You do realize that quite a few WP horses also do HUS right? They absolutely can move out if asked to. They can also move at a snail pace. Hold the judges accountable to placing horses that move out appropriately for the class. Isn’t there already a time limit on the patterns? That forces the issue.
I went and found a video of a HUS class from Congress this year and I admit that HUS has come a very long way from what it was not too long ago. HUS used to be truly be peanut rolling going nowhere WP movements in English tack. I was shocked to see the horses not crawling sideways at the canter, and going nowhere at the trot.
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I bet the top HUS horses would get a piece of a hack class at any A rated h/j show. Best mover in our barn (in my opinion) is a combo WP/HUS horse. I’ve even jumped him and he’s got some talent there!
His cues are so different though that I spent a solid 5 minutes getting “run away with” at a WP lope because I didn’t know what I did to ask for it, and I couldn’t get him to stop, either. I’m dying laughing while the horse’s owner refused to help me because he thought it was funny.
Am I reading correctly that in ARHA grabbing the horn is penalized? Flipping through the rule book trying to figure out what they’re actually after, and saw that…
Also, all over the rule book, is “ringing” of tail. I’m twitching… lol
Edit: “Gapping mouth” too
Just to add some color, one of the original reasons it was split is because the WP/HUS cross over horses were winning over the ranch horses and discouraging the entries from returning.
At the time, it wasn’t so much the “competition” - it was more that APHA was trying to cater to a new market and appeal to people who criticize the flashy outfits and silver saddles. They would show up, and unfortunately - their horses would be tense in that environment - indoor pen, loudspeakers, people in stands above eye level, banners on the walls. These horses should have technically placed over the “show” horses based on movement, but were having a hard time adjusting to a show pen when their typical days include actual ranching. The judges were then kind of hand tied, since the show horses went around consistently and quietly, and the horses the classes were actually designed for were at a disadvantage because they were tense and spooky in this new, foreign environment.
The correct move would’ve been for the ranch riders to haul out and show more, but again - this was a new outreach program and most of them poo pooed the idea of spending even more money when they felt slighted to begin with.
Doesn’t make it right, but does make it understandable.
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I had to look up ARHA. Says it’s based out of KY. No sanctioned shows out here.
You must of had to dig to find that one?
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Nope, that’s the rule book that the kid I give “lessons” to printed out for me, so its the organization she rides with. No digging needed…
What on earth is ARHA? Some dinky fringe group I’m betting.
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Maybe that was ASHA, a TN saddlebed group?
They do have one such rule, but then, maybe it fits with saddlebred riding?
Well seeing the thread were in… american ranch horse association…
Yep… some dinky organization.
How many of the rules are different? Bet not many…
May I ask what your problem is? You stated you have a TB so why are AQHA rules such a problem. You have zero experience with the ranch classes and also have zero understanding of them. You also seem unwilling to listen to what other posters have said because they do not line up with your ideas.
A bit of history, the ranch classes in AQHA were started because many people were jumping ship to reining, cow horse and stock horse organizations due to the movement of the WP horses. The ranch classes were designed to bring the quarter horse back to it’s ranching roots. People were vocal that it would become a costume class and not show the forward gaits seen on a ranch. Many judges are so rooted in WP that they would still place those horses and the class would be a joke. So, no cross entries into WP was allowed.
As a bit of aside, I have showen in the class extensively with AQHA. Judges that have experience with ranching or more working horses place my horse in the high 70’s. Judges rooted in WP, place him lower on average. They have zero experience with ranch horses. I do think it has improved over the years though.
As to your comment that the WP horse should enter and get placed according to the standard, some judges don’t care. I once showed to four judges. Three of them gave us 75, 76, 75.5 one gave me a 68……a girl brought her WP horse and three of the judges wrote, 0 need more forward movement. The fourth placed her first and me last. It cost me the circuit……
Your comment that it is for horses that are not versatile or sub par….my old horse showed in ranch versatility, ranch riding, cowhorse and reining. He has points/earned money in NRCHA, AQHA and NRHA. My current horse has over $15,000 in earnings in NRCHA, money earner in NRHA, world show finalist in AQHA ranch riding and cowhorse as well as NRCHA world show top ten. Many of us cross enter to keep our horses mentally fresh….
I hope this has educated you and maybe you can stop being so judgemental.
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Yes, but near as much as they do in ranch riding.
ARHA is American Ranch Horse Association. They are mostly here in the East. They are a ranch versatility organization. You do not need the expensive cowhorses to do well. However, that is starting to change. They are growing quickly. I have not shown with them because I prefer NRCHA but I would not call them a dinky fringe group.
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Then hold that judge accountable. Don’t tell the WP girl not to show up. It makes you look like a “snowflake” that needs protection from the WP horses.
And until the cross entry rule is gone, I won’t stop being judgmental.
And show me one ranch horse that moves out like these guys… just because they’re slow legged doesn’t mean they’re not moving out VERY well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzVqdis4RgU
People have been saying this forever and it has never happened. How does one hold a judge accountable?
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I did not tell her not to show up. I told what happened as an example of how the class would be judged if it was filled with WP horses. The point being, very few AQHA judges have experience with ranch work. They are based in WP. It would have become a glorified costume class if protections had not put in place. It is still a newer class. Maybe one day people can cross enter. The judges have a better understanding of the class but it still has a ways to go. It’s hard to hold judges accountable when they have the same mindset. The people interested in the class took it a step further and held the organization accountable……
Yes, those horses do move out. However, it shows how little you understand of what is needed on a ranch. Those horses are still to slow to do a days work. Also, they would be slow footed on cattle and inefficient as a working horses. I dare say they seem inefficient in the hunt field as well, but I’ll stick to what I know….I don’t want to seem ignorant as you do.
I still do not understand why you care since you don’t own, show or ride a quarter horse. You have not been slighted by this rule and in all honesty, the people who do have skin in the game don’t care either. Most of them used it as an excuse to justify buying another horse.
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Exactly…they changed the western pleasure judging to place the more forward moving horses above the slower ones. We all see how that turned out 
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