There was a very cute app at our last dressage show. She was a bit naughty but when she went in a nice frame she was really adorable, and she had nice gaits. She was sensible about offering her opinion, no dangerous antics just a little show of will. I think she and her rider will do well. Apps get a bad rap. I like to judge each animal as an individual, but as a group apps have tendencies that make them good dressage prospects. There are some bloodlines that move beautifully; they're sensible (if opinionated at times); and they can have really strong conformation and proportioning. Look at this one as an example...
Sunday, May 27, 2012
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One of my ALL TIME FAVORITE show horses was a Pony of the Americas named "Four On The Floor." People used to call him a Quarter Pony with leprosy. Honestly, that was pretty hilarious when I was sauntering off with the champion ribbons! I personally thought he was gorgeous ... and who cares what he looked like anyway since we rocked the event world??
ReplyDeleteI have a picture of me with him in a perfect dressage frame, halted at "x." He was opininated, but when he was on MY side, he was determined to completely slaughter the competition. It's almost like he knew exactly how to win. All I had to do was sit there and look pretty. I don't believe we ever came away w/o a top ribbon. Ever. Wish he had been mine ... *sigh*
I learned everything I know on Apps. Apps get a bad rap because they're smart. Smart enough to know they're bigger than you and you need to ask them nicely. They won't take crap from a human: no hard hands, no nagging legs and no unbalanced seat. But, if you can earn their trust, then you have a horse that will walk through fire for you, and carry your stupid butt away from the fire when it's a lost cause!
ReplyDeleteI've known a couple nice Apps, but the others have had rather strong opinions. Some of it was from not being quite as sensitive as other horses, but not sure that's actually a breed trait of an individual personality.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure why Appies get such a bad rap other than for reason you mentioned--attitude. As for conformation, some can be rather coarse, so if you've got a snob in the judge's booth looking for something "elegant," the Appie may not measure up to that official. I agree with you, that we should take each horse as an individual. I don't generally go all wobbly about Arabians, but there have been a few that have made me take a second look ;o)
ReplyDeleteHistorical (ha ha) answers to why Appaloosa horses get a bad rap.
ReplyDeleteQ - Why did the American Indians prefer to ride Appaloosa horses into war?
A - So that by the time they got to the battle, they would be good and mad and ready to kill somebody!
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Q - Why did the American Indians ride Appaloosa horses?
A - Because Appaloosa horses were the only horses on the plains slow enough for the Indians to catch while on foot.
Not to be a meanie, but I wasn't a huge fan of either of these horses. I thought both horses were really struggling to connect front to back and get their hind ends under them. I'd be interested to see conformation photos of these horses, especially the first one who seemed to move like he was kind of downhill. I'm by no means an expert, just an personal opinion. Otherwise very cute willing horses and I'm sure they're still benefiting from dressage work.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that it's great to see non-warmbloods in the dressage ring. I learned to ride on Morgans and would love to find a super high quality one to be a show partner when I have the time and money : )
My horse of 20 years was an appy and he was definitely an opinionated guy and everyone always had something negative to say about them. I'm guessing that along with their color, this may have been a reason why they were culled from the herd by the Spanish and others so when the native Americans started banding them all together, that personality trait flourished! I for one, don't see a problem with them, paints and mustangs, on the other hand, annoy the heck out of me.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised to hear so many people commenting that appies have attitude. Mine would have jumped off a cliff for me if I told him he could make it. He didn't have the jump to be a high-level eventer but was otherwise the greatest horse in the universe.
ReplyDeleteOn behalf of Pongo, I say thank you Stacey for giving the spots platform today! I've ridden ALL KINDS of horses and have found that opinionated/difficult types can most assuredly be found across all breeds :) I absolutely love my spotted horse, and yeah, at times he has A LOT of "appy-tude"...however, I also credit him with tremendous stamina, smarts, bravery, strength, athleticism and heart! Over here at www.eyeonthehorse.blogspot.com we're giving spots a good name and kicking butt in the dressage and eventing show ring to boot :) Everyone loves Pongo, he's a sweet love! As with any horse, you have to make sure your appy is suited for and enjoys the job you're asking them to do and that you train them with care, doesnt matter what the breed, those are the fundamentals to having a stellar horse!
ReplyDeleteI love my Appy. She's not a big fan of dressage at home, but she somehow knows to fake it at shows. At our first show the judge noted in the comments, "Nice, willing horse." I got a good laugh out of that one. She has a somewhat coarse head and neck, but she is a lovely mover, very athletic, super sensible, and loyal. Once you earn an Appy's trust, they will never let you down.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, I know LOTS of people who have said that as a breed they are phenomenal jumpers. I remember reading that the only school horse that George Morris chose to retain was an Appaloosa. He, too, said they were great little jumpers.
Thanks for the appy videos. The second horse and rider were a really lovely combination. I could see the horse thinking and loved how nicely his nose remained ahead of the vertical line.
ReplyDeleteI think that horses with attitude are often just the ones who refuse to be muscled. This can be frustrating to riders who rely on strength to get the job done. My original trainer offered lessons to a local girl on an App one day. When they got stuck trying shoulder-in, the trainer got on. After moderate success, she proclaimed that the App was not smart enough to learn the exercise. I was just a kid at the time so I did not object, but I never thought it a fair statement. It is up to the trainer to be creative!