>>>> One thing I see from my unique perspective... a horse staggering beneath a too heavy rider wants to move. they cannot hardly stand still cause it helps them to balance when they take steps. Thats why a horse that stands still for mounting will take a step when a too heavy person mounts, to recover balance. I think this horse has learned to balance a rider at speed and just staggers under the weight at a plain walk. That is just my perception, from observing heavy riders..
I noticed that too Janice. Those horses in the video Judy linked to were very small-framed, especially that palomino. One other thing: remember it was just a year or so ago that we first noticed dropped or flash nosebands with the long-shanked bits? That's what they have on the palomino. Poor horse - weak leg conformation, bell boots, behind the vertical due to a heavy-handed rider, a BIG rider at that...and a long-shanked bit with a dropped noseband. I thought that combination was illegal for showing...? I guess it was allowed, since the horse placed at Landsmott. Sigh. It's really disturbing to me to see harsher and harsher tack allowed for these gentle horses. I guess we should thank the guy for making these realistic videos to show some of the harshness that's just matter-of-fact in the Iceland show world. Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED]
