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Re: [RC] Letters to the World -- showing - heidi2. The new (never owned a horse before) horse owner is probably looking for a gentile, kid safe (safe and horse are an oxymoron, but lets go with the flow here), horse. He/she probably envisions his child in a 4H or Pony Club show. Arabian halter classes do not promote this image. The moneyed people who control the sport do not really want the game they play so well changed. This, Ed, is one of the BIGGEST problems in how our breed is promoted, IMO. I can't imagine a sensible dad looking at a crazed halter photo or an on-the-edge park horse photo and figuring this is something he would buy for his little girl. 3. There are a bunch of horsepersons who do team penning, cutting, and reining. Most (but not all) use Quarter horses. This is an area where more publicity could increase sales of Arabians and part Arabians. Publicity and PARTICIPATION! 4. Most dedicated trail riders in this country, feel that Arabian horses have two drawbacks. First, they are wild and trustworthy. Even riding along side of your Arabian does not change their mind. They tell you that your horse is the exception. Secondly, most trailriders are cowboy wannabes. John Wayne did not ride an Arabian. I don't know how to change these perceptions. Again, participation is the key. If we aren't out there ON our horses, we can't expect people to believe us. (And quite frankly, I get a little ill when some of the wannabe show breeders just "assume" that since some of the rest of us have worked our fannies off to breed well-conformed, sound, good-minded endurance horses and have had success in the sport that their horses can automatically do it on our coat tails...) And although John Wayne may not have ridden an Arab, Ronald Reagan did... ;-) Heidi ============================================================ ...but then, I do ride my horses a lot more than most people ~ Karen Chaton ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ============================================================
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