As if I need another thing to love about eventing, this sport seems to be the only place in the U.S. you'll see quarter marks -- the patterns that you see on horse's hindquarters in competition. Hunter riders, am I wrong about this?
Are you familiar with the videos at horsehero.com? I recommend this site! HorseHero used to offer only a selection of free videos but recently they opened up their resources to everyone (a login is required but there is no fee). I love watching the Europeans show us their traditions and practices. Americans don't seem quite as tied to the old traditions of horsemanship...
Quarter Mark Info
Stencilbum clipping templates
Horse Channel Quarter marks
Heartland Quarter marks
Quarter Marker stencil company
GlamNags.com stencils
From Littlekeebler.blogspot.com
clipped from littlekeebler.blogspot.com
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I loved learning about this. I am going to make my own and give it a try!
ReplyDeleteOoooh! I like them. When I was showing in dressage, I would often use my stencil to put diamonds on my horse's rump. When and if I show again I will do it in honor of your blog. Never let it be said New Jersey lags behind in horse style...but I never tried anything as cool as musical notes! Gotta work on that one. *G*
ReplyDeleteI did hunters in the late 80's and quartermarks were acceptable and seen at rated shows. A LOT has gone out of style since then though ;P I never saw any horse with anything but the diamond pattern. . I also only remember seeing them in the winter shows.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I saw the diamond pattern my knee jerk reaction was, "What flaw are they trying to hide?". . . but I am pretty much always a cynic.
I think quartermarks are cool, but there is no way we could get away with them in hunters or equitation. Jumpers could since it is not judged on what you look like.
ReplyDelete5 oclock do you think you could get away with the more traditional checkerboard? They used to be done occasionally in the 70's in hunter shows.
ReplyDeleteJean I hope you show at ESDCTA shows, I'd love to see one.
I'd never seen the sharks teeth effect, kind of liked that too.
I used to see checkerboards sometimes in the hunters, but that is all. I feel some horse decoration coming on!
ReplyDeleteOur national police force, the RCMP does a musical ride with approx 24-30 horses and they use quartermarks in the shape of a maple leaf - pretty appropriate. I actually have photos of it on my blog from yesterday. They did a practice performance at work!
ReplyDeleteI was escorting guests on a tour of the stables once and one of the guests asked what the quartermarks were. The officer in charge told them that they bred the horses to have that! When he realized that they didn't get the joke, he quickly explained what it was...
Littlekeebler, I added a link to the picture of the watermarked horse on your blog. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWe had a boarder once who shaved quartermarks into his QH...who was a racer. It was quite interesting...We are in a more predominately Western area so here it is paint. The kids like to do it for gymnkhanas and parades. Nothing like lime green paint all over your horse...
ReplyDeleteWhile once acting as a steward at a dressage show, and cute British family had put quarter marks on their quarter horse. It looked SO flashy and the judge gave them a lot comment son excellent turnout.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this reminder that I need to go buy a comb to cut into inch pieces! I almost forgot!
ReplyDeleteI used to do the Chinese symbol for "good luck" when I was younger (bought the pattern at Hobby Lobby). Now you can see my sharks teeth/checkerboard in the masthead of the C-Horse blog.
The musical notes are very artistic. As a groom in England years ago we would diamond the quarters using a comb and adapt the proportions of the diamonds to enhance the horse. Same with braiding the mane. Braids are tipped up or down to improve the top line of the neck. Later in Germany there were grooms' prizes given for best turned out horses. Many of the professional grooms in Germany were British,(at least 75%)
ReplyDeleteI am a purist. I think stencils are cheating,where's the skill?
Wow! Now that you mention it, I haven't seen them used at a show for ages, and then it was only the checkerboard pattern. I saw the Mounties at the long gone PI Show (Pacific International Livestock Exposition in Portland) when I was decades younger and was impressed with the maple leaf. It would be great if quartermarks came back -- a final polish to the immaculately turned out horse.
ReplyDeleteHmm, I'll have to go pull out some quilting stencils and try them on Khanalee's bum. Fine feathers, anyone?
ReplyDeleteI still do this, I love it!
ReplyDeleteIt has been many years since I have seen this done. You have brought it back with this post.
ReplyDelete