Breed awards/ paso fino's

[rides2far@juno.com (Angela C. McGhee)]

This post was sent to me, but I wanted to answer it publicly to clear up
the impression I gave of being "Arab only" (though I never said the word
"Arab" :-)

>Angie:  Ever heard of Dr. Deb Bennett?  She spoke at one of our
>conventions several yrs ago and she views the Paso Fino very
>differently. They are built for endurance, and very much like the
>Arabs, that was what they were bred for originally. 

You're right.  I like to look at them.  I have a very bad right knee
(popped out of joint in my sleep last night...fun)  and if I ever have to
"go gaited" I'm sure they'd be more my type.

> Unfortunately, many people have messed with their
>gait, trying for a tighter gait (show horses) and of course, they are 
>not good endurance horses.

Happens with everything...dogs, horses, etc.

I actually used to be the "Queen of the Breed Awards".  I started out on
Appaloosas and tried endurance on 3 of them before I accidentally got an
Arab through for re-sale and ended up campaigning him.

I had NO INTENTION of giving in and going to Arabs.  Just didn't care for
them, and REALLY resented people on Arabs pushing me to do so.

My opinion was that you should ride the breed you love, and compete
against others in that breed.  At the "Tennessee Spring Ride" I managed,
I pledged to have a "first of breed" award for any breed that let me know
they would be there.  We had first Paint  first Appaloosa, First QH,
First TB, First TWH, First mule, etc. etc. 

My argument was that in flat racing Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, Arabs,
Appaloosa & Paints race, but not against each other.  If Arabs had to
beat QH & TB's in order to be justified to flat race, they wouldn't be
racing.  Far fewer horses endurance race,  so we all have to be out there
at the same time, but why can't members of the same breeds compete
against each other?

If you love riding Pasos.  Great.  Wouldn't you love to enter a race,
have 5 other Pasos in there too, and just concentrate on competing with
them?

After a few years of pushing this idea, I kinda gave up.  There just
weren't enough "other breeds" competing.  Also, I accidentally found out
that an Arab was exactly what I liked to ride.  All my dislike for them
was actually displaced dislike for the people who had always pushed them
at me.

I now enjoy riding Arabs in endurance because they seem to LOVE
endurance.  I thought my App would love it.  He loved to go hard on trail
rides, but that little step up to going hard the entire time, not just in
bits of the ride just took that "spark" out of him.  I'm sure there are
Apps who keep the "spark", the three I tried became for lack of a better
word...dull.  They just weren't having fun, which sort of ruined it for
me.

There are obviously individuals in every breed who should do this.  But
it's a real pain searching them out in the breeds where they are the
exception rather than the rule.  What I tell someone who is getting
started is, "Don't trade right off.  Try out the sport on what you've
got.  Compete on its level, and watch & learn.  Then if that horse
doesn't work out, keep your eyes open for what you do want."  If they
don't already have a horse and they're deciding what to get, I say, "It's
easier on an Arab.  They take less riding (and who has TOO much time?)
and tend to be suited for it."

Thomas Isaacs in Tennessee rode a TWH that he had for years, always
finishing just ahead of my Arab.  Then he got a new horse and I couldn't
believe he did it to himself...he got another TWH, even BIGGER and
HEAVIER MUSCLED.  Now he's finishing just ahead of me on THAT one.  (Did
all 5 days of the Renegade on it this year)  There's always the exception
to the rule.  And there's also people who just have a need to not ride
what "everybody else" is riding.  That's cool too.  By the way, it seemed
that a disproportionate number of the horses finishing the Renegade were
gaited...people go slower on those rides...could this be their nich?  If
you drop the pace just a little, might their overall endurance start to
show in a new catagory?

The original letter was about a trade.  She didn't have the Paso yet.  I
do a little buying and selling, and I know what I can make money on.  A
well broke Quarter Horse is always sellable. 

 Most buyers have limited experience, so that's where the demand is.  I
deal with beginner horses, under $2500, I'm not talking about futurity
prospects here)  Pasos tend to be a little small (like Arabs) this can
make them harder to sell to the general public.  Young horses are hard to
sell.  Not many people can ride them, and most of those people have too
many horses already.  If I'm going buy a horse as an investment, the
horse won't be green. 

The fact that she "had to decide by Sunday" sounded like a pressure
tactic.  I've seen that one.  My guess is that her QH was worth more and
the seller didn't want her to have much time to ask around and change her
mind.

Also, if she does buy an endurance horse, how much time will she have for
the 2 year old?  I just like to concentrate on ONE endurance mount and
develop a relationship with that one.  I'm pretty monogomous, that's why
I said I'd sell it...wouldn't get much for it...but then I wouldn't have
its upkeep to pay for the next 3 years either.  If you've got lots of
pasture that might not matter, but I don't. 

Anyway, that's where I'm coming from.  I love to see lots of breeds at a
ride when the horses look happy doing it...whatever speed.  One of my
favorites is "Comet" the little pony, then there's "Timex" Ann Cofield's
Appaloosa, there was even a 1/2 Shire, 1/4 Hackney, 1/4 Arab cross that
came down here from Canada and did a 50, they all look great.

My experience has been fairly diversified.  Anybody want to offer me a
Paso for a ride? :-)

Cooper/Appaloosa:      25
Tonka/Appaloosa:        50
Skeeter/Appaloosa:      50
Katy/Mule:                     25
Logan/Standardbred:   25
Isaiah 40:31 Arab         500
Merlyn/Arab                 155
Southern Rock/Arab  100
Kaboot/Arab            1,180  I have found a home!


Angie & Kaboot 


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