Groomed To A "T"

No matter what kind of horse or in what discipline you compete-Quarter Horse, gaited horse, jumping, roping, grade horse or otherwise, we can all take a lesson in grooming while viewing the Olympic horses. These horses simply sparkle in the lights of the equestrian venue in Hong Kong. There is not a spec of dirt showing, not a hair out of place. Their tack has nothing flapping or mismatched. The pads are in place under the saddles, upon which sit riders in white pants (there's a challenge to keep clean!) and shiny black boots. They are similarly groomed as the horses.
Presenting a horse to the world is a bit different than at a "Saturday night" show, but the lessons are the same. Clean and healthy horses, tack that fits, and horse and rider dressed in the style for that arena.
I have judged many a club show where the horses, though of not the highest quality, were presented at their best. It doesn't take big bucks to clean and oil the saddle you have, fit the bridle to the horse, wipe off your boots, and bathe the horse. Your horse reflects your desire and intentions to win in his presentation, and you will garner points and respect from a judge.
I do live in the real world. I know the bigger the show, the more your presentation will matter, and good tack does matter. There isn't a single place in America, whether its the board room, lunch room or school room, where the "right" clothes don't matter-that's just a fact.The show ring is no different. The higher up the ladder you go, the more that's the case. It does take money to win at the top, and tack is a part of the expense. At the more local levels, you can do well with your tack as it is, as long as its clean and well fitted to you and your horse. A new clean pad is not a big expense, and it can make all the difference.
Having your horse healthy and well fed not only enhances his look, but makes him more able to perform at his gaits with style and endurance. As a judge, horses have come in the ring for my consideration that should have had the entry fee spent on their hooves-which were so long and split, it was painful to watch them go. I can't imagine how the rider thought the horse would perform well with those hooves, when, in any discipline, its all about how the horse travels.
Maybe your event doesn't have points-its judged on time. If you dress yourself and your horse like you came to win, you stand a better chance of doing so. You show your competitors you have confidence in your abilities. It gives you a boost to have on a nice starched shirt, jeans without holes, and clean tack and horse.
I believe it doesn't matter how big the event, its still a competion, and its about winning. Presentaion matters and like I used to tell my clients, "Show up like you expect to have your picture made."

Dressage Perfection

Last night I got a chance to catch some of the Olympic dressage. Wow! I think that has to be just about the most beautiful thing you can do with a horse. I don’t do that myself yet because Copper and I are working on bending and getting our gaits correct. Anne, our Marketing Media Manager here and my riding instructor each week, said that no matter what discipline you ride you should be able to do a basic dressage pattern so I aim to get there.


According to Don Vizi, executive director of the National Walking Horse Association, there is a dramatic increase of interest among dressage for gaited horses. Realizing this, the National Walking Horse Association and the United States Dressage Federation have collaborated to provide exhibitors correct information and to train judges for modified tests since gaited horses don’t trot. This is so great because within NWHA or TWBHEA, Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association, sanctioned shows in the Versatility portion riders do a dressage pattern. This is a way to provide expertise to the discipline and to promote it.


Gaited horses won’t be able to compete in the USEF or USDF sanctioned events because they don’t trot and, therefore, can’t exhibit the trotting requirement of regular dressage like you see in the Olympics. Dressage is beneficial to any discipline you ride for the communication, bending, and overall collection. Plus, it is amazing to watch! Here are some links for more information. I'm not up to speed on the official rules between NWHA and TWHBEA.
http://www.nwha.com/dressage.html
http://www.nwha.com/news08Feb06.html
http://www.twhbea.com/News/08WVSRelease.htm