show events. A top western pleasure horse should be as the name implies: n a pleasure to ride 3

Western Pleasure o o Contestants compete simultaneously (all at once) Travel around the perimeter of the arena Walk, jog and lope Both directions of the arena. 4

Criteria used to evaluate performance horses o o Functional correctness Attitude and Manners n n o o Willingness Broke ness Quality of movement Head set and head carriage 5

Functional correctness o o o Follows all the rules! Horse picks up and maintains proper gait Each gait is correct and true Proper upward and downward transitions Maintaining a proper rate of speed Soundness 6

Quality of Movement o o Gaits must be performed with proper cadence and balance Softness Horse maintains a level top line Horse maintains a collected frame 7

Attitude and Manners o o Ask the question: Which horse is the steadies, brokest, most consistent horse in the class? Willingness/Broke-ness n n Attitude and temperament Prompt response with no resistance 8

Head set and head carriage o Head Carriage: how the neck is carried in relationship to the body. n o The poll must be level or above the withers. Head set: how the head hangs off the neck. n The face must be at or in front of the vertical. 9

Head Set Head Carriage 10

A good pleasure horse… o has a free-flowing stride of reasonable length n o in keeping with his conformation should cover a reasonable amount of ground with little effort 11

A good pleasure horse… o o should have a balanced, flowing motion will exhibit correct gaits that are of proper cadence 12

A good pleasure horse… o should carry his head and neck in a relaxed, natural position n poll level with or slightly above the level of the withers face should be level with his nose slightly in front of the vertical has a bright expression with his ears alert 13

A good pleasure horse… o o o should be shown on a loose rein should be responsive and smooth in transitions should extend in the same flowing motion 14

Terminology: the Walk o o The walk is a natural, flat footed, four beat gait. The horse must move straight and true at the walk. The walk must be alert The stride must be of a reasonable length in keeping with the size of the horse 15

Terminology: the Jog o o A smooth, ground covering two beat diagonal gait Horse works from one pair of diagonals to the other pair Square, balanced, straight forward movement of feet Extended jog shows same smoothness 16

Terminology: the Lope o The lope is an easy rhythmical three beat gait n n o o Horses moving to left should be on left lead Horses moving to right should be on right lead Natural stride should appear relaxed and smooth Ridden at a speed that is a natural way of going 17

Disqualification o o o Changing hands on reins More than index finger between reins Head too low for more than five strides 18

Faults to be scored according to severity o o o Excessive speed Wrong lead Breaking gait 19

Faults to be scored according to severity o o o Excessive slowness, loss of forward momentum Failure to take the appropriate gait when called for Touching horse or saddle with free hand 20

Faults to be scored according to severity o o o Head carried too high Head carried too low Over flexing or straining neck in head carriage so the nose is carried behind the vertical 21

Faults to be scored according to severity o o Excessive nosing out Opening mouth excessively Stumbling Use of spurs forward of the cinch 22

Faults to be scored according to severity o o Sullen, dull, lethargic, emaciated, drawn or overly tired Quick, choppy or pony strided Reins draped to the point that light contact is not maintained Tail: excessive movement/ “dead” tail 23