Well. I have to admit since i've always been around Morgans that I'm a little breed blind. I just think that Morgans are prettier than other breeds, they have it all, beauty, brains and brawn. I'll admit that some Morgans *cough* JW That Special Flaire *cough* have become Saddlebreds with AMHA papers, but for the most part they have stuck to typical Morgan standards. So lets take this one discipline at a time.
Really? I mean come on people, and this was on a sale ad? Is there anyone out there looking for this? Lets take the headset, WAY too low. That horse is a peanut roller. Now the rider, horrible eq and is it just me or her had look like it's way too far too the left side of her horse. How can that horse even move? No impulsion off the rear and he is leaving himself behind.
I don't have a much of problem with this one as I do with the one above. Sure the head is high, but other than that it's pretty good. The horse can move of it's hind. The rider has a good seat and her hands are okay.
This Morgan exhibits ecxellent head carrige. The eye is level with the withers and the head is perpendicular with the ground. The rider had good eq and is holding the romel reins properly.
This Arabian has overall good form. It's head is a little low and a little behind the vertical but besides that the hors is nice looking and is a nice mover. He fits the hunter type as he is moving forward, and you can clearly tell that he isn't just a western horse eith hunter tack on.
Here we have a Trakehner. The neck is over extended, but besides that, the head/neck isn't that bad. The hind end lacks impulsion but, I assume if the riders seat was better (I understand there are bad pictures) the horse might look nicer. Once again this was a sale ad. This is kind of irrelevant but when I bought my Morgan gelding KHF Emerald and Gold at auction, the booklet showed a picture similar to this one, it turns out they WANTED to make the horse look like a horrible hunter so the Amish wouldn't buy him. Go Figure.
I'm in love with this mare (and thats a lot coming from me as I don't like hunters.). Isn't she gorgeous?? She has a nicely arched neck and her head is in just the right place. Her hind is engaged and she is the perfect Morgan hunter. I really can't say enough about this mare so I'm just going to stop now.
Horse: Briar Oaks Good Vibrations
Now that the hunters are out of the way we'll move on to my discipline of choice. Saddleseat!! If you read my earlier post you will know that saddleseat horses are not abused... well not in the Morgan world anyway, despite what some believe.
No. No no no. Wrong! Okay. Apaloosas should not be shown saddleseat, ever. A weymouth bridle and a cutback does not make a horse Saddleseat. Ever. A good Saddleseat horse should at least trot with animation. I see no animation here. I apologize if you own an Appaloosa and show Saddleseat, but please but an all purpose saddle on it if on if you simply must show english.
Really? I mean come on people, and this was on a sale ad? Is there anyone out there looking for this? Lets take the headset, WAY too low. That horse is a peanut roller. Now the rider, horrible eq and is it just me or her had look like it's way too far too the left side of her horse. How can that horse even move? No impulsion off the rear and he is leaving himself behind.
I don't have a much of problem with this one as I do with the one above. Sure the head is high, but other than that it's pretty good. The horse can move of it's hind. The rider has a good seat and her hands are okay.This Morgan exhibits ecxellent head carrige. The eye is level with the withers and the head is perpendicular with the ground. The rider had good eq and is holding the romel reins properly.
Horse: BEF Ivan
Okay. We got Western out of the way, now time for hunters (I don't know to much about jumpers so I'm going to stick to on the flat)
This Arabian has overall good form. It's head is a little low and a little behind the vertical but besides that the hors is nice looking and is a nice mover. He fits the hunter type as he is moving forward, and you can clearly tell that he isn't just a western horse eith hunter tack on.
Here we have a Trakehner. The neck is over extended, but besides that, the head/neck isn't that bad. The hind end lacks impulsion but, I assume if the riders seat was better (I understand there are bad pictures) the horse might look nicer. Once again this was a sale ad. This is kind of irrelevant but when I bought my Morgan gelding KHF Emerald and Gold at auction, the booklet showed a picture similar to this one, it turns out they WANTED to make the horse look like a horrible hunter so the Amish wouldn't buy him. Go Figure.
I'm in love with this mare (and thats a lot coming from me as I don't like hunters.). Isn't she gorgeous?? She has a nicely arched neck and her head is in just the right place. Her hind is engaged and she is the perfect Morgan hunter. I really can't say enough about this mare so I'm just going to stop now.Horse: Briar Oaks Good Vibrations
Now that the hunters are out of the way we'll move on to my discipline of choice. Saddleseat!! If you read my earlier post you will know that saddleseat horses are not abused... well not in the Morgan world anyway, despite what some believe.
No. No no no. Wrong! Okay. Apaloosas should not be shown saddleseat, ever. A weymouth bridle and a cutback does not make a horse Saddleseat. Ever. A good Saddleseat horse should at least trot with animation. I see no animation here. I apologize if you own an Appaloosa and show Saddleseat, but please but an all purpose saddle on it if on if you simply must show english.
Can anyone guess which kind of horse this is? Morgan? nope. Saddlebred? 1/2 right. Arabian? 1/2 right. It's a National Show horse (half Arabian half Saddlebred) This horses head is just right and has good neck flexsion. Once again the hind could use a bit of impulsion but nothing major.
I like this little guy. The way he carries himself looks natural. His movement looks snappy and animated. The rider looks relaxed and they pair well with each other
I like this little guy. The way he carries himself looks natural. His movement looks snappy and animated. The rider looks relaxed and they pair well with each other
Horse: Paradigm Shift
So how does your breed-of-choice stack up?
So how does your breed-of-choice stack up?
picture number four
ReplyDeleteis not a hunter it's doing dressage, and doing it very well for an arabian
the rider is almost lined up from ear to shoulder to hip to heel so she is almost correct, she is a little hollow and leaning a bit too far forward, the horse could pick his head up a little more but nothing too serious, and the horse is tracking up so overall a very nice Dressage horse and rider
picture number six
this is no way a hunter the saddle and dress are hunter but not the horse nor the riders postion, this is a saddleseat horse with a hunter saddle
the saddleseat riders
this postion may be considered correct for the horse however in fact the horse's back is hollow
refer to classical dressage books "the suspension bridge"
hollow backs can cause a lot of injuries
Paigeley, Apparently you do not know much about morgans, because picture number 6 is a hunter. Morgans naturally have a high head set, along with a lot of animation in the leg movement. Saddleseat horses... again horses that are bred to be ridden saddleseat, have a high head set. This means that the horse does not have a "hollow back." I ride Morgans, Saddleseat in particular, but also huntseat, and western. If you would like to see a "hollow back" you really should look at one of my retired show horses. He is severely sway backed and doing saddleseat didnt do a thing to his back. Its the only division I could show him in as a walk trotter, because he was sooo hot. There are very little Saddleseat show horses with back problems, that were caused by having a hollow back. You are not the only one wh thinks this about morgans/national show horses/saddlebreds ect. but everyone really should do even a little bit of research, and understand them a little bit more.
ReplyDeleteI also hate the style of riding in picture number one but that style even has it's own name in hunt seat called "hunter under saddle". Some people love and prefer it. It's just a different kind of show world I guess.
ReplyDeleteI don't really understand picture number two. Western horses are not supposed to hold their heads that high.
They may be doing dressage in picture number four but the horse's head is past the vertical and therefore overbent which takes off points in ANY discipline.
I completely agree with you in picture number seven. Just because you have the bridle and the saddle does not mean you ride saddle seat. This horse would excel at hunter pleasure or eq but definitely not saddle seat and I hate people who try to pull that off.
I am also extremely partial to Morgans but you always have to remember that other people are partial to other breeds and disciplines and to respect that. Morgans have such a naturally beautiful neck and head carriage and can really be taught to hold their head in any position where other breeds have limitations. That much cannot be denied!