We had a clinic on western riding and trail. Western riding is a pattern class that incorporates a ton of flying lead changes, as well as a jog and/or lope over a log. It is meant for further finishing the all around western horse.
Cruizer and I (17 hand hunter and 5'9 hunt seat rider) doing our best to pass as a western pleasure team for fair last year. We really only did this class for fun and to do something different. He was very good and the judge said we would have won it had he picked up the lope right away for me, Lol. I couldn't move my legs in the chaps to cue him so he trotted for a few strides before loping. Oh well. He played the part and went slow.
This is a video of a western riding pattern. The stallion in the video (Good I Will Be) has won A TON of awards in this class. I believe he is also a world champion in it.
We also did trail class. Here's a video:
The stallion in this video is Hot Diggity Joe, a very successful show horse himself. He has major wins in both western pleasure and hunter under saddle, and at 11 years old this year has added trail and western riding to his events. He is back in the show ring. His foals have also won big classes in everything from western pleasure to hunter hack. They are also famous for being very quiet and easy to work with.
Oh my goodness I would get so lost in that trail class hehe. Too many poles. I don't really like they frame they make Western Pleasure horses move in, but I do like the stallion in the trail video. He moved in the pleasure frame, but not as bad as some I've seen. I liked when he picked his head up a little and started almost trotting normally toward the end lol. Nice videos. I like the picture of you and Cruizer too. I bet you stood out on him since most Western Pleasure horses are short lol.
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