[SuckerForHorses]

Turn on the haunches or small circle?

Any western judges out there who would care to comment on this?

[bluemooncowgirl]

It's my understanding a turn on the haunches away from the rail is preferred.

Disclaimer: I have taken the open show judges class but did not sit for the final test.

[SuckerForHorses]

So you may have failed that question?

[SuckerForHorses]

I thought so too; however, some western trainers in my area say small circle. A halt then turn on the haunches is technically a break in your gait.

[Tamara in TN]

I thought so too; however, some western trainers in my area say small circle. A halt then turn on the haunches is technically a break in your gait.

why would you reverse at gait ? the reverse is almost always preceded by a halt,and then the better trained horses would plant a pivot foot and come around

Tamara

[bluemooncowgirl]

So you may have failed that question?

I've ridden enough turns showing in the WP pen to make up for missing the question! I've heard judges say a turn on haunches is their preference, but I've seen them pin all sorts of "WTF".

[bluemooncowgirl]

why would you reverse at gait ? the reverse is almost always preceded by a halt,and then the better trained horses would plant a pivot foot and come around

Tamara

[Tamara in TN]

perhaps them that support the "small circle" can't figure out a pivot foot ? ;>

[SuckerForHorses]

why would you reverse at gait ? the reverse is almost always preceded by a halt,and then the better trained horses would plant a pivot foot and come around

Tamara

That is my question. IS the turn on the haunches the correct way?

The break in gait refers to the fact that your horse is walking, and the judge calls for a reverse in direction. By halting, you discontinue the walk and halt, without direction to halt. Therefore, you would continue walking (unable to do a turn on the haunches) and travel in a small circle in order to switch directions.

I always thought it was turn on the haunches, but today I was speaking with two top of the line western pleasure trainers who have clients who show adn place well at Congress. One of them said that at the QH shows, you will not place if you halt and turn on the haunches, because they now consider the halt a break in the gait (you stopped without being told to stop).

[SuckerForHorses]

but I've seen them pin all sorts of "WTF".

THIS is a true statement!

I have always felt that just because there may be 6 riders in a class, doesn't mean the judge has to give out all 6 placings!

[SuckerForHorses]

The AQHA Youth World Show is live streaming right now, and its the western pleasure finals class.

http://www.aqha.com/Home/Showing/You...%20Stream.aspx

[bluemooncowgirl]

I have always felt that just because there may be 6 riders in a class, doesn't mean the judge has to give out all 6 placings!

Exactly. And sometimes the placings are from "well-it's-the-best-of-the-worst" to "OH DEAR LORD..." That's one of the biggest reasons I didn't sit for the exam. Until the WP world wakes up and realizes how stupid and unnatural the movements look, I'm doing my part to not perpetuate the madness. But I digress.

Maybe a real judge will pipe in and solve the mystery as to what is desired in the pen. Otherwise, YouTubes of Congress or World would maybe give a good answer.

::shrug::

[SuckerForHorses]

I just watched the AQHYA World Championship WP finalist class. The winner was the most natural looking in the class; nice to see. He looks like he's reining bred..."All The Sudden" is the registered name. Anyone have a membership that can look up the pedigree for me? I'm curious!

[SuckerForHorses]

Oh, and in this class, the announcer didn't say "reverse direction" - he specifically said "reverse at the walk" and they all did circles. When jogging, he said "reverse at the jog" and they jogged small circles to switch direction.

If the announcer had just said "reverse please" I wonder if they would've stopped and turned on haunches?

[VaqueroToro]

I've always been taught that when you reverse, you change direction via turning away from the rail to end up going at the same gait just in the opposite direction. You can make a tiny little loop or cut half the arena to do it just as long as you remain in the gait and your cadence is the same. Obviously, the larger your loop is, the easier it is on your horse to keep cadence throughout the direction change.

If you're at a halt, yes a reverse would be a turn on the haunches in 180 degrees -- the front end should revolve around a planted hind foot in a pivot.

It's mostly a pleasure or command class move.

[VaqueroToro]

If the announcer had just said "reverse please" I wonder if they would've stopped and turned on haunches?

Nope. Reverse is simply changing directions while on the rail while in a gait.

[VaqueroToro]

I just watched the AQHYA World Championship WP finalist class. The winner was the most natural looking in the class; nice to see. He looks like he's reining bred..."All The Sudden" is the registered name. Anyone have a membership that can look up the pedigree for me? I'm curious!

I'm out of money for the month on my account, but here's his sire.

[Tamara in TN]

Oh, and in this class, the announcer didn't say "reverse direction" - he specifically said "reverse at the walk" and they all did circles. When jogging, he said "reverse at the jog" and they jogged small circles to switch direction.

If the announcer had just said "reverse please" I wonder if they would've stopped and turned on haunches?

well there you go..."reverse at <insert>" is a command class....like having a dog heel off line. You have to obey the command

no, you don't get to break gait for that

Tamara

[OveroHunter]

If they say to halt and reverse you do a turn on the haunches to the inside and halt once you finish.

If they just say to reverse you continue at whatever gait you're doing and do a small half circle.

[SuckerForHorses]

well there you go..."reverse at <insert>" is a command class....like having a dog heel off line. You have to obey the command

no, you don't get to break gait for that

Tamara

That's my point. If I am walking on the rail, and the judge says "reverse please" I would still continue walking, and reverse my direction by completing a half circle.

Which is why the turn on the haunches no longer applies, unless the riders have halted, and then are told to reverse direction. If the command is reverse direction and walk, they would turn on the haunches and then walk. If the command is "reverse" they would turn on the haunches and stay halted.