Tennessee Walking Horse Show 2 year Old Mares and Geldings

[rcbrk]

wow - I have been riding for 30 years and have never seen this?!?

Why are the front feet left so long ... does that make the stride do this?

[vje75mg]

First off, ride one and you'll hunch over. secondly, if you don't support the breed or the means they use to get the gait out of them, then go one somewhere. they are amazing athletes and a joy to own.

[XvixXtheXrockerX]

but WHY will you hunch over? I watched a vid of a girl in the World...watever cpmpetition and she was sitting upright; looked very beautiful, IMHO

[ryantaulbee]

thats how alot of the men ride I have noticed. Women usually are more upright, I do anyways.....

[lupinespiritalso]

There is a sore horse in there it is a little black skinny horse with a bigger man on it. It appears to be the left rear.

[ryantaulbee]

They have to be goverment inspected by a vet before they can enter the arena, I assure you, the horses are fine!

[lupinespiritalso]

The riders look weird all hunched over with their heads way forward...why do they sit like that? They are not in line or balanced. Ears not inline with shoulder,hip, knee, heel. They are tilted forward..is this because of the downward angle of the back end on these padded horses?

[tennesseewlkrcrzy15]

Tennessee walkers are just started earlier than other breeds...

[cwillocks]

I think these horses look mighty small.

[tallula04]

Well, they are only 2 year olds....

[strangetastesadie]

ok, I myself own a Walker, and can see how Racking is natural as she was born walking and running this way, but someone educate me on the BIG BIRD style of walking these guys are doing... What the heck? Is this due to "SORING"? Are we witnessing abuse here? Horses don't walk like this under any circumstances unless ... what? Please, someone tell me these horses aren't being abused because I cannot quit tearing-up every time I see this, and I feel really nauseated...

[SheluvsHorses]

That IS NOT there natural walk..They have put "big licks" on thoese horses to make them walk like that..

[wrxhenry]

i think these horses are perfect .. granted this is what i showed for 11 yrs ..

[EllaRichardson1]

im sure thats what there soppost to look like but iv never seen a TWH... well walking before and it was quite a shock ?? is that there natrual walk?? .. probs sound like a right spag now lol!!

[walker425]

As sad as this makes me. You need to remember that the racing industry races 2 year olds. So its just not the walking horse industry abusing babies. Someday I hope there are laws to protect animals from mans selfishness.

[BurgundyMorning]

I'm not a fan of racing 2 year olds, either.

Then there are QHs who are fully broke at age 2. The amount of muscle they have is very deceptive about their maturity. 2 year olds are still babies. Give them some time to grow up and be a horse.

[BurgundyMorning]

Poor equitation and two year olds being ridden in shanked bits. Now there's a winning combination. (sarcasm)

Saddleseat is difficult, I applaud those who do it correctly. I prefer Morgans and Saddlebreds though.

I prefer my TWHs flatshod. One more thing, yes TWHs are naturally gaited. The extra padding is to enhance the gait, however, I think it is seriously overdone.

[Kyani]

Aside from all the training techniques - you're riding TWO YEAR OLDS!

[startrakluver]

ok, since i know almost nothing about Gaited horses, I won't make any comments about the horses or the riders. But what I am going to ask is why are you riding 2 year olds? I honestly would like to know!

[HeavensGaitWalkers]

Why? Because, contrary to popular beleif, horses CAN be ridden as 2 year olds. Typically they are ridden more lightly than older horses, but I frankly can't understand why people have such a problem with 2 yr olds being ridden. They're HORSES you guys, they're freakin' strong!! A person is like 1/10 of their weight, you know??

[LoveMyStyle]

This is highly innacurate.. Sure, horses CAN be ridden as two year olds.. however they are not physically mature enough to be able to adapt appropriately to that much extra weight.. Bones and joints are not done developing.. this type of mentality is why you see dead lame futurity horses at the age of 6.

[HeavensGaitWalkers]

OK, maybe TBs and other breeds go lame from being ridden at 2, but not Walkers. Walking Horses mature faster and have much sounder, stronger limbs than TBs and most other breeds. Most Walking Horses are started at 2 and show until they are 7 or 8, plenty of them show well into their 20s (padded) with no lameness to speak of. What does that tell you?

[firegatherer]

Will someone PLEASE teach these people how to ride? Good God. That CAN'T be good for their backs. And why are they changing direction toward the fence? I don't know much about TWHs; I'm a Warmblood person myself and ride dressage, but I know that when we train a young horse, we wait until it is at LEAST 3 to even THINK about training. Anything before, and you'll end up with a useless horse. I understand every breed is different but I have yet to find a horse that matured at two.

[Pipning]

Gosh.. That's just unatural.. But was is'nt.. It just looks so..

I'm lost for words, not sure if it's a good thing or a bad..

[ihy]

Beautiful! I work & ride at a Saddlebred barn, and this exhibition is just amazing!

[rustyhorse545]

and if it where a natural gait, why do they have platforms on huh?!

[flatshodtrainer]

In response to all of the ignorant comments, keep in mind that our horses have very little arthritis and very rarely have navicular. I will bet half of you are riding some bubble gummed together quarter horse, TB, or dumb blood. I use to train dressage and jumpers. Those poor things hurt every day from wear and tear, our horses don't. We have a strong powerful breed.

[HorseWhisperer5]

I own a QH/TB and she is not bubble gummed or lame in any way!

[happyhorsejumper96]

QH are the most sturdy, reliable horses in the world. i have no idea how you trained your dressage horses and jumpers, but if they are trained CORRECTLY then they aren't in pain every day. and don't talk about breeds of horses in general because every horse is different. you are pretty much saying that every jumper or every dressage horse is in pain all the time, but if they were, would they be clearing 5 foot or doing canter pirouettes? i don't think so.

[rustyhorse545]

i asked my trainer how they train thosehorses...adn they on't they leave the platform things on there hoofs 24-7 and they can't go in a field or else if they bend donw to get grass, the shoes havethem to high up and they will break they're necks....its tre, thumbs down me all u want but i think its sad, those shoes and platforms ppl, they can't even go run and play like normal horses, again i don't care if u even spam me

[flatshodtrainer]

How come no one questions how a Grand Prix Jumper learns to not take rails down, or how an Upper Level Dressage horse improves their piaffe or passage??? Aren't they in PAIN everyday with arthritis and joint probs?? What about all the quarter horses with navicular?? At least we are BREEDING a sound horse.

[happyhorsejumper96]

if they were in pain every day they wouldn't be doing what they do.

[happyhorsejumper96]

grand prix jumpers and dressage horses would not be clearing 6 feet or doing canter pirouettes if they were always in pain. they wouldn't be ABLE to. only the horses who are either built wrong or are trained incorrectly are in pain constantly because of their job.

[XvixXtheXrockerX]

...that is such an ignorant comment...such generalization of breeds shows true idiocy. GRANDPrix jumpers don't take rails down b/c they love their job, dressage horses improve piaffe and passage through muscle development...and no, htey aren't ALL in pain everyday from arthritis and joint probs. Only if you force a horse to do something he is physically incapable for/mentally not ready for, will you start to see problems. *rolls eyes*

[PonyMadPwincess]

persnally i dont like the look of them there front legs look out of preportion to ther back.

but ive read in a book that there hooves are grown to ridiculust long lengths and heavy shoes put on is this true ??

jst wunderiin

[HeavensGaitWalkers]

All of you people saying how "cruel" this is need to research it more. The horses don't look lame, so you should be able to tell these horses are not in pain. Also - this IS a natural gait. If you watch a true running walk flatshod horse, you'll see that it is performing exactly the same gait as these horses, except that these ones have more lift to their front end, a little more drop to the back, and perhaps even a little more headshake. It's just an exaggerated version of their natural gait.

[kenziebelle5]

EXACTLY!!! I show Tennessee Walking Horses and I don't do a single thing to mine. Like ^ said, if you do your research, you know that the only reason they pick up their feet like that is because they are what you call padded, or having thicker shoes on the front. I doesn't hurt them at all, actually, I just strengthens their back and leg muscles.

[melody1]

It isn't the movement or the gait that bothers me, it's that these horses are TWO year olds. Anybody who agrees that starting a horse as an early two year old needs to research the equine musculoskeletal system better. I don't LIKE the blocks and soring that some big lick horses are subjected to, but I realize that not everybody does that. I'm a saddleseat rider myself and my horses are padded/weighted to show, too. I just wish that the horses in the video were THREE or FOUR year olds, not two.

[kentuckeegal]

no the're tennessee walking horses. I ride my show filly on trails and it helps bring up her front end. That way she'll lift her legs really high without me ever having to pad her.

[zoweyzoe]

called road- soaring

[Svartis93]

Foxtrott?

[calvinGirl90]

no they do a running walk.

[MissyKrissy5497]

Fox trot is only for missouri fox trotters.

[merderpiperleo]

hey now since i'm used to the icelandics this looks really weird, but this does look very pleasent, if you're the rider... i wonder if we've got TWHs in germany so i can try em looks interesting^^

[utlaw97]

There are some people in Germany that have TWH, but I think padding horses is illegal there.

[hedgeluvr101]

i dont like to stack up my TWH. it looks unnatural, and studies show that if it isnt done properly, it can cause hoof, leg, and back problems. i just dont take the risk. also, the natural gait is just as beautiful as when the horse is stacked; possibly even more so. and yes, ive done research, yes i lease a TWH, and yes i know what im talking about.

[Hogguide]

First off...your arent very familiar with TWH's becasue noone..NOONE in the industry calls them "stacks"...YOur a fraud. You have never been around a padded TWH. Tell the truth or dont post. You only make yourself look ignorant to those of us who know what we are talking about.

[hedgeluvr101]

I dont know who u r, but its rude to call me a fraud. Its true ive never been around a STACKED TWH cuz, as i sed, i dont stack up my horse! im not ignorant, if u want my horses pedigree because im 'not in the industry' ask for it. i no what im talking about, and if u have a reasonable response to my post, you can post it. if youre only here to criticize, please dont post it!

[Hogguide]

See your a liar because you said you hated to stack your horses up then you say you havenever even been around one. Your typical of the small minded half wits who get on youtube and run down and belittle the padded walking horse, when the truth is you havent got a clue about what you are talking about.

[KamieKay1234]

You all have to reslize that these are 2 year olds...they ARE still growing and yes being stacked up like this is weird for them...they are still trying to figure the whole thing out. I have worked with many stacked horses and TRUST me if they dont like there job as a padded horse, they wont do it...they will quite!!!

[zzeldaa]

I am a professional trainer specializing in gaited breeds and I have worked with many Walkers. I don't see how stacking is at all appealing, it is unnatural and it is unfortunate that this magnificent breed cannot be appreciated by some people without artificial aids. The natural rack is an awesome gait; with pads, it is the result of someone seeing something beautiful, and not being satisfied..it is sad.

[djb7706]

i agree people in the end change there gait so they look bionic!

[rustyhorse545]

what the helk is with those shoes! and theres legs are so big, im srry,but this just looks plain wierd! the shoes in the front are to tall, but the back ones are like...normal,and the legsare so tall, and the wierd gait, what the helk do u call this?lolz, i just do dressage,show jumping, and ropingO_O this...this just looks...freaky!

[XxSkylarxLoverxX]

they do look reallyyy weird in this video....

[222RODEOIGO]

It could possibly be abusive, but it's surely not as bad as bronco events at rodeos. At least horsemanship and care is involved with events like this.

[ToeltendeTraber]

I know is it usual in USA . But to my mind poor childhood.

[alisamae2236]

Are you the owner of Colored In Glory?

[d1x1e1]

Im not going to pretend i know anything about these horses but to me it looks very unnatural compared to our horses, and the fact they are 2 year olds disturbs me. Im not trying to cause an argument im just saying what i think if thats ok!

[222RODEOIGO]

what you're saying is quite the same with racehorses too..

[ALeyvaC]

All i am seeing that is horrible is your ignorance, all breeds of horses mature at different rates drafts being the last breed type to mature at 4 years, most light breeds like the TWH mature at two years, they will not suffer any ill effects from being ridden this early, race horses are worked much harder than this at earlier ages and live long lives, like i say all i see is your ignorance learn how to spell and perhaps someone might take your thoughts seriously.

[syrah01]

I would refrain from calling using the word ignorance if you really do believe that draft horses are mature at 4 years old. Try 6 years old and you'll be closer. There is not one horse breed that is mature at 2 years old.

[janeylane5]

Ok, if you think that race horses aren't negatively affected by being started so early, you go tell that to the two ex racers I own. Both of whom are gimped up at under 10 years old. They may live long lives, but they won't be sound lives.

Same thing goes for those foals in that class. Two years old. That's insane. I didn't even start mine until four.

[petuniamax]

omg. ur so right. i work at a breeding barn for race horses. it hurts to see a 2 year old go to the track knowing their gunna come back real screwed up. i know a mare who went to the track slightly pigeon toed and came back extremely splay footed. and one who had a hole u could see through in her hoof wall. 2 years is too young!!!

[4bozzza]

om te kotsen!

[willowbrookacres]

There are ALOT more TWHs out there performing and winning into their late teens and twenties than any hunters,jumpers or western horses; so it must not be too hard on them! Like it or not, they certainly are not crippled in any way shape or form, they are loved, well cared for and INSPECTED by the federal government every time they show!

[pinkafide]

wow that doesn't ever look natral....tennessee walkers are gaited, and that troting that there making them do is totally not wut they are meent to do...and there so young if you watch the horses black legs actually like they start tripping cuz its so un natral

[kiarawithkiki]

Please do some research before you post any comments. Actually go to a training facility. Do not believe everything you read on the web. There are a lot of biased people out there. Most, if not all, retired show horses go on to other careers; trail, pleasure, breeding, etc. They could not do this if they were unsound. PLEASE PEOPLE, do not let you ignorance show!!

[tpa92190]

gosh that it so saddening. These horses are just babies. It will be at least 2 years before their knees completely close and their backs stop growing.

[zzeldaa]

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

I'm tired of people saying TWH's 'mature faster' because that is not true! They are too small and young! Now don't get me wrong; people race horses at two and that's not right either. I'm not targeting this breed, but it does make me mad that they can't just be patient and wait till the horse is fully trained and developed!

[clm24503]

chill out....these horses were breeded for these exact reasons

[tweakerbelltm]

babys...and working at getting themselves crippled for life!!! HOW can real people even think of doing this to an adult horse....much ,less a BABY....anytime there is money to be made...animals,children and women will be USED!!!!

[sclaycomb65]

i do not like padded up twh horse it harm the horses

[cowgirlupspanky]

do some research b4 you open your big mouth!!!!

[rustystirrup]

You can call them mares but they are STILL fillies at 2. BABIES! How can they guys live with themselves?

[cowgirlupspanky]

do you even own any horses.... OR ride tennesee walkers?!?!?!?

[Barrelracing318]

wow those poor horses those things aren't even done growing they look so akward and ugly moving out there those poor things are going to have leg and back problems by the time they're 4

[cowgirlupspanky]

hmmmm........ lets see.... you Barrel Race..... ME 2.... so you ride mostly Quarter Horses. Well lets see.... you keep your nose into your QH business. I ride TWHs + QHs. They are trained to walk that way and some TWHs have been doin this type of thing for 20 years and most of them dont have problems!!!!

[wargur]

What bothers me the most about this video is seeing so many gangly and awkward young horses being ridden in a very demanding way. As a gaited horse owner I know how streneous it is for _a fully mature horse_ to ride the four beat in full collection and I don't even want to know how much strain the pads add because it completely messes up the horse's posture.

All these horses look shakey and it just ain't right riding two year olds gaited.

[luvtobeloved07]

Showing a 2 year old is uncalled for. Absolutely no need in it; whether it be showing or racing! Also, they are beautiful without pads.

[TheTetrarch]

I can't stand the padded Walkers... they give all gaited horses a bad name and cause bad stereotypes for Walkers, when really less than 10% of Walkers are ridden like this.

[cowgirlupspanky]

SHUT UP!!!!!!!

[stormywarning]

Many of these horse show well up into their teens without problems and being on loads of supplements.

Also, a padded horse should just be an exaggerated version of the flat shod. A good example of that is Cash for Keeps. He won the WGC in 2000 as a padded horse and has made news being fantastic lite shod horse.

[Secretariat442]

Disgusting.

And when the riders slow down the horses look uncomfortable and unstable.

Yeah, and I did notice as well that the chestnut seems a little more off than the others. =/

[gemini752]

A naturally gaited Walker is beautiful to watch (and ride!). This is disgusting! Poor horses

[needanap624]

Poor horsemanship all the way around. The horses are moving unnaturally, appear to be in extreme pain (horses just plain don't move like that), and the riding is horrendous. It should be a crime to put the huge shoes and pads on a horse like that. Poor babies look like they just want to lay down and die.

[intrepidmonica]

Making horses move this way is not attractive at all. Looks unnatural and difficult.

[citydog]

Sored or not, those are sad caricatures of horses.

A flat-shod TWH is a beautiful thing. Big lick is an abomination of that.

And it's pure greed and ignorance that has folks riding two year olds. Their growth plates are not closed, and they will pay for early work like this with long term unsoundness. That chestnut is dead lame already.

[tennwalkr74]

After showing padded horses for a good while it's still amazing we can't show a sound performance horse. Not a sound horse in the bunch - some to pacey , some to pausy and animated. not enough natural moving gait. The padded horses can do it. My horse was padded at 4 and with those extra year son him we got a great high head and full out walk that didn't look like a mish mash of legs!

[michellebedore]

Why are the riders all leaning way forward and practically standing up in the stirrups, or at least slighty out of the saddle?

[michellebedore]

Man....well, all I want to say is the horses are awfully young to be already trained to that level. Anyway, like in the racing world, horses are raced at 2, ruined by 3 or 4. The thing that's a bummer here is the bald-faced difference between a NORMAL flat shod TWH and a stacked show TWH. The difference btwn they way they move tells the true story. The turkey walk looks bizarre, and I bet their hocks break down earlier than jumpers do!

[sparklinggerm]

So far I haven't seen any video of THW doing that without Rider. I have to admit that I am not very familiar with the breed, but if that is natural, there seem to be different tribes of the THW.

Plus I think, that to have a horse trained that far at the age of 2, no matter what breed, is way to early. But unfortunately that is a habit practiced with most breeds.

So my question is (not intending to offend): Can that really be natural posture and how much of it is training?

[ScribbleBear]

Its not natural, or a matter of training really. Put a pair of chains around the ankles, put some high stacked shoes on their hooves, and you can be sure theyll kick out like their hooves are on fire. This gait is enhanced, natural walkers (barefoot and light shod) do not move like this.

[vje75mg]

yeah, they do, just not as exaggerated. and if it was that damn simple then why aren't we are trainers?

[sparklinggerm]

I have to admit I am a bit confused about this. All gaited horses I have seen so far (and I have seen quite a lot, Paso Peruanos, Mangalarga Marchadores, Icelandic horses AND Tennessee Walkers, that are not trained for show), but none of them walk like this, with their legs bent that far. So what is the difference between THW that go in shows and those, that are "leisure time horses"? How do you get them to bent back like this?

[ScribbleBear]

Most tennessee walkers do not move like this, this gait is enhanced with "action devices". Heavy shoes, chains around the ankles, ect. Try to find some videos of lightshod, or barefoot tennessee walkers. To see what the breed is really like. These walker exhibited here, are performance horses, commonly known as padded or big lick horses. They do not by any means represent what the walking horse industry is as a whole. Horses like this arent allowed to show in the north.

[vje75mg]

because yankees are dumbasses, i don't want that stuff up there anyway

[swindsor11]

dont dis something you dont understand. if you know so much about this style of riding and the care that these horses get, and are still that worried, why don't you talk to your congressmen and get light shed on what you seem to know everything about. forget you not, there are good people in the walker world. and good walkers

[Phoebusar]

that's just horrible.

Damn, 2 years old, and you think it doesn"t hurt!!!

You must get veterinary lessons, quick!

They don't walk, they are just trying to...God, they will be out in 6 years, back, legs, muscles, bones, all those things destroy by your stupidity...

It's just ugly...

[zzeldaa]

YES!!!! I love you.... :)

[jsf1926201]

true, NOT all TWH breeders "SORE" their horses.. it's sometimes just heavy shoes that make the pick their feet up high... doesn't hurt them...

[Phoebusar]

haha...really?

So put some big shoes and try to run 1 mile everyday with.

And next year come here and telle try to tell me that you don't hurt in any way. Your back, bones and muscles will hurt.

Not because of the shoes on the moment, but with time, your body will be used, too used.

[plantationpleasure]

People, the pads and chains isn't what harms these beautiful animals. It's the other things people do to them. They are wonderful to watch but, the heating process is what I hate. I'd take a plantation walker over a padded anyday. I'm not trying to be negative as I own three walkers myself. But, if the horse doesn't have it naturally, then I don't want it. That's why i like dealing with natural gates.

[BarrelRacn]

I am also ashamed to be human. This is SICK.

[eruagnostic]

Hmm... what's the point of this walk? I can't help thinking about Monty Pythons ministry of silly walks. And what's the thing with chains and pads?

Nahh... give me an Icelandic horse.

[anniizk]

I don't see the fun with hurting these animals just to have something "nice" to look at. It's animal cruelt and I hope that it will end. There's a lot of people that I think love hurting animals, and the ones who actually ride horses this way is one of them. Those people are such a a*****e

[hollycgate]

Not everyone in this business hurts their horses. Mine go through inspections with flying colors. He is in no way being tortured. My grandfather which is 62 goes and works in the 104 degree temp everyday and hurts everyday, thats torture.

[Phoebusar]

the torture is not JUST about putting chains and such and hurt knowing that.

It is ALSO not to know that the skeletton of the horse cannot support these practices. It is just mecanics, like a horse in dressage can't carry his rider with his head above the back: the rider's weight will hurt the back bones.

[vje75mg]

Do you honestly beleive these horses are going to fall over? If you don't like it, don't support it, but, no matter what you decide, SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!

[ShyMyst]

Before you feel too much pity for all the poor, sored horses, watch their ears. Granted, that chesnut horse at 1:19 doesnt look too happy, but I dont have a good enough eye to tell if his feet hurt, or if he just doesnt have a very good rider on his back.

Most of the horses ears are pricked up and forward, or flopping relaxedly around. They dont look too miserable, do they? Just look at the horse that comes in at 0:32, he's great!

[audioambrosia]

Thanks for the videos....I hope you ignore the negative comments and keep them coming! :-)

[Hogguide]

hmmmmm nearly 30 year of being around walking horse shows and training barns and I have never , NEVER, sen them "almost fall over" and seen them "sore" as you stated it.

[tennesseewalker007]

The chains and shoes are not soring devices. The USDA is going to a lot of shows this year, I doubt an obviously sored horse would make it past their DQP's.

[absentminded1732]

I think the key word here is "obviously." There are sored horses there--no doubt in my mind--some people are really good at hiding it. Pressure shoeing and road foundering can often get past the DQPs.

[kiarawithkiki]

I grew up with these horses and know how they're trained. They are shod with precision, it's almost scientific. The angle of the pads and foot add to the extreme action. Never heard of "pressure shoeing", don't believe it exists. They do not road founder. Learn before you post.