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So, Joy is built naturally downhill. At the top of her butt, she's about an inch taller than at her withers. She also has a naturally very low headset, and is perfectly content chugging along with her head between her knees. xp

I was just wondering, are there any English disciplines that allow or even look for this very low headset? I know in Western, Joy's way of going is pretty much ideal. But in English, I'm having a hard time finding a discipline that Joy naturally fits with. Dressage definitely isn't working real well with her, so I was hoping you all might give me some suggestions. surprised

I meant like an actual discipline, although I do that a lot too. xd

ENGLISH PLEASURE.

Basically Western pleasure with English tack. My personal least favorite English discipline besides saddleseat as far as aesthetic value goes. xd

Edit: Pic:

Looked it up, that looks really good too.

Is there any difference between english pleasure and hunter under saddle?

Do you have to have h/j experience to be a hunter under saddle? sweatdrop

1) Not really. XD Oh, except for that in English pleasure, you're often sort of expected to ride on a kind-of loose rein (depends on where you are, I would imagine), whereas in hunter under saddle you keep the straight line from arm to mouth.

2) Nope, it's a flat class, no jumps. Hunter STYLE, so shorter stirrups and correct attire, but other than that, no.

Yeah, I know; I probably should have mentioned that... but I will say that where I live is entirely populated by QH's, so even in open shows, finding an English Pleasure horse that DOESN'T have a low headset like that is near impossible.

Which is why I think Silver will either instantly win everything here or lose every single time, either because he stands out or because judges DON'T like his "normal" headset rofl

i usually win or get really high placings in english pleasure in the local shows here (brag brag brag, lol). its more on the bomb proofness of the horse than anything. thats just because if i dont drill into my horse too much (make her ACTUALLY round, like dressage round) shes as good as u can get. there are tricks to english pleasure. things like, going down the rail at a canter, u dont have to straighten the horse like in dressage. in QH english pleasure (yes even in the huge shows) ull see the horses going down the rail cantering basically side ways becaue theyre so stiff. another (something u always do, hehee) is that at a walk, u can almost give them a free rein. as long as they keep a nice steady walk with a good frame (i call it "hunter" round, because the horses dont go truely round and lift their back and transfer weight to their hocks, well, maybe a LITTLE...but not like in dressage). i give my horse a longish rein because she prances sometimes at a walk and will go behind the bit. but, if i keep her long and low, she looks happy and relaxed and thats basically what a english pleasure horse is all about.

its a horse that can walk, trot, canter on the correct leads, and stay soft, relaxed and round. a judge once said to us at a schooling show (making refernece to the type of horse u want for english pleasure): "..its a horse you'd put ur grandma on, and she'd be able to go along happily." meaning, round, and relaxed and pleasent. lol

open show english pleasure



QH english pleasure (lots are hunter under saddle, its pretty identicle)


omg, all they did was change the tack, lol


i personally dont like the QH english pleasure (sorry) to me, its like seeing THIS:

BLAH!! burning_eyes

Open shows = QH shows where I'm from too Elisha. rofl They didn't really like my little morgan, and they HATED my Thoroughbredy QH/Arab (Everyone thought he was a TB...) so we never won anything. It depends on where you are though. There's a girl with a mule at my barn here at school that cleans up at open shows, and I know back home people would be like "OMG Y R U RIDIN A DONKEY???!!!?!11!?!/!?" stare