Setting your horse up quickly for the judge is important if you want to place well at shows. Daniel Carlson and Are You Charlie were the amateur showmanship champions at the 2012 AQHA World Championship Show. Journal photo

By AQHA Professional Horsewoman Charlene Carter with Christine Hamilton, in The American Quarter Horse Journal

Editor’s Note: AQHA Professional Horsewoman Charlene Carter has been training and coaching horses for more than 37 years, specializing in all-around events. She currently holds a judge’s card with AQHA.

With any event, if you don’t practice, you won’t improve. And no matter how much your trainer works on your horse, if you don’t work on your own timing and communication with your horse, it’s not going to happen in the arena for you. It’s certainly true for showmanship.

In reining, judges look for “willingly guided” control. It’s that lack of resistance that earns points.

That’s what you look for in showmanship – the ultimate goal is to get your horse to setup almost without being told to. It shows a communication you have with your horse that is almost telepathic. You get there only with practice.

As with anything, some horses have more natural ability to do showmanship than others. A horse that is really framed and balanced in his body will be better at it, as will a horse that’s not too nervous or too laid back. Some horses learn and retain information better than others.

But all horses can learn to do showmanship. The keys are patience, consistency and clear communication.

Starting Out

When I start coaching an exhibitor in showmanship, I start by having her walk the horse and watch for the horse’s front legs. I want to work on the exhibitor being aware of what the horse is doing. Just like in riding, you’ve got to know where all the feet are.

As you watch the front legs, watch for when the horse starts to commit to pick up his left front foot. As soon as you can tell that commitment has happened, that’s when you say “Whoa.”

Have you ever wondered what the judges are looking for when they place a showmanship class? Showing to Win: Showmanship at Halter illustrates the standards for the class and provides you with the information you need to practice, plan and successfully perform a showmanship pattern. Using unique graphics and video technology, this video also defines the scoring system and explains what AQHA judges look for in this class.

When you do that at the walk, your horse will stop with his left front foot forward of his right front foot, and his back feet will be just the opposite – the right hind will be forward of the left hind.

Then turn and get into your correct setup position – faced toward the horse, your shoulders parallel to the horse’s spine.

I teach an exhibitor to first push her hand down and straight back to ask the horse to step the right hind foot back, next to the left hind. Then, lift her hand up and back and ask the left front foot to move back in line with the right front. Ideally, in those two steps, you get your horse set.

I don’t say “Whoa” after setting each foot. If you stay consistent with your hand movement – down to move the hind feet and up to move the front feet – your horse will learn which end you are asking him to move.

But if you just move your hand backward and forward with your hand in the same level position, your horse will get confused and won’t know if you mean the back or the front. I see that so often in the show pen.

Some trainers teach horses to do just the opposite; it doesn’t matter which way you do it, as long as you stick to one system. I push down to move the hind feet, because when you put your hand down it puts the horse’s weight on his shoulders and the front feet, and lifts his weight off the hind end so you can move the back feet. Then, when you lift up to move the front feet, it shifts his weight to the hind end and makes the front feet lighter.

When you start out, expect your horse to get close with his feet, not perfect. The more you practice, the more precise you will get on where you put each foot.

The more you work at it, the less you will have to physically move your hand to signal your horse. It will get to the point where you can just drop your hand an inch or lift your hand an inch, then move it back or forward an inch – all without pressure or vocal commands – and that horse will respond.

Step It Up

After you get the two-step setup locked in from a stop at the walk, start working with a stop at the trot.

Before you work at the trot, your horse must have it in his mind that he’s supposed to get his feet together when you stop. He also must be tuned in to your hand moving down signaling his hind feet, and your hand moving up signaling the front feet.

Get ready for show season by adding Showing to Win: Showmanship at Halter to your DVD library. Listen and watch as real AQHA judges walk you through typical showmanship maneuvers, scores and penalties and offer advice on planning how to execute patters. You will also get a chance to score and place four runs and then see how you match up to these expert judges’ opinions. By knowing what the expectations and standards are for the class, you will set yourself up for a winning show season.

As you trot to your stop, in the last two or three strides before the stop, ask for a little more energy, build your trot a little more, then say “Whoa!” to stop. If you do that, he will more than likely stop with his hind feet together. The added energy and motion will make his hind end gather up to stop.

Then all you have to do is lift up with your hand to set the front feet. If you’ve been consistent with your hand motion, he’ll know exactly what you want.

Advanced

As a judge, I see a lot of mistakes made when exhibitors try to over- or under-correct their horses. When you’ve got a close setup, and you just need to move that foot a little, simply ask him to move it and as soon as you see it commit to come off the ground, stop asking. On the other hand, you’ve got to be clear to your horse how much you want him to move, so he’ll step far enough. Again, it takes practice so you know the feel you need with your horse.

The real key is to watch the spot where you want your horse to move his foot, and don’t watch the foot. You keep your eyes on the spot and your peripheral vision on the foot so you can time when to quit asking.

Remember, it is helpful to use vocal commands early in your training, but you should aim for no vocal commands in your pattern. I don’t know of a single judge who likes to hear vocal commands in a showmanship pattern, especially loud clucks or kisses.

The youth exhibitors that I take to the Built Ford Tough AQHYA World Championship Show, I tell them to do 100 setups a day. That’s really not that many throughout the day. When they lead their horses out to saddle up, they can do 10; they can do more when they are waiting in line to longe or at the wash rack. That’s how they practice.

You are only going to be as good as you want to be. You can’t keep complaining that you can’t get your horse to set up – most people who say that are not spending the time doing it.

Even when you practice, you have to do it from a proper showmanship position – you can’t be standing there with your feet apart, looking around or down. You have to have correct body position because that’s part of how you consistently communicate to your horse what you are going to ask him to do. Every time you do something with your horse, your horse is learning; you are training him.

Once you train that two-step setup to your horse, he will do it on his own. Eventually, you’ll just stop and turn, and he will set up.

AQHA Member Benefit Spotlight

When you become a member of the American Quarter Horse Association, you do more than support the breed you love. Your membership gives you access to many great deals and offers, including great discounts on DVDs from Quarter Horse Outfitters. Watch “how-to” videos, learn from live riding clinics, discover what the judges look for in the “Showing to Win” DVD series and so much more.

To set up the wagon wheel, you will need nine cones: one for the center and eight arranged around the outside. The outer diameter of your wheel should be 50-60 feet. Journal photo.

By Bob Jeffreys and Suzanne Sheppard in The American Quarter Horse Journal

Editor’s Note: Suzanne Sheppard is an AQHA Professional Horsewoman from Middletown, New York. In this article, she and Bob Jeffreys talk about the “wagon wheel” exercise – one of their favorite exercises used in training their horses. This article originally appeared in The American Quarter Horse Journal as part of a training series.

We’re both die-hard American Quarter Horse lovers and truly enjoy the arts of dressage and reining, the excitement of cutting and hunter-jumpers and the versatility of working ranch horse and trail competitions.

Willingness, calmness, impulsion, straightness, suppleness and balance are all qualities required for any horse to succeed in his career, no matter which discipline he works and competes in. To effectively and efficiently develop these qualities to the degree a champion horse needs, without rushing the horse, we trainers must make every moment of training time count. This is just one of our favorite mounted exercises to develop a better horse in less time.

Wagon Wheel

One of our favorite exercises to get our horses broke, cultivating the qualities mentioned above, is called the “wagon wheel.” As with all of our training exercises, we introduce this with a snaffle bit and switch to a shank bit only when the horse is really good at it.

What You Get

Your horse won’t be the only one to benefit from the wagon wheel exercise: As a rider, you will learn to focus on a specific pattern, develop the ability to feel when your horse is just thinking about changing the gait, ride in better balance on straight lines and in circles, time your directional signals correctly, use quiet, light hands and work on riding a variety of seats in the trot (posting on the correct diagonal, sitting, two-point, light seat) if you wish.

As always, the better we ride, the clearer our communication, the more secure our seat and the more able we are to effectively improve the quality of our horse’s movement, no matter what discipline we enjoy.

Do you have a hard time getting your horse to do what you want? You can read more great training tips like these in The American Quarter Horse Journal. From halter to trail rides to racing or reining – there’s something in here for you. Read interesting articles about fellow AQHA members, learn about what’s new in the horse industry and get handy tips about riding and managing your Quarter Horse.

Step 1 – Setup

To set up the wagon wheel, you’ll need nine cones. Start with a center cone and surround it with a circle of eight more cones equidistant from each other with a diameter of 50-60 feet. Although you might walk the pattern once or twice so that it’s familiar, this is a trotting exercise. Trotting stimulates the horse enough that he can’t sleepwalk through the lesson; it is also a great way to develop wind and stamina.

Step 2 – Trot

Start by trotting across the center of the circle and picking a space between two cones to exit the circle. As you approach that spot, begin to ride a symmetrical half-circle turn around the cone on your right until you re-enter the wagon wheel. Go straight across, past the center cone and pick another space on the opposite side to exit again. This time, turn left around the new cone, continue across the center on a straight line and turn right around a different one.

Keep on repeating the pattern, right half-circle around a cone, straight through the center, then left half-circle around a new cone on the other side. Turn around a different cone each time so that your horse doesn’t anticipate, therefore teaching him to stay focused on you and your signals, rather than going on autopilot and tuning you out.

Step 3 – Think About It

You can use this mental checklist to see whether your horse is achieving your goals:

• Is he maintaining the trot? If not, when you feel him thinking about breaking down into the walk, allow him to make that mistake and then drive him forward with your seat and legs. If he trots too fast or is running away at the canter, circle him around one of the cones until he realizes that the small canter circles are a lot of work and breaks down into a more controllable trot himself, then take him back into the wagon wheel pattern. In either case, he’ll figure out that it’s easier to just maintain the trot and will choose to work smarter, not harder.
• Is he following his nose and going where you point him? He should respond lightly, immediately and obediently to your directional cues. If he is, then go on to the next stage. But if he’s bulging out toward the gate or just turning too late when you are way past the cone, turn him much earlier. If he’s cutting in or turning too soon, simply wait a few more strides before asking and turn later.
• Now ask him to yield his jaw laterally to the inside rein, i.e. “giving to the bit,” as he trots each half-circle turn. If he resists, pulling or hanging on the bit, then keep on circling around the same cone until he softens. It may also help to subtly vibrate the inside rein with your fingers as if squeezing water out of a small sponge (never jerk with the wrist). Doing that does not give him a “shelf” to lean on, as steady pressure sometimes does. Be sure that your outside rein has enough slack in it to allow the bend.
• Now create straightness in his body on both the straight lines and the turns so his entire spine overlaps the line of travel in good balance; no leaning, please! If he is dropping his shoulder, the likely cause is a fishtailing hind end, so put your outside leg back a few inches to encourage him to work a little harder and keep his haunches where you want them. Of course, check to see if you’re leaning in yourself; our shoulders should be equidistant from the ground just like our horse’s shoulders.

Take your horse training up a notch by subscribing to The American Quarter Horse Journal. Great training tips like these are featured in every issue to help you get the most from your horses. Whether you you are getting ready to compete in a world championship show or just want to teach your horse to be calmer on the trail, the Journal has what you are looking for.

Step 4 – Add Difficulty

If your horse is meeting all of the above prerequisites, it’s time to introduce lateral work in the wagon wheel. As you approach the next cone, simply aim your horse right at it and then leg-yield over between the two cones. Do the same upon re-entry and continue to repeat in both directions. If he’s hollow-backed and high-headed, continue to work until he relaxes and starts to work through his body properly.

Once your horse is maintaining the trot, going exactly where you send him, giving to the bit on every turn, traveling straight and in good balance, and floating through his leg yields, he is ready to work on collection. Drive him forward into the bridle so he collects up and breaks at the poll. It’s crucial to send the horse into the bridle, rather than pulling back on the reins and taking the bridle to the horse. All good movement originates in the hindquarters, so rev up his engine and catch the energy with the bit.

What You’ll Accomplish

The wagon wheel exercise has many possibilities. This same pattern is a great way to teach horses to trot slowly or to develop a gorgeous pleasure jog. Just ride the wagon wheel pattern until your horse is trotting at the desired speed and then direct him out on a circle around the outside of the wagon wheel. If he speeds up on the larger circle, just turn him right back into the wagon wheel exercise, which requires him to work much more intensively. Re-establish the desired speed and then offer him a chance to return to the larger, easier circle. Pretty soon he’ll get the idea that he has to work a lot harder whenever he tries to speed up on his own and will choose to maintain whatever trot tempo you ask for.

This lesson usually takes about three hours in total, but don’t do it all in one session. Horses are smart and will recognize the pattern as long as you are consistent.

Once mastered at the trot, a variation of the exercise at a canter is the next step.

The Horseback Riding Program is a way for AQHA to reward members who simply enjoy riding horses.

It’s a rare scenario when you can get rewarded for doing something you actually love to do. Wouldn’t it be great if you could earn great prizes just for riding your horse? Well, with the AQHA Horseback Riding Program, you can!

The Horseback Riding Program is rewarding participants with bigger and better prizes. With the support of AQHA’s corporate partners, riders have the chance to earn Professional’s Choice products, Drysdales gift certificates, a Montana Silversmiths belt buckle and much more.

The Horseback Riding Program is a way for AQHA to reward members who simply enjoy riding, whether they own a horse, lease a horse or take lessons. The program is open to all breeds and riders of all skill levels. Once enrolled, riders simply log their hours either online or via log sheets and watch the prizes roll in. Plus, all participants have the opportunity to purchase an exclusive AQHA-logoed denim jacket.

The Horseback Riding Program is a great way for recreational riders to be rewarded for doing what they love. The majority of AQHA members already spend a lot of time in the saddle, and this is a way AQHA can reward them for their dedication to riding!

The Horseback Riding Program has two divisions, the American Quarter Horse division and an All-Breeds division. People of all ages, skill levels and riding backgrounds can participate. Rewards are based on time spent in the saddle, regardless of the number of horses ridden. AQHA members can log hours when taking riding lessons, trail riding with friends, or simply riding around the backyard; it all counts toward great prizes.

AQHA membership offers you a variety of ways to get involved with the various programs and events AQHA has to offer. Whether you thrive in the show ring or are looking for a trail buddy, AQHA membership offers something for everyone.

The AQHA Horseback Riding Program is simple:

• AQHA, AQHYA and amateur members, enroll in either the American Quarter Horse or the All-Breeds division of the Horseback Riding Program. You may enroll in both divisions.
• Pay the one-time enrollment fee.
• Log the hours spent in the saddle.
• Return the log sheets to AQHA or enter your hours online before December 31. (Hours entered after December 31 cannot be entered online.)
• Earn great prizes.

Reward List

American Quarter Horse Division

• Bumper sticker – enrollment
• Enrollment patch, Professional’s Choice bucket strap – 25 hours
• $25 Drysdales gift certificate – 50 hours
• Logoed baseball cap – 100 hours
• 250-hour patch and logoed T-shirt – 250 hours
• 500-hour patch, $25 Drysdales gift certificate, Professional’s Choice bucket strap – 500 hours
• $50 Drysdales gift certificate – 750 hours
• Professional’s Choice folding feeder – 1,000 hours
• 1,500-hour patch, $50 Drysdales gift certificate – 1,500 hours
• Professional’s Choice front saddle bag – 2,000 hours
• 2,500-hour patch, $50 Drysdales gift certificate – 2,500 hours
• Professional’s Choice back saddle bag – 3,000 hours
• 3,500-hour patch, $50 Drysdales gift certificate – 3,500 hours
• Professional’s Choice saddle pad – 4,000 hours
• 4,500-hour patch, $50 Drysdales gift certificate – 4,500 hours
• Montana Silversmiths belt buckle, certificate of completion – 5,000 hours

All-Breeds Divison

• Enrollment patch, Professional’s Choice bucket strap – 25 hours
• Logoed baseball cap – 50 hours
• 100-hour patch, logoed shirt – 100 hours
• $25 Drysdales gift certificate – 250 hours
• 500-hour patch, $25 Drysdales gift certificate – 500 hours
• 750-hour patch, $25 Drysdales gift certificate – 750 hours
• 1,000-hour patch, Professional’s Choice folding feeder – 1,000 hours
• $50 Drysdales gift certificate – 1,500 hours
• Professional’s Choice back saddle bag, certificate of completion – 2,000 hours

Participants can purchase the exclusive Horseback Riding Program denim jacket to display your achievement patches. Call the Recreational Riding department at (806) 376-4811 to order your jacket.

And to learn more about the Horseback Riding Program, be sure to visit www.aqha.com/riding or call AQHA Customer Service at (806) 376-4811.

Question:

My current boarding barn requires vaccination for strangles. My horse was exposed to strangles several years ago at a former boarding barn, but did not get sick. My veterinarian recommends using the killed virus vaccination if I absolutely must get my horse vaccinated. What do you think?

For the answer to this question, we consulted Dr. Christina Dayton-Wall with the American Association of Equine Practitioners.

Answer:

This is an excellent question because you are certainly not alone in this situation. There are definitely some options, and you may need to discuss your situation with the boarding barn management. Because the horse did not contract strangles, but was possibly exposed, I would recommend to test your horse’s titers — or level of immunity — to strangles. If the titers or levels of antibodies are high, I would not vaccinate. Show the proof of titer to your boarding barn manager. If he or she has low titers, then I would consider vaccinating with a killed or modified live vaccine (MLV). The killed vaccine is intramuscular (IM) and can cause muscle soreness, swelling, or even abscesses. The MLV is an intranasal vaccine and protects the mucosa in the upper airway. The side effect I see to the MLV is occasionally a runny nose from the nostril it was administered in.

– Dr. Christina Dayton-Wall, member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners.

*AQHA and the provider of this information are not liable for the inherent risks of equine activities. We always recommend consulting a qualified veterinarian and/or an AQHA Professional Horseman.

Jim and Anita Wright were a part of the AQHA family for many years. Journal photo.

From The American Quarter Horse Journal

Editor’s Note: Longtime AQHA inspector Jim Wright died February 7, 2013, less than three months after the death of his wife, Anita. His impact on the Association was substantial, as recounted in this Journal story from 2006.

Jim Wright knew good people, he knew good horses, and he knew the importance that both had in his life.

Jim spent 38 years, drove roughly 2 million miles and went through nearly 30 cars as an AQHA inspector on the road.

Throw a dart at a map of the United States, and the odds are pretty good that wherever it might land, Jim could have told you all the best roads around town, a horse he saw near there or an interesting character he met along the way.

Beginnings

Jim had never been a stranger to horses. He grew up just like any other horse-crazy kid in rural Oklahoma living on the back of a horse. Crossing creeks and roaming the countryside horseback were part of Jim’s everyday routine as a child, and before long, he found his way to the arena, thanks to his uncle William Lusk. He taught Jim to rope and ignited a passion that Jim carried for the rest of his life.

Jim left his childhood home of Anadarko, Oklahoma, at 17 and took a job working on a farm in the Texas Panhandle. Soon after he hired on, the family bought a ranch in South Dakota, and Jim made his first of what would become countless trips across the country. He spent nearly eight months working on the ranch before he decided the harsh winters were not something he wanted to make a habit of enduring.

“It gets cold where I’m from, but I knew when it got so cold to freeze a water pipe that was 6 feet below ground, it wasn’t the place for me,” Jim said. “It was on my birthday, December 6, that I decided to give myself the present of getting out of there.”

He headed back to the Panhandle, and it wasn’t long before another opportunity opened up for him. He became friends with a man who said he had just the job for him in California. He handed Jim a piece of paper with a phone number and the name Ken Fratis on it.

In 1950, he loaded up his car, drove to the nearest phone in town and placed a call that would end up being what Jim said was the best decision he ever made.

Earn great rewards just for spending time with your horse. With the AQHA Horseback Riding Program, you simply log your riding hours and turn them in to claim your prizes, no matter your skill level or what breed of horse you ride. There’s nothing better than being rewarded for doing something you love to do. With a new and improved list of great rewards you can earn, there’s just a little something more for everyone. You can earn a saddle blanket, front and back saddle bags, up to $300 in Drysdale’s gift certificates, and even a Montana Silversmiths silver belt buckle.

A Great Place to Start

Jim talked to Ken about going to California to start colts and manage Ken’s horses.
“I remember him telling me that I could come out there to see if I liked it, and he told me if I didn’t that he would pay my way home, so I didn’t have anything to lose,” Jim said. “I didn’t have anything to lose where I was anyhow, so I agreed and packed up my belongings for California.”

It was at a service station in Arizona that Jim encountered not only car trouble but the first big realization of the chance he was taking by moving to California.

“The guy that worked on my car asked me where I was headed to by myself, and I told him I was taking a job in California. Well, he told me he spent 20 years out there and the best thing I could do was get back in my car and go directly back where I came from,” Jim said. “I told him I didn’t have anything to go back to, and I think he realized how much he scared me, because when I paid my bill, he told me he thought I’d be all right out there.”

And he was. It turned out the chance Jim took on working for Ken paid off and was how he got his first tie into AQHA. Ken became AQHA president in 1959.

Like a lot of young men at that time, Jim was drafted into the Army and served two years before he returned to California to Ken’s place. Soon after he returned, Ken scaled down his racehorse operation and encouraged Jim to take a job working for AQHA.

He was hesitant to take the job because he wanted to try his hand at roping for a living, but his family talked him into taking the secure job at AQHA.

“When I started, I told them I would only stay for five years,” he said.

Jim started down the road for AQHA, spending nearly every day of the month somewhere other than home. In fact, he didn’t have a home in Amarillo for quite some time because he was never there long enough to make it a good investment. He just bounced between his family’s homes scattered across the Southwest and made his home wherever he could.

No matter your age or skill level, you can participate in the AQHA Horseback Riding Program. Earn great rewards while doing what you love the most – riding your horse. Log your hours spent in the saddle while training, trail riding, taking a lesson or even showing. Participate in the Quarter Horse division, All-Breeds division or both. Check out the new and improved reward list to see what the Horseback Riding Program has to offer.

Family Man

Jim had met countless people down the road, but when he decided to settle down, he headed back to Amarillo and married Anita Brown. Anita also worked for AQHA and had been friends with Jim for some time before the couple started dating.

After they married, Jim decided it was time to leave AQHA, and they went north to Colorado to work on a ranch and start a family. Four years of rough winters and bad drought forced Jim, Anita and their new son, Will, to sell their cattle and find more stable work, so they headed back to Amarillo.

Jim returned to AQHA in 1980 and stayed there until he retired in 2003 at 73.

One Tough Job

A magazine once wrote a story about Jim, “A Look at a Guy With a Tough Job in the AQHA.” It was a pretty good indication that Jim’s responsibility as an inspector was a tough one.

Telling people the horses they had invested money in couldn’t be recommended for AQHA registry was not a job many would call a lot of fun. But Jim had an uncanny knack with people.

“He never met a stranger,” Anita said. “He hardly went anywhere when they weren’t glad to see him.”

When Jim left members’ ranches, they always knew where they stood before he pulled out of the driveway.

“Some of the other inspectors would wait and send a letter when they got home if the horse didn’t pass inspection, but I never did,” he said. “I figured I at least owed it to them to shoot them straight right then.”

A Good Trade

Jim never tired of looking at good horses. It was one of the things that kept him on the road for nearly 40 years. One definite perk of his job was getting to see some of the greatest American Quarter Horses.

He said some of the best horses he ever saw were racehorses, due in part to their conformation.

“They’re made right, or they wouldn’t be able to run,” he said. “There is something about great horses you can just feel when you approach them. They have some sort of unexplainable aura about them.”

The sheer number of horses Jim evaluated through the years molded his knowledge of good horses into invaluable wisdom.

Although Jim spent most of his time at work evaluating horses, he never went without horses of his own. Between team ropings and horse shows that Anita and Will both competed at, there wasn’t much time he didn’t spend beside or aboard a Quarter Horse.

A Friend of Many

One thing he talked about more than horses is all the good people he met through the years. It’s the one thing he missed about his job after retirement.

“After you meet so many people through the years, it’s what you start to look forward to on trips. It was like a reunion of friends every time,” he said.

Jim probably had direct contact with more AQHA members than anyone through the years. He was an icon of the Association and a testament to the value of relationships with the people and the horses in our industry.

Whiskaway P-16 may not be as famous as some of the other AQHA foundation sires, but he still made a lasting impact on the breed. Photo courtesy of the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum.

Father’s Day is a time to thank your dad for everything he has done in your life. From childhood to adulthood, he has watched you grow and helped you to become the person you are today. It’s a time to show your father how much you love and appreciate him. It’s a time to give him the recognition he deserves.

On this special day, AQHA would like to give some recognition to our “founding fathers” – the first 20 American Quarter Horses to receive a registration number. These special stallions were designated to be the foundation sires for the registry. When AQHA began back in 1940, it was decided that the first horse registered would be the grand champion stallion at the Fort Worth Stock Show, which ended up being Wimpy P-1. The 20th registration number would be reserved for the first president of AQHA, W.B. Warren, which he chose to use for his stallion Pancho. The remaining spaces between were to be filled by stallions of an “ideal” Quarter Horse type, using the criteria of conformation, performance and even lineage. Each horse was selected for a specific reason.

Some of the stallions have familiar names – Wimpy, Joe Reed, Joe Bailey, Oklahoma Star and Cowboy – while others have faded into the background over time. Much of this can be attributed to the fact that some stallions had get that were showing and campaigning, while other stallions sired steady, capable cow horses whose abilities were only known among ranchers and cowboys. Some sired hundreds of foals, while others only sired a handful. Check out the July issue of America’s Horse magazine for more on one of these largely unknown sires, Whiskaway. But no matter their level of fame, these 20 foundation sires were the building blocks of the breed we all know and love today.

Let’s take a moment to recognize these great Quarter Horse sires:

Wimpy P-1
Rialto P-2
Joe Reed P-3
Joe Bailey P-4
Chief P-5
Oklahoma Star P-6
Columbus P-7
Colonel P-8
Old Red Buck P-9
Old Jim P-10
Sheik P-11
Cowboy P-12
Waggoner’s Rainy Day P-13
Old Red Bird P-14
Brown Possum P-15
Whiskaway P-16
Little Richard P-17
Yellow Boy P-18
Tomate Laureles P-19
Pancho P-20

Happy Father’s Day, and don’t forget to tell dear ol’ Dad how much he means to you!

Selective breeding for ideal hunt seat characteristics can help you place higher in the show ring. Journal photo.

From The American Quarter Horse Journal

Twenty years ago, few breeders focused on the AQHA hunt seat niche. Growth patterns in English events, however, spurred mare owners and stallion promoters into a new specialization. Their goal? An animal with quality disposition, movement, conformation and size to adequately meet demands of flat and over-fences classes.

This breeding slant produced consequences both constructive and destructive. Positive trends resulted in some of today’s distinguished hunt seat and hunter horses – horses that exemplify intelligence, balance, appropriate size and movement. We’ve also witnessed bizarre breeding decisions thanks to our American mentality for extremes. Negative examples include breeding for super-huge horses with poor conformation, disregard for form-to-function and trainability, and breeding without adequate research of the mare’s pedigree and potential as a quality producer.

Change is inevitable – except from a vending machine.
- Robert C. Gallagher

Times and expectations change, but we are still called to be responsible stewards of the American Quarter Horse’s future. As a breeder, have you considered the impact your genetic modifications make on America’s Horse?

“Many people seem to think that just because they have a mare, they should breed her,” says Lynn Egan of The Appendix Connection in Omro, Wisconsin. Lynn, along with her late business partner, Sandy Balzer, worked together for 15 years to suit buyers with quality hunt seat Quarter Horses. Today, Lynn runs The Appendix Connection herself, concentrating on quality mares.

“Sandy was one of the most professional individuals you’d ever meet,” Lynn says. “Her big thing was the importance of the dam. Without great mares, she knew we couldn’t make positive changes in the breed.”

Sandy and Lynn’s The Appendix Connection was ahead of the curve. Few specialized hunt seat stallions were promoted as such until the 1990s, so breeders often signed contracts with little-known Thoroughbred stallions. Or they bred Thoroughbred mares to proven Quarter Horse stallions that excelled in the (usually western-type) Quarter Horse arena.

Why wait for the foal to get here when you can make an educated guess about the results today? Read more about coat color genetics with AQHA’s  free Quarter Horse Coat Color Genetics report. This robust, 20-page report is helpful when determining a new foal’s color, and it’s great for science projects and school reports.

Why Breed?

Breeding can be expensive, time-consuming, dangerous and depressing. But for many mare owners, nothing is more rewarding than being involved in the life of a new colt or filly.

“I love the springtime,” says Ann Myers, owner and breeder of record-breaking, world champion western pleasure stallion Zips Chocolate Chip, as well as top performers Chips Hot Chocolate and Rich N Chocolatey. “I set up the camera in the stalls so I can watch the mare from the house, and there’s just nothing like it.”

Ann of Ashland, Ohio, sees the hunt seat market as a great opportunity.

“It’s a brand-new horizon,” she says. “There are new places to go and new chances for stallions to make their mark. Other disciplines have gotten very saturated, but the English classes are a new horizon. I think the breeding for specific hunt seat horses has only been focused on, widespread, for 10 years or less.”

Myers remembers a time when most hunt seat show horses were “reruns” from the Quarter Horse racetracks.

“Today, we have new stallions and upcoming opportunities for the industry,” she says. “We’re breeding for a specific animal, and they’re getting better and better.”

The world hates change, yet it is the only thing that has brought progress.
- Charles Kettering

Ann has a checklist of questions when a mare owner calls her to chat about breeding.

“I ask the mare owner, ‘Do you love your mare?’ and if they say, ‘Yes,’ then I say, ‘good.’ I tell them to hope for a baby that is just like their mare,” she says. “And the icing on the cake would be for the stud to enhance their foal to make it even better.”

The difficulty, of course, is the owner who brings in a subpar mare and expects the stallion to “fix” all her flaws.

“I will never tell someone they cannot breed to one of my stallions,” Ann says. “But I don’t want people to think that they should breed a horse that has a lot of problems. They might get a foal that is exactly like their mare – and then they’ll dislike the baby, too!”

Learn the difference between a buckskin and a dun, a red roan and a blue roan, a cremello and a perlino and many more. Download AQHA’s free Coat Color Genetics report today. Full-color photos of horses with all 17 colors will help you train your eye and become a coat-color expert.

Ann acknowledges that some conformation faults can be improved upon by breeding decisions. But she wishes for mare owners to not depend upon that.

“The deal is, they need to be happy with their mare in the first place and not expect that stallion to do all the work,” she says. “Many people feel that mares throw 70 percent of themselves into the equation.”

All change is not growth, as all movement is not forward.
- Ellen Glasgow

American ideals about having the most, the best and the biggest historically give us competitive advantage. They can also leave us a bit off-center.

“It’s sad that we don’t see one Quarter Horse competing in every event anymore,” Ann says. “It’s a different world than 20 years ago. But that’s the way competition works. We see the same thing with Olympic gymnastics or ice skating. We all work to perfect our skills more and more. The level of competition improves every year, and everyone is trying to get that extra edge.”

The most obvious updates in hunter under saddle horses today vs. 15 years ago? Hunt seat horses are taller. And more “typey.” Seldom will a short, stout, champion rope horse successfully cross over into the hunter ring.

Breeding Bingo!

Turns out, breeding decisions are a mix of science, instinct and plain ol’ luck. For every hard and fast rule, there’s a huge exception.

“As much as I plan and research and make educated choices on my mares, there’s sometimes a surprise when the foal is born,” Ann says. “It’s breeding bingo! You make your best guess, but you might get a surprise package.

Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.
- Confucius

To be responsible stewards of our American Quarter Horses, we must make far-sighted decisions about their welfare and their future genetic makeup. As an organized breed, AQHA’s history has seen its horse tweaked in positive and negative ways.

Change is inevitable. As breeders, our job is to adapt when the change is positive. And do so with grace and responsibility.

Considerations

Before you breed, consider:

• Why are you breeding this mare? (To get a foal just like your mare? To get a marketable foal to sell for potential profit? To get a world champion?)
• What will be the purpose for the foal? What are your expectations for the foal?
• Give your mare a good, hard look. Assess her conformation, movement, disposition and pedigree.
• Consider your stallion choices. Which stallion will help you meet the goal outlined above?
• Choose a few stallions and ask each stallion owner/manager how the stallion typically crosses with a mare such as yours.

Hunt Seat Changes

Pros: Larger, scopier horses can often move with more elongated, sweepy steps. Pretty horses are often attention-getters.

Cons: Bigger doesn’t always mean better.

Misconceptions: Joe Q. Public notices that bigger horses are winning – without realizing that the bigger, winning horse is also the best-moving horse in the ring. Joe Q. Public believes that if big is good, then bigger is better, and biggest must be best.

Problem: Joe Q. Public breeds a giant horse, sacrificing conformation, disposition and movement.

With bigger horses come bigger potential problems. Big horses need time to grow more slowly. They look like adolescent teenagers for longer. And because of their slow maturity rate, they often cannot be trained as quickly as their smaller counterparts.

A true professional trainer, judge or clinician will never discriminate against a smaller horse. He or she will, however, evaluate the smaller horse’s ability to perform its job with style and efficiency.

“Probably more important than height alone, we should be focusing on balance and good bone,” Lynn says. “Our industry should consider the longevity of the horse – especially with the growth of Select classes. In the long-term, I think our Select amateurs are going to be a lot more interested in having a nice, mature, sound horse to ride instead of a leggy futurity horse.”

AQHA Member Benefit Spotlight

At AQHA, we make it as easy as possible to get all your business done quickly and affordably, with all the assistance you might need. AQHA Business Services is your one-stop shop for forms, applications, records, resources and more. If you’re an AQHA member, you have access to everything at AQHA Business Services at a discounted price. Not a member? Sign up today to take immediate advantage of the lower prices.

Sebastian Petroll keeps his horses at the top of their game for a long time by keeping them in peak health. Waltenberry photo.

From AQHA Corporate Partner Merial

Once Sebastian Petroll arrived in the United States from Germany in 2001, it didn’t take long for him to become a household name in reining circles.

In fact, since then, not only has he captured multiple titles and become a sought-after trainer, but he has also earned his National Reining Horse Association judge’s card and most recently was named to the NRHA Board of Directors and the Stewards Committee.

What led to his arena success and the recognition by his peers? Sebastian trains his horses for longevity and has developed a reputation for having horses that last.

“These futurity and derby horses are just 2-year-olds when we start them – and keeping that in mind for every aspect of training is really important,” Sebastian says. “We want them strong – mind and body – not just for their futurity and derby years, but for a really long time.”

To achieve that goal, Sebastian remains cognizant of both their possibilities and limitations.

“These young horses will never have to learn so much in such a short amount of time ever again,” he says. “And most of them will never have such a hectic show schedule again. How we handle them during this really important time in their lives is crucial to their success down the road.”

Sebastian’s training plans are individualized, focusing on maximizing the potential of each horse and at a pace suited to the horse. Another important aspect to the overall development of each horse is that horse’s health-care plan.

“If a horse doesn’t feel good, it doesn’t matter how well it is trained or how talented it is, that horse won’t perform well,” he says. Sebastian understands one of the threats to horse health is the development of stomach ulcers, especially since the young horses he works with are exposed to so many potentially stressful situations.

Stomach ulcers are a very real threat to your horse’s overall health and performance. Learn more about what causes ulcers in horses, and learn more about the treatments offered from Merial in AQHA’s free Stomach Ulcers in Horses report.

“Everything we do with these horses is new,” he says. “It’s easy to see how they might get upset or overwhelmed.” To help prevent the development of ulcers in the horses he cares for, Sebastian relies on Ulcergard (omeprazole), the only proven and Food and Drug Administration-approved product for equine stomach ulcer prevention.¹ He’s proactive and always uses Ulcergard on horses that have a history of being nervous in show environments.

Dr. Meg Green, manager of Merial Large Animal Veterinary Services, says horses like Sebastian’s, who are exposed to such things as traveling, training, competition and stall confinement¹ are at risk for stomach ulcers.

“Horses are very sensitive. Anytime you take them out of their normal routine and environment, you can be setting the stage for stomach ulcers,” she says. “Young, inexperienced horses that are being asked to perform at high levels might be even more susceptible simply because everything is new to them. They can even appear to be handling new stressors, but develop ulcers anyway.”

Clinical information confirms Dr. Green’s belief. In gastric endoscopy events sponsored by Merial over a four-year period, the results have proven that stomach ulcers are a threat to all breeds and disciplines.²

In fact, of the reining horses scoped, 76 percent were found to have stomach ulcers, while 69 percent of the cutting horses were diagnosed with stomach ulcers.²

“We know stomach ulcers are prevalent in all types of horses,” Dr. Green says. “Trainers and owners don’t want horses sidelined because of them, so horse owners should also use caution when deciding what to use to prevent them,” she says.

What causes a horse to get ulcers? How can it be prevented? How is it treated? Find out answers to questions like these in AQHA’s free Stomach Ulcers in Horses report. Learn all you need to know about stomach ulcers in horses, including information on FDA-approved products from Merial.

“Unfortunately, there are products available that haven’t been proven to work and don’t have FDA approval. There is only one product that has been proven, and is FDA-approved to prevent equine stomach ulcers – Ulcergard.”

The FDA approval process is important because it ensures that a product has been tested for safety and efficacy in the target animal.³ Horse owners can get more information about drugs and what the FDA approval process means by going to www.EquineDrugFacts.com.

For more information about Ulcergard, visit www.ulcergard.com.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: Ulcergard can be used in horses that weigh at least 600 pounds. Safety in pregnant mares has not been determined. ®Ulcergard is a registered trademark of Merial Limited. ©2013 Merial Limited, Duluth, GA. All rights reserved. EQUIUGD1318 (03/13)
¹Ulcergard product label.
²Data on file at Merial.
³Animal Health Institute and American Veterinary Medical Association and American Veterinary Distributors Association. Veterinary Compounding. Available at: http://www.aaep.org/siteadmin/modules/page_editor/images/files/AHI%20Compoundi ng.pdf. Accessed March 14, 2013.

AQHA welcomes aboard new AQHA International Intern Tabatha Taylor.

Hello everyone!

My name is Tabatha Taylor, and I am AQHA’s 2013 International intern. I graduated in December 2012 from West Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural media and communications, and I am looking forward to an amazing summer!

For most equine lovers, horse camps seem like the perfect way to spend every summer – and I am no different. I received my first pony as a birthday present at age 3, and I have loved horses from that point forward. At age 9, my first American Quarter Horse, Racing Wrangler, came into my life and changed it forever. With “Amen,” I learned about everything from riding and showing to the importance of partnership and responsibility.

I am so excited to explore a different facet of AQHA this summer as I travel to 11 countries and 15 horse camps in Europe. There are four U.S. colleges and universities that will be heading up the camps. Texas A&M University, the University of Findlay, North Eastern Oklahoma College and Sam Houston State University will all be responsible for teaching camps. The schedule for the summer is:

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY

• June 26-30 (Norway)
• July 2-5 (Sweden)
• July 7-10 (Sweden)

UNIVERSITY OF FINDLAY

• June 22-25 (Austria)
• June 28-30 (Czech Republic)
• July 3-5 (Netherlands)
• July 7-9 (Denmark)

NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA COLLEGE

• July 12-14 (United Kingdom)
• July 18-21 (Germany)
• July 25-28 (Switzerland)
• August 1-4 (Germany)

SAM HOUSTON STATE UNIVERSITY

• July 18-22 (Italy)
• July 25-28 (Germany)
• August 6-10 (Germany)
• August 10-13 (Slovenia)

Mark your calendars! It’s going to be an outstanding summer. I’ll be posting pictures and blogs all along the way, so be sure and stay tuned at americashorsedaily.com! An adventure like this is not to be missed.

See you down the trail!

Have an equestrian fitness question? Comment below, and we’ll work hard to find you an answer!

From The American Quarter Horse Journal

“Riding takes work. This is a sport; it’s called a sport because you’re an athlete. You ride on an athlete, and you, as an equestrian, are an athlete. As riders, we need to think more like athletes, instead of thinking of this as a hobby and we are passengers on the horse who is the athlete. The rider and the horse are an athletic team, and to be effective as a horse-rider team, you both have to be in the best shape possible.” – Kenda Pipkin

Sit up straight. Pull your shoulders back. Steady your lower leg. Quiet your middle. Have you heard these commands shouted from the center of the arena, as your trainer assesses your equitation? You probably have, and probably repeatedly. They are tell-tale signs of a weak link in your physical fitness.

As an AQHA judge since 1993, Kenda Pipkin of Canyon, Texas, has seen her share of bad habits, from distracting over-active free arms in horsemanship to “chicken necks” jutting out from the shoulders of hunter riders. They’re caused by your physical weaknesses; they carry over into the show pen; and they reflect in your placings and points.

“Many times, those habits start with a muscular weakness,” Kenda says. “You compensate in some area of your body for that weakness, and then it becomes habit.”

Kenda says the best way to become a stronger rider is, of course, to ride more. But can we ride enough to become the strongest rider we can be?

There’s a lot to know about being a strong rider. Having a successful ride involves more than just physical fitness of the rider. It also involves physical fitness and training of the horse as well. When you subscribe to The American Quarter Horse Journal, you’ll gain access to training tips and riding advice that will help you accomplish your horseback riding or showing goals. Subscribe to the Journal today to read more great articles like this one.

“We’re so busy,” Kenda says. “Many riders have full-time jobs. They’re riding their horses in the evenings or on the weekends, their one horse, that’s all they can afford, and they can’t spend enough time in the saddle to get in shape and stay fit as a horseman.”

Michael C. Meyers, a senior research scientist in health at Montana State University in Bozeman, is a sports physiologist who has worked extensively with equestrian and rodeo athletes on and off the horse.

He has known enough riders to know that most don’t have time to spend an hour in the weight room three to five days a week. He showed us a few common exercises that can be done at home or even in the barn, and how to alter them to target muscle groups when you’re on your horse.

Upper Body: The Push-Up and Plank

While it might stir up repressed memories of grade-school gym class, the most efficient upper body exercise is none other than the push-up.

“It is the No. 1 exercise for equestrians,” Michael says.

By adjusting the placement of your hands, the push-up can be altered to work different muscle groups. From the standard push-up position, on all fours, with your abdominals stabilizing your core and your body parallel to the ground, taking a wide stance with your hands will focus the workout on your chest muscles. Bringing your hands closer to your body will redirect the focus to your triceps.

But the ultimate position for an equestrian is different still.

“A regular push-up builds wide shoulders,” Michael says. “Is that what you need for equestrian? No.”

To make the most out of an exercise, Michael says, think in terms of the sport you are participating in and make changes to create a sport-specific version of a classic exercise.

“Think about what you’re doing on the horse ad then put yourself in position,” Michael says. For a push-up, imagine you are sitting on your horse, elbows at your side, fists holding imaginary reins in front of you.

“Then tip yourself forward into push-up position,” Michael says. Doing push-ups from this position, pushing off your fists rather than a flat hand, elbows low and by your side, mimics the force of transfer from the bit through the hand, arm and shoulder. The plank can be performed from a similar position, focusing on the abdominals, the protectors of your back, which is a rider’s most common source of pain.

“Get down like you’re going to do a push-up, put your elbows down, straighten your back and hold it,” Michael explains. “That strengthens the transverse abdominals, the girdle of the abdominals.”

While it won’t develop the coveted “six-pack,” as an abdominal workout, the plan is superior to the bulk-building crunch for equestrians for its tightening and stabilizing effect on the core.

Lower Body: The Lunge

Just as every horse has one side stronger than the other, so does every rider.

“You want equal strength on left and right,” Michael says. “You should be just as strong on each side. But we know we’re not.”

The lunge, says Michael, is the No. 2 exercise for equestrians.

The American Quarter Horse Journal has more than just training and riding tips. Learn more about your horse’s health and nutrition needs, stay up to date with the latest horse industry news and meet other Quarter Horse enthusiasts. Subscribe today to see what the Journal has to offer.

“You have a push leg and a lift leg,” Michael says. “When you take off, you’re always going to lift the same leg first and push off the other.”

Lunges, done properly, will make your body use each leg equally as a push leg and lift leg and help you achieve what Michael calls bilateral symmetry, equal strength in both legs.

“A true lunge is touch and go,” Michael says, cautioning against moving lunges, a popular variation of the exercise. In a moving lunge, you’re constantly moving forward with each lunge as if you were going down a track. But most people don’t have equal stride lengths, causing one leg to work harder than the other and perpetuating the inequality of strength between left and right.

“You should lunge, and then push back,” Michael explains. “If you keep going forward, you don’t get the reverse movement. You want to be able to touch and go with no hands. Again, this is about core strength. If you need something to hold onto, you’re not controlling your body.”

To make sure your lunge is sport-specific, Michael says to double-track, taking a wider stance than what feels natural.

“You’re not walking a tight rope,” Michael says. “With most people, one foot goes in front of the other. You’re taught to walk like this. But isn’t there a horse between your legs?

The lunge also works as a quad and hamstring stretch.

“You’re doing two things at once,” Michael says. “Think quality, not quantity. You don’t need an hour in the weight room. You’re an equestrian. You need to get on the horse.”

Core Value

“Everything starts at the core,” Michael says. “Then we build out, down and up. Equestrians can’t spend a lot of time in the weight room. That’s the complaint I always get. You’ve got an hour with your horse; you don’t want to spend it on yourself.”

Strengthening your core, with exercises like the plank, will make it easier to practice other strength exercises, like the push-up and lunge. And ultimately, the strength you gain from a few minutes devoted to your own muscular strength will allow you to communicate more effectively with your horse.

“If you take care of your fitness level and you take care of your horse’s performance level,” Michael says, “then all of a sudden, you’re working together a lot better.”

AQHA Member Benefit Spotlight

When you become a member of the American Quarter Horse Association, you do more than support the breed you love. Your membership gives you access to many great deals and offers, including great discounts on DVDs from Quarter Horse Outfitters. Watch “how-to” videos, learn from live riding clinics, discover what the judges look for in the “Showing to Win” DVD series and more.

Smooth lope departures are critical for western pleasure, horsemanship, western riding, and many other performance classes. Journal photo.

Refine your horse training: Get correct lope departures with minimal cues.

By AQHA Professional Horseman Leonard Berryhill with Christine Hamilton in The American Quarter Horse Journal

A good lope departure is when a horse responds to a minimal cue from the rider with willingness and collection.

It’s important in every AQHA event. In western riding, it’s scored. In western pleasure, a lope departure sets up your lope. It’s much easier for a horse to carry himself after he has departed correctly than it is to have a bad departure and try to correct it as you go down the pen. In horsemanship or equitation, a good lope or canter departure will lead to a better execution of your maneuver.

As a judge, when I see a horse depart to a lope from a jog, I don’t want to see a change in cadence in the jog, but it is all right for that horse to take a step, collect himself and then depart.

I consider it a bad departure if a horse increases his cadence or step at the jog and trots into the lope. If the horse lifts his head, lowers his back, jogs and eventually lopes, that is what I would consider a terrible departure.

From the walk, again, it is all right for the horse to take a step to collect himself, move to the rider’s cue and then step up into the lope. I expect the same thing from a stop – I think the horse has to take half a step to collect and then lope.

Take your horse training up a notch by subscribing to The American Quarter Horse Journal. Great training tips like these are featured in every issue to help you get the most from your horses. Whether you you are getting ready to compete in a world championship show or just want to teach your horse to be calmer on the trail, the Journal has what you are looking for.

In the past, we allowed horses to kind of rush into the lope. We wanted a horse to go from a dead stop into the lope, and it wasn’t as pretty as it is done today. Today, we allow the horse a chance to set himself and depart correctly, and it looks much better.

Why is it important that a lope departure is pretty? The word “show.” It’s a horse show, and the prettier it is, the better your performance is going to be, regardless of what class you’re in. The better departure you have, the better it’s going to look to the judges.

Common Problems

There are a lot of variables that go into a poor lope departure.

When it happens in horsemanship or equitation classes, it is typically riders who don’t use their cues properly to collect and prepare the horse before asking for the lope. The horse lifts his head, inverts his back, takes a few trot steps and eventually falls into the lope, instead of collecting up, gathering and loping off with some impulsion from behind.

A horse could also be too inexperienced or not trained well enough to do it correctly. The rider might have a too-loose rein for that horse’s ability; that particular horse might require more contact for get a correct departure. Or a horse could be dull and ignoring a rider’s aids.

There are horses that just can’t perform lope departures well, even though drills can improve their abilities. A horse that tends to leave his hocks out behind and doesn’t appear to be strong in the loin or gaskin is not going to be able to lope off as well as a horse with a good, strong loin and hip.

What to Do

What makes a good lope departure different from a bad lope departure is basically the preparation for it. You ask the horse to collect, move off your leg, respond to your hand and then depart.

Do you have a hard time getting your horse to do what you want? You can read more great training tips like these in The American Quarter Horse Journal. From halter to trail rides to racing or reining – there’s something in here for you. Read interesting articles about fellow AQHA members, learn about what’s new in the horse industry and get handy tips about riding and managing your Quarter Horse.

For example, if I am moving from a walk or jog into a lope, I slightly lift my hand and ask the horse to flex slightly to the inside; at the same time I squeeze with my cue leg, the outside leg, and push the horse to the lead I’m going to ask for. I want to feel the horse move into the direction I’m pushing him. Then I ask for the lope departure with either an increased leg pressure or spur pressure and a smooch or cluck.

If I’m asking for the left lead, I want the horse’s hip to move to the left. I want to feel a response from the horse to my hand or leg to the left, then I apply an increase pressure, asking the horse to step into the lope.

Drills

If I have a horse who wants to trot off into his lope, when he trots off, I immediately stop, back up, settle and then start over. Or I might stop, back, then roll back and start over.

The stopping and backing does two things: It strengthens the loin and gaskin, and it lightens his response to the cues. It’ll teach him to stay back off that bit and lope off in response to my leg. The backing is not a punishment, it’s teaching him to respond, getting him back onto his hocks so he can collect properly to step off into the lope.

I’ll also do a lot of leg yields, teaching him to two-track, moving his hips around. Those drills work on teaching him to collect with my hand and move off my legs. All that will make the lope departure much better.

Stronger on One Lead

A large percentage of horses are naturally better on one lead vs. the other. I try to concentrate on the weaker side with the drills I’ve talked about.

But if a horse is dramatically different from one side to the other – he’s great on the left lead and cannot perform on the right lead – the first thing I do in that situation is call my veterinarian. There is always the possibility that the horse has a medical issue or soundness problem. If my veterinarian tells me the horse is sound, then we go back to the training and try to improve it as best we can.

You also might need someone to watch you ride both leads and tell you whether it looks as bad as it feels. I’ve had horses where one lead doesn’t feel as good at the other, but somebody on the ground will say it looks good. It might just be the way the horse moves.

Staying Straight

If I’m dealing with a horse who wants to travel over-canted – either naturally or due to training – I stay square in the saddle and move that horse over with inside leg pressure, straightening that hip back over.

Use your leg to push your horse straight and think straight. You can almost do it just by thinking about it.

Over-Canted, Side View

When I judge, I try to position myself on the rail so I can look down the rail and see if a horse is traveling over-canted at the lope.

You can see it in a profile, too. A tell-tale sign to me when a horse is over-canted is when his outside hock, the hock on the rail, never goes up under the hip and always hangs out behind the hip. So, it he’s on a left lead, the right hock never goes up under the hip. If that right hock is just dragging along behind him, he’s not loping collected and he’s going to be over-canted.

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It is important that your horse’s true coat color matches the registration papers. This horse is a cremello.

It’s a common scenario: You welcome your new American Quarter Horse foal into the world at the first of the year and use the AQHA Coat Color Chart to chose the most logical color and get him registered with AQHA. Come spring, he loses his foal coat and appears to be a color very different from what his registration papers reflect.

Fear not!

It’s important to get your horse’s papers corrected, and we’re here to help every step of the way.

AQHA equine color specialist Lisa Covey is one of several people at AQHA who specialize in Quarter Horse color genetics. Here, she takes some time to answer your important questions regarding your horse’s coat color.

Why is it important for your Quarter Horse’s coat color to be correct on his registration certificate?

Identification of a horse is one important reason the color should be correct on his papers. Whether you’re purchasing a horse or trying to identify horses in various situations, being able to verify the correct color and markings is important.

Other reasons include accurate pedigrees and historical records of horses. In those cases, it’s important that the color is correct to assist horse owners or horse enthusiasts who like to research horse pedigrees. A horse’s pedigree is important when breeding horses for color or for predicting the color of offspring. Also, having the color correct on the papers of the sire and dam can help prevent questions about color when registering the offspring at AQHA.

How do I know if the wrong color is listed on my horse’s papers?

Horses are usually registered as a weanling. Foal color can change considerably during the first year — even during the following spring. Horses tend to be born lighter in color and shed off darker when losing the foal coat. Other changes include horses that shed off roan or turn gray when losing the foal coat.

How well do you know horse colors? Learn the difference between a buckskin and a dun, a red roan and a blue roan, a cremello and a perlino and many more. Download AQHA’s free Coat Color Genetics report today.

The AQHA panel test for color is a great tool to help determine the correct color of your horse, and at $85, it is a good deal, too. Color testing is very helpful, especially for horses who inherited more than one modifier, such as a buckskin carrying the cream dilution and dun dilution.

If you have any questions about the color of a specific horse, contact AQHA and request the assistance of one of the color specialists.

How often is the wrong color declared on a horse’s registration papers?

Many of our members are experienced in knowing the foal coat colors and what changes to expect. However, there are always foals born with a questionable color, or other foals who go through many color changes before they reach maturity.

I recommend that you don’t wait to register a foal, even if you are not sure of the color. In most cases, it is much cheaper to register a horse the color you believe it will be, then you can change it later, if necessary, for a $15 fee. Waiting too long to register the foal can cost much more.

How do you get a horse’s color changed with AQHA?

Owners have six months from the date AQHA registers the foal — or a year from the foaling date — to request a free correction. The foal’s first shed in spring will often fall within that time limit. If your correction falls within this time frame, simply give us a call, and we’ll walk you through sending in your correction in a written statement.

If your correction falls outside of this time frame, AQHA’s Affidavit for Correction form is available for $15 (for AQHA members) on AQHA’s website and includes instructions. The original certificate of registration must be sent to AQHA, along with photographs.

When should I contact AQHA about a horse’s color change?

Most horses exhibit their true color when they shed in the spring. Later in the summer and fall, horses tend to become faded or sunburned if outside all the time. Also, winter coats can be very different, especially on roans. When dealing with foals, contact AQHA after the foal has shed the foal coat, usually at 3-4 months of age.

Why wait for the foal to get here, when you can know what color your new foal might be today? Download AQHA’s free Coat Color Genetics report to learn more about your horse’s color genes. This robust, 20-page report is helpful when determining a new foal’s color, and it’s great for science projects and school reports. Full-color photos of horses with all 17 AQHA recognized colors will help you train your eye and become a coat-color expert.

In colder climates, many foals are born in the summer and may grow their winter coat before losing the foal coat. In those cases, the color might need to be reviewed after they shed the first time in their yearling year.

How are color specialists involved in the process?

AQHA’s color specialists are always happy to answer questions and visit with members about the color of their horses. When a foal’s registration is received in the office, a color specialist is often asked to review the registration if photos were submitted and there is a question about the color.

The AQHA database is programmed to know what colors are normal from the cross of two parents based on their colors. If the foal’s listed color falls outside that programmed range, the entry clerk (not a color specialist) sends a letter to the foal’s owner asking for photos. This does not mean AQHA considers the foal’s listed color to be impossible; it means the color needs further review.

When photos are received, a color specialist reviews the foal’s registration and the pedigrees/offspring of the sire and dam to help determine the color.  Sometimes, additional photos may be requested of the foal’s parents, because either the sire or dam may require a color change, as well.

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