> so it is a way to add weight to alter gait. we here in the > walking/racking horse capitols of the world are well familiar with > these seemingly harmless methods to alter crappy gaits or enhance > gaits for the show ring. It probably wont be long before it suddenly > ocuurs to them, voila, we can pressure shoe! Add a smear of mustard > oil to the coronet band! after all, winning is everything! Not just > for ribbons, but for stud services, boosting prices of horses who win > ribbons, and their offspring! Evaluations! these are big money > activities. And they ruin breeds of horses. ruin them completely. > Breed all the natural gait out. Like breeding for color or svelte > conformation or mane instead of soundness and natural gait. Any time > you mix dollars with horses, horses lose. > Janice--
When I first tried Santana (in a soft arena) in Boa boots in the front, he became quite pacey (he tends towards being trotty). Just that little thing. Judy posted this website a couple weeks ago I think. I got very intrigued with it, signed up on the forum, and have been checking it out. It's a bit too "out there" for me, but I think they are headed in a better direction than some. But--they are anti-bit, anti-competition (neither of which I think is bad, b/c I agree w/ those perspectives), and anti-NH; however, most of what you do with the horse is groundwork, very little riding (15 min at a time, IF the horse wants to). But at least they are truly working towards partnering with the horse, and not forcing the horse to do anything. Sounds like horse heaven to me! http://www.nevzorov-haute-ecole.com/en/ Robyn S
