Grand Prix dressage awes me, but so does this. These horses are part border collie and smart-smart-smart. I love the look in their eye and their agility. Like dressage at its best, these animals would rather be doing this than anything else, I think. Notice how many of them are mares, and check out the blue roan!!!!
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Dressage horses and cutting horses: Amazing
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
.jpg)
It proves why you need a western saddle for that work--to hold on!
ReplyDeleteWe had a little donkey at the barn where my first TB was boarded, and one day I went out to ride and the donkey was out. I decided to see if my horse and I could herd him back where he belonged.
Once my horse figured out what I wanted, that was it. He played cutting horse like you wouldn't believe. All I could do was hang on to the pommel of my saddle and laugh, trying hard to stay on.
Those horses with the instinct to cut cattle do it all themselves. They are amazing and I do think they really enjoy the challenge. I guess the tighter spot the hold the calf/cow in the better the score???
By the by, I think you can turn off the word verification and still keep the blog moderated. At least that's how my dashboard reads.
I'm lucky enough to have seen this in person in 2009. My sister lives five minutes away and admission is FREE!
ReplyDeleteI don’t really like seeing this sort of stuff, but yes there agility is truly amazing and they are all beautiful horses.
ReplyDeleteRegards
Edward
I've never ridden a GP horse (yet! :-) but cutting is an incredibly addictive feeling. It's not the dressage partnership...it's more you're along for the ride. Those horses want to work that cow more than they want to do anything else, and the ride is incredibly cool.
ReplyDeleteIf you're looking for other good video to kill time, don't miss these two great horses that are currently showing -- Dont Look Twice (http://youtu.be/qd3uojS1L3g) and Sophisticated Catt (http://youtu.be/BjZHZYUkZiU)
Talking about sitting behind! Those horses are literally pivoting off their hocks in the turns. Unreal. And the movements are too fast for cues from the rider. The horse has a large responsibility and knows her job. Really interesting video!
ReplyDeleteNorth Texas, especially around Weatherford, has become the cutting horse mecca--vets, trainers, and all it takes is lots and lots of money. I do love a good cutting horse.
ReplyDeleteFor these horses, it's an instinct bred into them. When I was in college, I was on a project where we started 2 years under saddle for this purpose (or reining). The first time my horse saw a cow she reached out to bite it. Ok, so they aren't suppose to do that but she was really "cowy". She got sold before we took the horses to the Snaffle Bit Futurity to sell.
ReplyDeleteMy neighbor had a "cow horse" and she was awesome. Even though she rode her to run barrels, she would get very excited (literally vibrating from head to hoof) every time she saw a cow. Most of them seem to relish the challenge.
ReplyDeleteOne of the best moving horses I've ever seen is "Merlin" (I think that's right). He is a drop dead gorgeous Lusitano and is ridden by a bullfighter. I'm not into bullfighting (ew), but that horse can MOVE.
Yup, they are amazing! Seriously, the rider is simply a passenger - notice the looped reins. I'll tell you, one of those big "dodges" and I'm sure I'D be unloaded in a hurry! :-)
ReplyDeleteDid anyone else notice the really deep arena footing? Seems to me like that would be hard on the horses, trying to work in that (their hocks have already GOT to be taking a beating). Any idea why they have it that way?
I live in Weatherford TX, and it truly is the cutting horse capital of the world. Even our McDonald's has a statue out front of Ronald McDonald in chaps and a cowboy hat riding a Paint who is cutting a calf! Swear on my life!
ReplyDeleteThe flip side to this is that most of the big money owners are just riders who let the trainer lope their horse down for an hour or two, then get on and sit there for two minutes while the horse does all the work. Where's the fun in that?
Andrea, this is OTS, but my grand parents started Stuart Nursery, although my grand mother (now deceased) sold it years ago. There is a vet clinic now where they used to live, down the highway from Stuart Nursery. My grand father helped organize some of the first rodeos out in the Strawn area. There is definitely a horse gene in our family.
ReplyDeleteMares ARE smart. Until I owned one, I only knew that in passing. A lead mare's job in a herd is to lead the herd to safety. The stallion just pushes from behind. It is the woman up front making all the critical decisions.
ReplyDeleteA lot of these cutting horses are lead mares. They have to be. You don't want a wussy gelding backing off a cow. You don't want a shy mare that doesn't know how to make critical, split decisions.
I'd own another mare in a heartbeat. Chestnut even. The right mare is a GEM and if she is on YOUR side, there is no better partnerships.
If she is NOT on your side, beware.
Mares ARE smart. Until I owned one, I only knew that in passing. A lead mare's job in a herd is to lead the herd to safety. The stallion just pushes from behind. It is the woman up front making all the critical decisions.
ReplyDeleteA lot of these cutting horses are lead mares. They have to be. You don't want a wussy gelding backing off a cow. You don't want a shy mare that doesn't know how to make critical, split decisions.
I'd own another mare in a heartbeat. Chestnut even. The right mare is a GEM and if she is on YOUR side, there is no better partnerships.
If she is NOT on your side, beware!!! In that case, a gelding ... any gelding ... or even a stallion ... would be better. ;)
The long reins are a part of the training. The horses are taught to work the cows themselves.
ReplyDeleteThe rider isn't necessarily holding onto the horn to stay on, but sometimes it comes to that.
They actually do cue the horse with their legs. Keeping a cow slow and controlled is what they go for, not so much the bouncing back and forth usually associated with cutting.
If the cow stops or turns away from you- you can 'quit' that one and go back in the herd for another.
You are required to make at least one 'deep cut' where you push most of the herd out to find a cow to work.
I have ridden our cutters and a few client horses. It is a helluva rush and if you don't wipe the grin off your face, you could get dirt in you teeth! Yet I still prefer to ride hunters, dressage and now I am into driving. Go figure!