Issues Plaguing Quarter Horse Sports
The equine industry has been under attack, possibly since it was invented. Some changes were significant. Some changes should never have been made in the first place. And many changes were the product of people who had never been in the horse world. With that being said, there are issues in the quarter horse world that need to be fixed. Problems that could be improved, but those who profit from them won’t take the first step.
The first issue and probably the most well-known is the halter horse issue. According to the AQHA’s website, a champion halter horse is judged based on conformation; this means balance, structural correctness, muscling, etc. The AQHA states that balance is most important. You also notice that on their halter page, the champions they feature do not look anything like those with high stud fees. But don’t take my word for it.
One of the top halter studs in the AQHA is HEZA SECRET AGENT. Just looking at him, you can tell he is not balanced. While a quarter horse is supposed to have a large butt, it should not look like a diaper. Also, his back legs are nearly straight, which is strange to look at and is also bad for the horse’s health. Sadly he died at the age of 10. 10. Half the life of an average healthy quarter horse. Try his son's BEST KEPT SECRETE if you want to see a horse worse off than he is. He looks much worse, and this only continues through the halter lines.
However, halter horses aren’t the only issues in the horse world today. Another event that has problems is western pleasure. According to the AQHA, horses should have quality movement while being quiet and calm with a loose rein. While these horses are all calm, their gaits look disjointed and unnatural compared to an average quarter horse.
This issue seems to be getting better as more and more riders refuse to ride unnatural gaits. MACHINE MADE is one of the top studs for western, and if you look at his foal crop while they carry their heads well and look good, many of them still have an unnatural robotic lope.
No breed association is perfect, nor are the events within it. While some of these events are improving because of the rider's choices, AQHA needs to step up and take a more significant part in enhancing the possibilities to meet the standards they list on their website.
With that being said, the quarter horse has always been known for being the most versatile breed. However, now events are so small, the species is no longer a picture of what it once was. Therefore, we need to get back to its roots if we want the quarter horse industry to change.
