Creating a Western Pleasure horse

[justpettinmypony]

So a couple of months ago we lost one of our two horses so our friend quickly brought a pasture mate over to borrow, but it may turn out that she is a permanent addition.
Joy is a small 12yr old quarter horse who has been a broodmare for the past few years, and besides that has been trail ridden. I have a eventer TB, so I thought Joy could be a nice WP horse for equestrian team. She is quite stubborn though, she will veer around, but she is slowly learning to move off my leg and steer better. She is also a bit fast, she can hold a somewhat-jog for a couple seconds but she isn’t consistent yet. I haven’t really worked her at the lope too much at all, last time I tried she let out a few bucks, so that is a work in progress. She has a short neck, so I don’t expect her to hold a nice long & low headset, but she has a nice round neck. We just need to work on her not tossing her head. Her showmanship skills aren’t fantastic, she can walk, stop, back, but everything else is being worked on.
So any tips and getting her started in the right direction? Really her main thing we need to work on right now is slowing her down, steering, and just consistency with her speed and headset. Also is there any exercises for get a longer attention span because seriously she cannot concentrate for longer than 5 seconds.
I don’t have any pictures right now, but she is about 14.2hh tall, very stocky, very cute head, and a nice short neck. Her color is gorgeous, she’s a dun with socks, a blaze, a tiger stripes on her legs.

So go ahead and indulge my litte eventing mind :3

[49_er]

Sounds like a lot of work ahead of you. Have fun and enjoy the journey.

[Tee]

My advice - take it for what it’s worth. Right now I wouldn’t worry about speed or headset. Headset you can do in a week or so and the slower will come with time once she is more broke and can carry herself balanced. I assume you’ve checked her teeth for the head tossing?

[SuckerForHorses]

[QUOTE=Tee;7140795]
My advice - take it for what it’s worth. Right now I wouldn’t worry about speed or headset. Headset you can do in a week or so and the slower will come with time once she is more broke and can carry herself balanced. I assume you’ve checked her teeth for the head tossing?[/QUOTE]

Exactly. Once she is using her body correctly and balanced, the rest will fall into place. It’s not about the head or the speed, its about the rest of the body, especially the hind end.

[katarine]

Ride the hind feet. The rest will sort itself.

[justpettinmypony]

Alrighty thanks everyone! We have a whole winter ahead of us to let things fall into place

[VaqueroToro]

She also might never be a WP horse, regardless of being a QH – they’re not all built to do it, especially the shorter ones. Short legs sometimes do equate to choppier gaits. Please keep that in mind as well.

[bugsynskeeter]

She may not physically be able to go with her head down, depending on where her neck ties into her shoulders. Especially with a short neck.

[justpettinmypony]

Yes I don’t expect her to be perfect with a nice low headset, because really she isn’t quite physically capable, and I don’t expect her to have a nice jog and slow lope, because that’s not what she knows, and I don’t expect her to sweep away the classes because she’s not a show horse, but I thought it would be fun to have a horse I can try out in western, as my at TB isn’t exactly one I can even try, but I’m thinking more in the realms of fun rather than point earning.

[VaqueroToro]

In that case, I’d say work with her the same way you’d work your eventing horses on the flat (especially the dressage portions). All those exercises will get her stronger, on the correct bend, and able to use her body better. The rest is the icing on the cake that will come once the foundation is there.

[Silk]

Not sure about quarter horses, becasue I dont ride one, but I have learned that a romal rein is preferred for horses that like to go a little higher, ie arabs, morgans (and my welsh).

sounds like you are int he same position as me I decided I wanted to ride western pleasure but my horse is a hunter. I love my little guy and do not want to sell him, so we are working with what we have. He sounds like yours, except mine is considered a very good mover for a hunter pony. Built like a typical welsh, so i dont expect any major prizes - lol. But, its fun and being disabled, i can finally ride comfortably again. good luck and have fun!

[justpettinmypony]

Thanks! Today I found at that she can stretch long and low, she was doing so at the walk today! :3

[Lori]

[QUOTE=Silk;7147821]
Not sure about quarter horses, becasue I dont ride one, but I have learned that a romal rein is preferred for horses that like to go a little higher, ie arabs, morgans (and my welsh).

sounds like you are int he same position as me I decided I wanted to ride western pleasure but my horse is a hunter. I love my little guy and do not want to sell him, so we are working with what we have. He sounds like yours, except mine is considered a very good mover for a hunter pony. Built like a typical welsh, so i dont expect any major prizes - lol. But, its fun and being disabled, i can finally ride comfortably again. good luck and have fun![/QUOTE]

I trained my welsh pony, Shenandoah Pastel, to go western. She did well in open shows. I used split reins.

[justpettinmypony]

Haha ok! Right I don’t have split rein because I’m a poor little eventer so I’m using these rope reins I have. I don’t think it will make a difference until I start working on neck reining(?).
P.s I love Welshies so I may steal yours…or any

[Silk]

[QUOTE=Lori;7155537]
I trained my welsh pony, Shenandoah Pastel, to go western. She did well in open shows. I used split reins.[/QUOTE]

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Shenandoah ponies…sigh!!! I grew up in the time of the shenandoah “stones” ponies…Flintstone, Opal, etc Tell me,do you get a real jog and lope out of yours?

[IndysMom]

Ride her like you’d ride your dressage horse. That’s what I do with my wp horse. All the same exercises for balance, cadence, body control. The slow speed and headset will come with collection.