We have the horses and history here - but I suspect without the team starting to focus on learning and improving they will be overtaken before long.
Not to indicate I know anything about this specific team as individuals, but the view of reining as a young horse thing vs. something to build a horse’s training to perform at top levels at an old enough age for this competition, and the typical image of the overweight and unfit man WILL have to change to win at some point. I look forward to that.
[QUOTE=netg;7732323]
Not to indicate I know anything about this specific team as individuals, but the view of reining as a young horse thing vs. something to build a horse’s training to perform at top levels at an old enough age for this competition, and the typical image of the overweight and unfit man WILL have to change to win at some point. I look forward to that.[/QUOTE]
It’s changing already; http://www.fappaniperformance.com/
I believe he is from Italy.
Oh, there are plenty of fit reining riders here, too. However, it’s not seen as necessary the way it is in other disciplines with occasional exceptions.
I also hope longevity of the horses will become a higher priority, as futurities tend to equal horses who are lame by 5.
Shawn Flarida & Spooks Gotta Whiz
http://youtu.be/6lFUxa0CIPU
Andrea Fappani & Custom Cash Advance
http://youtu.be/7f-6tEEci4s?list=UUHTPWexSZGfyM5Ph3al0SDw
Mandy McCutcheon & Yellow Jersey Prospects
http://youtu.be/2dpZrAwzHIA
Jordan Larson & HF Mobster
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=765827103459757
Medal Ceremony
http://youtu.be/vwQZc9EOL8Y?list=UUHTPWexSZGfyM5Ph3al0SDw
[QUOTE=NorCal10;7732511]
Shawn Flarida & Spooks Gotta Whiz
http://youtu.be/6lFUxa0CIPU
Andrea Fappani & Custom Cash Advance
http://youtu.be/7f-6tEEci4s?list=UUHTPWexSZGfyM5Ph3al0SDw
Mandy McCutcheon & Yellow Jersey Prospects
http://youtu.be/2dpZrAwzHIA
Jordan Larson & HF Mobster
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=765827103459757
Medal Ceremony
http://youtu.be/vwQZc9EOL8Y?list=UUHTPWexSZGfyM5Ph3al0SDw[/QUOTE]
Flamesuit on-I don’t like what I see in a lot of top reining tests. Sour expressions with ears pinned throughout the test. The body language is awful. I’ve ridden my fair share of QH’s who were bright and alert with foward ears so I know it’s not a breed thing. I will say HF Mobster looked like he was enjoying himself.
“Spooks Gotta Whiz”? Seriously?
[QUOTE=The Crone of Cottonmouth County;7732550]
“Spooks Gotta Whiz”? Seriously?[/QUOTE]
Sire: Spooks Gotta Gun
Dam: Prettywhizprettydoes by Topsail Whiz and out of Blonde At The Bar
[QUOTE=NCRider;7732549]
Flamesuit on-I don’t like what I see in a lot of top reining tests. Sour expressions with ears pinned throughout the test. The body language is awful. I’ve ridden my fair share of QH’s who were bright and alert with foward ears so I know it’s not a breed thing. I will say HF Mobster looked like he was enjoying himself.[/QUOTE]
My feeling is that they have their “game face” on. These horses don’t get to be this good by getting sour and not wanting to work. When they get sour they get gone.
Edit: That sounded harsh. There is a market for horses that don’t make it in the show pen and their futures are pretty bright compared to horses that don’t make it in many other disciplines.
[QUOTE=NorCal10;7732557]
Sire: Spooks Gotta Gun
Dam: Prettywhizprettydoes by Topsail Whiz and out of Blonde At The Bar[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=NorCal10;7732557]Sire: Spooks Gotta Gun
Dam: Prettywhizprettydoes by Topsail Whiz and out of Blonde At The Bar[/QUOTE]
I had a Whiz horse myself. I just think that, when incorporating a euphemism for urination into a horse name, you should probably say it out loud before consigning it to posterity. We named ours Stanley.
I agree with the game face theory. Reminds me of a collie working sheep.
But why reining horses only? More of them than not look like that the entire test. There’s the odd horse in the other disciplines that look like that and people generally take that to mean they’re sour and grumpy. Do dressage horses, eventers, SJ and endurance horses not have game faces?
Some of the score reining reflects your horse’s attitude.
It the judge sees a cranky horse, he will lose points.
There is a difference between a horse listening to the rider, ears back and concentrating and flowing right along, to a mad horse with pinned ears and scotching and hunched up or practically running away and not listening.
Don’t know about those runs, have not seen them, so can’t tell what they may have looked right there.
[QUOTE=NCRider;7732549]
Flamesuit on-I don’t like what I see in a lot of top reining tests. Sour expressions with ears pinned throughout the test. The body language is awful. I’ve ridden my fair share of QH’s who were bright and alert with foward ears so I know it’s not a breed thing. I will say HF Mobster looked like he was enjoying himself.[/QUOTE]
To be fair, I’ve never seen a cow horse looking all happy eared staring down a cow. More like, I’m gonna git you, and git you good! But I double dog dare you to say a cutting horse at the top levels isn’t enjoying its job, laced back ears and everything. So I think “ears pinned” isn’t a reliable indicator.
[QUOTE=netg;7732462]
Oh, there are plenty of fit reining riders here, too. However, it’s not seen as necessary the way it is in other disciplines with occasional exceptions.
I also hope longevity of the horses will become a higher priority, as futurities tend to equal horses who are lame by 5.[/QUOTE]
I was gonna say, that if all cowboys were fat, there would be no reason to invent the term “buckle bunnies”. 
But I’m not sure longevity of an upper level reining career is in the cards. Futurities start early, and it is a tough sport on the hocks. That doesn’t mean there isn’t a home for older reining horses, I’m just not sure it is at the level we see at WEG and in futurities. Like racing, it may be destined to be mostly a young horse’s game. There’s nothing wrong with that if the horse is cared for for its life. Unfortunately the same is true (and unfortunately, often lacking) regardless of the length of a career.
[QUOTE=DMK;7732648]
To be fair, I’ve never seen a cow horse looking all happy eared staring down a cow. More like, I’m gonna git you, and git you good! But I double dog dare you to say a cutting horse at the top levels isn’t enjoying its job, laced back ears and everything. So I think “ears pinned” isn’t a reliable indicator.[/QUOTE]
OK maybe, but cow horses are staring down an animal and the pinned ears are part of the communication between the horse and the cow.
Other than the breed involved, on it’s face there doesn’t seem to be a reason that reining would lead to pinned ears any more than the other disciplines. Both dressage and eventing require enormous amounts of concentration and physical effort on the part of the horse and endurance requires an intense physical effort.
And again, not all of the reiners
[QUOTE=NCRider;7732616]
But why reining horses only? More of them than not look like that the entire test. There’s the odd horse in the other disciplines that look like that and people generally take that to mean they’re sour and grumpy. Do dressage horses, eventers, SJ and endurance horses not have game faces?[/QUOTE]
Mclain Ward’s Rothchild is famous for his “game face”
[QUOTE=NCRider;7732616]
But why reining horses only? More of them than not look like that the entire test. There’s the odd horse in the other disciplines that look like that and people generally take that to mean they’re sour and grumpy. Do dressage horses, eventers, SJ and endurance horses not have game faces?[/QUOTE]
You can’t compare all breeds and disciplines to each other. Its apples and oranges. The mind set of a dressage horse is completely different from that of a horse going cross country or of a horse running a pattern. Just like the mind set of a hunter picking daisies on its round is different from a jumper careening around a jump off course.
You can’t expect horses that are so different and performing such different jobs to have the same expression. One thing that you will hear from riders and trainers across all disciplines is that willingness to work is just as important if not more important than natural ability and talent. If they weren’t willing we wouldn’t be seeing the kinds of rounds we have these last 2 days.
Besides they are all individuals and have their own quirks. Remember when Blu Hors Matine went viral and people were slamming the video because she was swishing her tail? That horse was having a grand time showing off for the crowd not anxious, tense or stressed like so many people were claiming.
[QUOTE=NorCal10;7732697]
You can’t compare all breeds and disciplines to each other. Its apples and oranges. The mind set of a dressage horse is completely different from that of a horse going cross country or of a horse running a pattern. Just like the mind set of a hunter picking daisies on its round is different from a jumper careening around a jump off course.
You can’t expect horses that are so different and performing such different jobs to have the same expression. One thing that you will hear from riders and trainers across all disciplines is that willingness to work is just as important if not more important than natural ability and talent. If they weren’t willing we wouldn’t be seeing the kinds of rounds we have these last 2 days.
Besides they are all individuals and have their own quirks. Remember when Blu Hors Matine went viral and people were slamming the video because she was swishing her tail? That horse was having a grand time showing off for the crowd not anxious, tense or stressed like so many people were claiming.[/QUOTE]
Actually, many experienced dressage people agreed to disagree about Matine and her swishing/wringing tail.
Anyway, are you saying that maybe it is a QH thing?
[QUOTE=NCRider;7732706]
Anyway, are you saying that maybe it is a QH thing?[/QUOTE]
Not a QH thing. A sport and individual personality thing.
Edit: and maybe even a breeding thing. My filly RIP (reining bred) was the most eager to work horse I have ever met but she too depending on the intensity of what we were doing wore different expressions. She never said no, got anxious or sour; when I would pull out another horse to work she would literally throw a tantrum.
