[Serendipity Zip]

What's frustraiting is how many people think a good moving western pleasure horse is 4-beating/limping when it has a true 3 beat gait and is just going slow.

Everyone always says "It looks like an ackward trot" but they can never say "The horse is doing this and this with its legs therefore it is 4-beating/not moving correctly"

Know why? Because most can't tell! They are assuming the horse is 4-beating just because of its speed.

Well speed has little to do with 4-beating. I've been on a horse that would go a faster pace and still 4-beat. It all has to do with the fact the horse is not using itself properly.

Alright, to help people train their eyes take a look at these two videos.

Here is video of a horse 4-beating.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiAPQhWqefo" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiAPQhWqefo

Here is video of a horse in slow motion & 4-beating. In the very beginning you can see the 3 beats, but then you can see it falls apart and 4-beats (to the point it's literaly jogging). At the very end the girl leans forward and encourages her horse to move out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tnn8P_VowJ4" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tnn8P_VowJ4

Are 4-beaters still around and placed? It's likely. Like my friend said, "Some shows you have nice movers, others none. Some are good judges, so are stuck in the 90s".

But Judges and shows approved by AQHA and APHA are really working hard. I can see a HUUUUGGEEE difference at the shows I attend of what is placeing at the top of the class.

Thank you for taking the time to read this!

[Martini!]

That's true, 4 beating doesn't necessarily have to do with speed. I've seen horses 4 beating at a regular canter speed before. I think when it's slowed down soooo much that they just look like they're 4 beating even if they're not. If you're used to seeing a regular medium working canter, the WP lope just looks really really strange. It's hard to see unless it's in slow motion like that video clip you posted, so I think some of us just see it and think something looks wrong, then assume it's a 4 beat. Does that make any sense? lol.

[Serendipity Zip]

It makes perfect sense. It is soooo easy to tell when a horse IS 4-beating in Western Pleasure to the trained eye.

People really shouldn't "assume" if they don't have an understanding of what is happening in the class.

[Super Step]

This is a much needed thread. Thanks for the video demo.
If a person has not been involved with or around Western Pleasure much, it is easy to assume that a nice slow lope is a 4 beat.
Thanks for taking the time in put these vids up.

[cherazam]

Very nice Serendipity Zip. Im glad someone finally has a video of a horse thats very nice and true in the beginning and falls apart in the end. Like others said yes there are still 4-beaters out there...some being trained that way, and others that are just tired so they fall apart like the above horse. For people that have experienced the way it used to be the movement in the 90's (my mom always called them horses with broken lopes) and the present day movement is totally different. There is slowly being a change we've come from extreme 4-beating to now the probelm of the limping lope (when the horses are truely lopeing but are soo slow that they are having the hop with there shoulders to gte shoulder lift) and then we have the horses inbetween that are perfectly how we want them.

I think that people who dont know how much progress we are making just assume the horse is 4-beating if they type of lope they are presenting doesnt appeal to them.

[Martini!]

Originally Posted by cherazam

I think that people who dont know how much progress we are making just assume the horse is 4-beating if they type of lope they are presenting doesnt appeal to them.

Haha exactly! I look at some of them and think "hmm...what is that horse doing? It's not trotting, but it doesn't look like it's cantering either...is it 4 beating?" Unless I can look at them in slow motion, I don't think I could tell the difference because they both would look off to me. I'm also not quite sure what the goal of them going so slow that you can barely tell if it's a true canter? The WP in the Arab and Morgan world is much easier to tell because they are very very slow but I don't mistake them for 4 beating like I do some of the AQHA.

[lilrider]

You know... its the local judges who are stuck in the 90's more than anywhere. But its kinda like fashion.. whats fashionable in hollywood or LA or wherever doesn't reach us over here till about 5 years later then its the coolest thing. What happens in the judging and WP trend world such as when they stopped having peanut rollers... it happens at the big shows but doesn't reach the local small shows till much later. Therefore you are still seeing a lot of broken lookings gaits and uncomfortable horses that are winning in the small shows.

I love seeing a GOOD WP horse strut its stuff... and I don't see how people do not see the difference.

[belle4]

Great thread SZ!!!

[Serendipity Zip]

Thank you!

I too do not understand how people cannot see the difference. I guess its just because I've been watching Western Pleasure for years so my eye is trained.

YouTube - One Hot Krymsun

There is a video of one of the top Western Pleasure horses. When I watch him I can easily count "1, 2 ,3". He isnt so slow where he appears jerky and limpy.

I'm also not quite sure what the goal of them going so slow that you can barely tell if it's a true canter?

We don't want the horses to canter. We wan't them to Lope. All Western Pleasure riders I know can easily tell when the horse has a nice 3 beat lope. Even my mom (who knows nothing about it) can tell because I helped to teach her.

They go that pace because, when you are riding one that is moving correctly, it is a total pleasure to ride. I recently rode a great one and I didn't want to stop!!

[cowgurly02]

Thank you! What a great thread! After that slow motion one, I watched the One Hot Krysmun video too and could easily count 3 beats