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Re: [RC] Letters ...NOW-- Let's get the ball rolling! - heidiWell Heidi I've been breeding athletic horses for over 15 years now and I was aware of problems back in the show world in the 80's, having been involved with it and knowing some of the big guys. Don't know where you got the idea that I thought this was a brand new problem (you must be easily amused) Uh, by the addition to the thread title that you coined, most likely??? but I'm tired of hearing all the belly aching and I just felt it was time for those of us that are unhappy with the status quo to try something new. Petitions and letter writing campaigns are not new. We've done several, from several groups. They are a good thing--my beef was in the idea that somehow "NOW" doing the very same thing would make some magical difference. It will not. That doesn't make it a bad idea--and if I sound jaded, perhaps I am, but I've just seen the same cycle go by over and over and over again without any change. Talk is cheap and you're preaching to the wrong choir. I already said I was preaching to the choir to some extent. But what is happening on ridecamp that is different than all the letter writing campaigns and petitions, etc. ad nauseum is that HERE, there is an actual group that RIDES and that wishes for the most part to be educated about what to look for when it comes to shopping for Arabians. THAT is what is new, and THAT is what is exciting. And it is the educated consumer--one who KNOWS good conformation and INSISTS on good minds--who will change the direction in which our breed is going. The ONLY thing that will make a difference is when good horses sell to good riders, and the dross that is being bred to fit the current "standard" gets a firm "no thank you" from educated consumers, no matter how tempting the price. Those of us on ridecamp are already aware of the problems in the show world here. What we need is numbers to write to people in power to try to get some changes--- numbers count and there are a LOT of numbers on this chat room. No, what we need is the above. Words are cheap--it is voting with dollars when one makes purchases that is noticed. There is already notice being taken of the fact that people are not buying Arabs in general in the numbers that they once did. The next step is to make it clear to the Powers That Be that it is not just any old Arab that people want to buy--it is one that they can ride, and enjoy, and make a member of the family. And the ONLY way to make that statement is to educate consumers who WANT those sorts of horses so that they BUY from people who breed those sorts of horses. If the "extreme" horses have no market, they will soon have fewer breeders. I'm not half as concerned about registry numbers as I am about what is happening to the breed. If breeders would actually BREED useful horses, the market is there, and registrations would not be down. But people are sick and tired of the crazy ones that can't stay sound. It seems many would like to see distance and trail riding promoted by the AHA and something done about the show ring for those of us that also like to compete in other ways. I guess is it easier to for one to bemoan his fate than it is to try something proactive-- and no, I don't think just breeding more athletes is the answer unless we have a way to let folks know about them. Bette, that remark borders on the offensive to those of us who have been "proactive" for years in terms of educating consumers and keeping useful horses available. What on earth do you think many of us HAVE been doing--on this list, through groups like ASHAI, with booths at places like AERC convention and regional conventions (out of our own pockets, with no help from IAHA, since we were not promoting their agenda), and in many other places? WE HAVE BEEN LETTING FOLKS KNOW ABOUT THEM. And furthermore, we are making a difference. Additionally, if we DON'T breed the athletic ones, we won't have any more of them. One cannot put the classic horses on the shelf and just get them back down in a couple of decades when somebody was interested. Our breed has already lost a great deal of genetic material because of the discarding of many useful lines in favor of the fads. Continuing to breed the athletes is an integral part of being "proactive." If they are not out there to be seen, no one can know that they exist. And to have them out there to be seen, first one has to breed them!! It takes restraint on my part not to breed these last few years (I love babies) but I see a glut of good horses on the market who are going for very little money I actually see very few GOOD horses on the market. That's part of the problem. There is a glut, for sure--but not of much of anything that I'd care to ride. And judging by the posts from folks like Barbara and others who have searched high and low for a GOOD one, I'm not alone in this assessment. and it takes a long time to sell in CA due to over breeding. I agree that there has been overbreeding of mediocre horses. But there is still a relative shortage of good ones. "AND using the products of our breeding programs in endeavors that illustrate what they were bred to do." Who makes that decision, Heidi? There are folks who believe Arabians are great cutting horses and use them on their ranches (like Katy Comacho) and those who go to the Cow Palace and beat the pants off the quarter horses (like Sheila Varian) and those who enjoy a "good trottin'" horse, like Jeff Wonnell and win ribbons in English pleasure at Nationals by training in old school methods (He is in his 80's now and I'm making a documentary of his life and you should hear the stories from this true horseman).. and on... and on. We cannot be myopic in our vision of what the Arabian can do . It's the versatility of the breed wherein lies its strength (boy that sounded familiar :-) Yes, it is. And having ranched with Arabs, and done a lot of other things with Arabs myself, I'm one of the first to laud versatility. But be honest, Bette. Where IS the versatile Arabian??? He is NOT in the halter ring with a long neck and a sausage body and mile-long cannon bones. He is NOT in the park classes with the back end going like a crippled windmill. He is NOT in the WP classes, with the inability to drag his toes out of his tracks. He is out on the trails. The myopia is among those who pretend that the show ring of yesteryear is the show ring of today. I've got news for you--it isn't! Look at the pedigrees of top endurance horses--their pedigrees read like a who's who of the show ring from the 50s. But those versatile horses would be laughed out of the ring today. This thread is not about dissing the show ring--it is about RETURNING our breed to what it is supposed to be. And don't think that show people in general aren't just as concerned about saddles and vitamins, etc.--- perhaps you should drop in on some of the other chat rooms that have people who are not distance riders but pleasure ride and show. Hey, Bette, I WORKED with that crowd professionally for the better part of two decades. Sure, they are "concerned"--what magic pill or potion or hock injection can get me through this show. You clearly have not hung around enough endurance riders to realize what a DIFFERENCE there actually is. The chat rooms may sound similar--but the reality is WAY different. Remember there are very few "big boys" left and lots of people struggling to afford the shows and who are just as dedicated to their sport be it equitation, English, western pleasure or reining, etc... I will refrain from using the cliché about the stones but you get my gist. Those that want to try the petition approach can email me privately and we can see what we can do. Goodnight The "big boys" are still in charge, though. And until they are gone, the show ring doesn't stand a chance. It will only change, once again, because of educated consumers who want to ride and enjoy GOOD horses. The Sport Horse venues are a healthy step--and the overwhelming support of the SH Nationals overwhelmed the Powers That Be. Again, this wasn't due to petitions or letter writing or chat rooms--it was due to people who RIDE their Arabians, and who want to do something with them, just as we do. Heidi ============================================================ And remember, an arab's fourth gait is the spook! ~ Jeanie Miller ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ============================================================
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