On Feb 17, 2008, at 9:19 AM, Judy Ryder wrote: > > >> I choose a stallion who, himself, has very good conformation. >> I put evidence of athleticism on the stallion's part as a prime >> requirement. >> Another prime thing is disposition ... look for stallions that throw >> "calmness" > > Good list, Lynn! > > I would like to see that a stallion can gait without mechanical aids. > No > shoes, no boots, no saddle, no bit, no pulling on the mouth, no rider > leaning back. > > Do we have stallions in the breed that can do that? >
The best way to tell is to ride the candidate stallion yourself. The first mare/horse I ever bought was in foal and after I rode the mare the owner put me on the stallion, bareback, so that I could develop a sense of what the foal was likely to be like. Now that I'm old and decrepit I'm less inclined to ride, but I do ask to groom the stallion, lead him around, tack him up and then ask the trainer to ride him and put him through the manuvers I ask for. Most of the stallions I've also seen in the show ring, and there the judge can ask to ride any horse in the breeding/gait division in order to judge for himself the quality and naturalness of the gait. Some horses fall apart with a new rider, others perform just the same. Of course shoes and bell boots aren't an issue -- they are forbidden in the show ring. Lynn Kinsky, Santa Ynez, CA http://www.silcom.com/~lkinsky/
