Tail Alteration in Hunters and Jumpers- dead tails?

[ASB_Stars]

[QUOTE=Pennywell Bay;8713810]
It’s not common. Why are Arab and Morgan people asking about this, OP?[/QUOTE]

The Arabian people are mentioning their disgust with the way halter classes are done, but specific to this issue, apparently it is not uncommon for reining horses to have their tails deadened, in the regular reining arena- as in Quarterhorses. More recently, Arab people who do reining with their horses have apparently decided that this is a great idea. The reining judges come over from the regular reining world, and apparently do not care. My understanding is that reining isn’t governed by USEF, so they can get away with it.

The Morgan people who are reaching out seem to be upset with the high performance horses- the Park horses in particular, whose tails are obviously cut. It is supposed to be illegal in the Morgan world, but it is done.

The Arabian people have great rules governing what can be done with a tail, but they are apparently not enforced.

I’m intrigued by the regular reining world letting this happen, as it is now an Olympic Sport. I seriously doubt FEI is going to give them a pass.

[MtnDrmz]

I really don’t see it much, but I’m no longer around shows all the time, so I’m sure it does happen here and there. The only time I have even questioned was one time when I was watching the junior Hunters and I specifically remember the way this horses tail was “Lying”. It was flat against the very top of the croup, and then about half way down it went crooked and looked like the horse was trying to hold it away from itself but couldn’t get the top to move. I have no idea who it was, or what horse, and maybe it was just a wierd genetic thing, but I specifically remember going, wow, that’s odd! It did not look natural :eek: Other then that possible sighting, I havent heard much about it.

Between the mascara and the botox, I’m pretty sure these ponies are way more put done up then myself :lol: The things people do…

[oldernewbie]

[QUOTE=ASB Stars;8714492]
The Arabian people are mentioning their disgust with the way halter classes are done, but specific to this issue, apparently it is not uncommon for reining horses to have their tails deadened, in the regular reining arena- as in Quarterhorses. More recently, Arab people who do reining with their horses have apparently decided that this is a great idea. The reining judges come over from the regular reining world, and apparently do not care. My understanding is that reining isn’t governed by USEF, so they can get away with it.

The Morgan people who are reaching out seem to be upset with the high performance horses- the Park horses in particular, whose tails are obviously cut. It is supposed to be illegal in the Morgan world, but it is done.

The Arabian people have great rules governing what can be done with a tail, but they are apparently not enforced.

I’m intrigued by the regular reining world letting this happen, as it is now an Olympic Sport. I seriously doubt FEI is going to give them a pass.[/QUOTE]

See bolded sentence above. Arabian Reining is governed by USEF, as in AR-25. I don’t think it is the FEI reining world that is indifferent to tail blocking, I think it comes straight from the AQHA world, where I believe it is prohibited. But like many other “techniques” from that environment, not very aggressively monitored.

Stan Morey, the judging czar from the Arabian Horse Association, had a meeting with judges specifically on this issue. The judges were from the open reining world, but the purpose of the meeting was to emphasize to them that Arab people (in theory) do not object to high tail carriage and that Arab reiners are not to be penalized for it.

How well that stuck I do not know. I think Morey also announced that they would be enforcing the rule. Don’t know how that’s going either.

Poor poor Arabs. In one corner of the breed you’ve got people nicking their tails to try and make a higher tail set or correct a tail set and in the other they are blocking tails to make them lower or immobile.

:mad:

[SimpleChange]

A horse at my old barn had his tail done twice. He was showing pretty regularly in A shows and AA shows in the 3’6 Hunters before I left the barn

[morgans4me]

I have a TOP hunter mare in my barn now. She has sold in the 6 figure plus three times. She is here to be bred with frozen semen and flushed for embryo transfer. Her tail is flat dead. Thankfully I am a saddle seat person and know how to use a bussle, and it is getting a little bit better.

[refresh]

I knew of several 3’6" hunters in the PNW who had this done about 10 years ago. Because they swished their tails for changes, I guess? Maybe it was a regional thing. They always looked off and obvious to me.