Oh yea, it's fun! I pretty much ignore the political and ethical
issues while at the show. I go to have fun and WIN! Of course we
usually don't win, but we always have fun. But we always tie pretty
good, considering what some of the "winners" have to do to get there.

But away from the show arena, I will be doing what I can to get us
all playing on the same field. I'm not sure why there is so much
resistance to concerns about soring. I think some of the people who
are harping against me are happy "not knowing" how their trainers
might be getting their horses to perform. "Selective naivity" as I
call it. Some may be truly naive.

Like you pointed out, there aren't too many valid reasons to be
pulling a horse off a trailer in plastic. Folks will come up with
some pretty obscure reasons for doing it though, heheh.

There aren't too many reasons to be greasing up a horse after going
through the DQP process either. A horse that isn't sore trained
should have healthy enough hooves that grease isn't necessary, period.
That is one thing someone on another board said.

Even assuming poor hoof condition because of some bonafide medical
condition is a valid reason, how many horses at a show would be
suffering from something like that? I'm sorry, but I'm not buying
that half the horses there have a bonafide medical condition
requiring grease in a showring.

The only exeption in mind mind is if they allow showing in chains. I
think Chain classes are a step backwards, but if they're gonna do it,
then yea, grease is necessary. But otherwise, no, not on the levels
it is used. Anyone who thinks soring is a rare thing is either doing
it or naive.

Anyway, I look forward to meeting ya'll sometime. What shows do ya
hit throughout the year?

Unfortunately, touchy subjects always get into a
"shouting" match it seems, people start name calling,
and things get out of hand. It's a shame certain
topics can't be discussed,and opinions expressed
without getting your face slammed into the ground. I
appreciate a good debate with verifiable
justification, I am just a newbie to the
walking/racking world and I am trying to learn as much
as I can. I love my horse, they are my passion, but I
also know this is big business for some and it's a
shame these beautiful creatures of God have become
victums to abuse for the sake of money and making a
living. I do love it when my horse goes in and beats
another horse that I've seen come off the trailer
barely able to step on his front feet. My horse comes
off the trailer, no wrappings on his legs, his talent
comes from his natural ability and hours of my butt in
the saddle keeping him conditioned. I can't wait to
see how he does on the circuit this year. Will be fun.
(I hope).

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In the posts mentioned above, I went back and cut-and-pasted
the "meanest" statements from the entire string as it was as of 12:30
a.m. EDT. I'll call the original poster "Tessee" for clarities sake.

ALL the "mean" statements Tessee made that apparently got her banned
are here: TWO statements, that really aren't that mean, really

TESSEE"
"you seem to be misinformed concerning the USDA and federal cases."

"where did you get the idea that the petition is directed towards
solely padded horses? Unbelievable!"


NOW HERE ARE THE "MEANEST" (not all inclusive) statements made by the
people who didn't agree with "Tessee":


BLATANT LIE!! You foks are good at this stuff arent you??

just because some USDA idiot like GUEDRON decided he wanted to write
someone up for a violation thqat he lacked the evidense for!

  Nothing is hidden from anyone at anytime. But hey..it sounded good
in your petition.

but if you knew anything you would know that

Get A Life!!

but when I see an idiot like [name of poster]

Maybe you should get your facts straight.

  I bet that my show horses are treated alot better than your horses
are.

so quit trying to stir something that doesn't need it

[Name of particularly abusive poster], I don't know who you are, but
you say things very well! Go getum!!!!!

Hey tennesseeusee.....You people are really sad.....really
sad........why say more

[Tessee] You need to go get on Flatwalk and stay over there.

"Your not doing anything constructive sitting in front of your
computer and do this type of stuff"

"Just go somewhere else and stay out of here."

"...She just Too wity for the likes of me. ..the rest of you guys can
argue with this one....nuff said"

"They went bye bye" [Tessee was apparently banned]

Okay, the other side made 16 distincly mean-spirited posts. And Geez,
how rude is it to ban someone and then say sarcasticly: "they went
bye-bye!" with a little winking emoticon? As a moderator, that should
have been handled MUCH better. A simple "We've asked Tessee to not
participate anymore" would have been much more dignified and
appropriate.

Again, I did NOT agree with the poster who got banned. But I do know
unfair when I see it. JMO

The link to the message string in question doesn't seem to function.

Try this link, the String in question is titled "We Need Your Help".
Anyone in that string is perfectly welcome to state their opinion
here. The opinion of THE TOPIC, not the various posters. We're not a
group of immature, cliquish, kiddies here.

http://pub4.ezboard.com/fflintcreekfarmtennesseewalkinghorse

While perusing another messageboard, I found a string that clearly
points out a real problem.

Seems a person was trying to get people to view a petition to get
Congress to act on the Soring of horses. I'll say right now I have NO
intentions of signing this petition. And I disagree with much of this
persons opinion, though some is accurate.

Again, I was not in agreement with this persons position. But the
person was not rude or arrogant. The people who disagreed with her,
including the moderator, did not respond in kind. They were quite
rude and arrognant to this person. Then it looks like that person may
have been banned. (Been there)

Never mind it wasn't the original poster who acted like a jerk. Wrong
or right, this person did a fair, though not great, job of supporting
their position. The people who didn't agree were rude, arrogant, and
frankly, one or maybe two demonstrated a level of ignorance that
makes me embarrassed to be in the same sport as they are.

http://pub4.ezboard.com/fflintcreekfarmtennesseewalkinghorse.showMessa
ge?topicID=1145.topic

Actually, some folks who think like this aren't even in the sport,
just a bunch of pompous blowhard fans who believe every trainer who
says,

  "NO!, I don't sore!" "The DQP'S are Bogie Men!"

CLUE:  Any and all trainers who DO sore will say the same damn thing.
Duh!
Our jails contain 100% innocent people, a poll of inmates proves it!
Geez. (sigh)

A bloodline is WAY overrated as a guide for a horse, I agree 100% It
is a useful and relevant tool, but overused.

Sort of like trying to find a place that makes a good cheese steak
sub. A place that has a reputation for making a good italian sub and
ham and cheese sub, etc. is a bit more likely to make a good Cheese
steak than another place with a peputation for making bad subs.

But the place that makes good subs may well make a mediocre cheese
steak, despite their sub reputation.

And a place that makes a mediocre sub may well make a decent cheese
steak.

Does this analogy make sense? Maybe not, but I just made myself
pretty darn hungry for a cheese steak, heheh.

http://pages.prodigy.net/ronspage/index.html

Amen to the horse needing to have ability over a name.
Too many people trying to make something out of
nothing. I look for the natural talent first. I have a
friend that has some nice grade gaited horses that I'm
helping him to sell, got some great moves in the
pasture. Although their sire is Reg TWH with good
foundation bloodlines, these guys could put some big
name horses to shame!!

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I think breeding to a certain horse shouldn't be the goal just
because he is a great horse (WGC). I think you need to look at the
mare and find a stud that compliments the mare. Sure, I don't want to
breed to a bottle made horse, but I'm not going to discount breeding
to a big name padded stud.

Case in point... my old mare is real square. Great racking horse. She
needs to be bred only to really loose back end studs in order to get
a good foal. Course it depends on what you consider a good foal. Are
you looking for a padded show prospect? Well, then you need a foal
that is going to pace a hole in the ground so he can carry the
weight. Are you looking for a good trail horse? Don't breed for the
pace. Then breed for a good saddling horse.

I think a lot of emphasis is placed on the names. (I'm guilty of it
too- I bought my old mare just because she was bred to Powerful
Threat) But the name on the papers is not going to get you the ribbon
in the show ring. The horse's ability is what gets you the ribbon. At
least in an ideal world... but that is a whole other thread.

Wow, really nice boy you got there. I love the pattern on him. He
will be flashy in the ring. I have been to several sanctioned SSH
shows here in MS, they do go for the BIG LICK and deep back end. They
have several solid classes I show in at their shows. Plus they use a
very heavy shoe, bigger than the plantation, and they have extremely
long toes on these poor boys. I think they are in the process of
disallowing that "spotted" shoe as they call it though. It is a very
popular thing down here, and I've seen some beautys.

--- In competitionrackinghorse@yahoogroups.com, "walkinghorsewoman
<Walkinghorsewoman@h...>" <Walkinghorsewoman@h...> wrote:
> Guess I need to start learning about the spotted saddle horse side
of
> things. Here is my newest colt. He is one bad boy. Hitting a nice
> lick across the pasture, nodding the whole time. This pix was taken
> the morning after he was born.
>
> http://pages.prodigy.net/ronspage/_uimages/PeppeMom.JPG

Thanks for the compliments, I'm pretty proud of him and I did all his
training myself, except for greenbreaking. Lots and Lots and Lots of
riding long cotton fields, and up and down some good hills. Then last
winter I ran him on cows, boy, talk about something that will build a
rearend, just put them to spinning on some of them dudes.

Jerry Self shoes him, he chops everything off the backend and puts
the lightest trailer he has on him. I have to keep him reset every 6
weeks or he will go to hitting himself. One time I let him go to many
rounds on his plantations to the point he wore so much toe off it, he
was getting too much roll over and actually hitting his elbows up
front, to the point of bleeding, which I didn't know til I got done
riding him, he was being really ill, and I couldn't figure out why
until I got off of him. Needless to say, he was at Jerry's that
Saturday for new shoes.

Your guy sounds really nice. I am looking forward to riding on the
circuit next year, new competition, and meeting a lot of new horse
friends, and meeting some face to face that I have met on the
internet as well. I'm sorry about your stallion, sounds like he had a
lot of potential. I hope you will get some nice colts off him. I know
that feeling of going into a big class and winning it when you think
you may have done 3rd, 4th, 5th.....

Maybe we will meet some day.

I use Tony Watson from Eufala, AL. He does my padded horses. Since I
don't really show flat shod I have a local farrier do the trims on my
barefoot horses and horses with just kegs (Saves $$)

Anyway, Tony is great. I remember the first time he came to do my
horse... ride the horse. Let's put this on. Ride the horse. Nope,
changes need to be made. Off comes the package. Rebuild. Reset. Ride
the horse. An all day affair, but Ligit moves so much better now...
as our ribbons will attest to.

Now I have him shoeing my 3 yr old mare, and while we are back at
square one I am sure she will be ready to go out and kick butt as a 4
yr old in the coming season. Be on the lookout for Fever's Dark
Angel. Course, right now she simply trying to kick my butt. We had a
great rodeo today (heavy on sarcasm!!!)

Oh- what do I pay? About $85 for a reset of the front pads- Ligit and
the mare are both barefoot in the back end. Course building a package
is a bit more... but I think it is worth every penny!

Guess I need to start learning about the spotted saddle horse side of
things. Here is my newest colt. He is one bad boy. Hitting a nice
lick across the pasture, nodding the whole time. This pix was taken
the morning after he was born.

http://pages.prodigy.net/ronspage/_uimages/PeppeMom.JPG

Paula-

He looks very nice, great extension and form in the front end. Should
do well in country pleasure. I showed my stallion at some breeders
shows around here in CP. Our first show out he won the class, 22
horses. I almost fell out of my saddle in surprise!

Wanted to ask you what kind of shoes you have on his back end (you've
already said plantations up front).

PS My stallion is Powerful Threat's last get.... out of a Godfather
mare. Would love to put him up against your boy sometime... all in
the name of healthy competition. But alas, I can't. He broke his back
leg and now does good to go on a trail ride or two. But he is
enjoying life...so I guess I can't complain. Hoping for a couple of
good colts from him before he has to be put down due to discomfort.
Besides, I enjoy showing the padded horses more. Guess that is what
makes this sport great... something out there for everyone!

Paula Johnson  wrote:
> This is my horse that I will be showing this year on
> the circuit  . . .

Trust, that is what its all about, no doubt. Good job, he looks like
a fine feller.

Paula Johnson wrote:
> I have a friend that has an awesome padded racking
> stud out of Carbon Copy, . . .

WOW! Fine looking horse! We've actually kcked around the idea of
Breeding our good mare to Carbon Copy. he's an awesome horse. I just
worry about Breeding to a horse that gets it's talent from a bottle,
it's so hard to know these days.

I mean who knows, it's not like the folks fixing horses will just
say "Yea, I fix them". That's why I'm wary about breeding to padded
champs. But your pictures have made me feel a little better about
Carbon Copy.

One of my concerns is breeding "The Rack" right out of racking
horses. On another board, one of the people defending padded Horses
is claiming as part of that defense that a good padded horse doesn't
have to be a natural racking horse. That is scary to me. If the horse
wouldn't be a decent flatshod racker, it shouldn't even be considered
as a padded horse.

This is my horse that I will be showing this year on
the circuit and going to Decatur in the fall if all
goes well. Showing Country Pleasure.

Yes I have ridden a padded horse before. This boy was
on pads, had just been broke that spring and had been
on the pads about 4 wks. This was my first time to
ride a padded horse and it was awesome. But I prefer
the flatshod horse so I took him off the pads that
fall and rested him on the winter on kegs, then put
him on plantations that spring, and he's been the star
of most shows we've been to last 2 years. I've turned
down $10,000 for him, only because I'm very personally
attached to this horse. He was very skiddish and
untrusting when I first started with him. He now
totally trust me, can do anything with him myself, but
he still gets nervous and upset if anyone else tries
to handle him and I'm not present.

Anyway, he's coming 7, gelding, Generator, Merry Go
Boy bloodlines.

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Here is a 5 yr old gelding I just sold, out of Merry
Go Boy, Ebonys Masterpiece, Carbon Copy, Shadows Black
Angel, just to name a few. Got him nearly starved to
death last spring, tons of hair, didn't know what I
would find underneath all that hair come spring. Boy
where we surprised at the beauty that resulted. He is
liteshod in the pictures. And boy could this guy
motor, he could rack a whole to China, LOL.

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I have a friend that has an awesome padded racking
stud out of Carbon Copy, Pride of Midnight lines. This
horse is 8 yrs old, he has raised him from 6mos of
age. He is going to show him on the circuit with me
this show season. Totally natural mover. Will ride him
in chains occasionally if needed at home. This horse
stays in a large stall and when the mares come up he
can stand on his hind legs to look over his back wall
for minutes at a time. Very strong hind end. This
horse's name is Barbee's Pride of Midnight. He is
ridden by Bobby Barbee.

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Not much there right now, but we do have a more traditional
messageboard, and the conversations are a lot easier to follow, since
the topics are in strings. And YOU CAN POST PICTURES! Right in the
post itself. I like being able to do that. Check it out. It will be
expanding over the next few weeks, but the message board forum works
right now.

COMPETITION AND SHOW RACKING HORSES

http://pages.prodigy.net/ronspage/index.html

WHW said: "I know that you drop a chain on my boy on the cover page
and he will walk a hole in the ground."

I can second that, I've seen him!

Yea, in my mind, showing in chains is a step backward. Personally, I
feel that the Racking Horse Association is moving toward being
a "Little League" Walking Horse Association. And Chains just push it
even further in that direction. Maybe we Should move Celebration to
Williamsport Pa.?

Not to mention it's painting a big "SHOOT AT ME, PETA" sign on our
sport, metaphoricly speaking, as far as the Public Relations goes.

Wow, if a horse can't rack for 15 minutes without "training wheels" I
think it needs more training, not lowered standards.

Hey Paula,
Thanks for posting! Anyway, yea, Padded horses, can be just dandy
Trail Horses. The Horse on the Home page is such an animal.

They get a bad wrap, for the same reason you stated about soring:
Trainers take shortcuts. To be fair, most trainers are there to prep
a horse for competion. I think it's up to the owners to make sure the
horse gets basic groundwork and breaking before they go to the
training barn.

I'm sure you've seen the horses in the staging area and at the stalls
at shows acting up. More than a few of those horses take three people
to get a rider in the saddle. THOSE are the folks who give padded
horses a bad name for the trail. They're also generally the ones that
cut the fool in the ring, blowing any chance of a ribbon.

In my mind, it makes tactical sense to get your horse to respect you
as a rider. When it does, it will perform better and more
consistently. It will learn more quickly too, so in the long run,
doing groundwork with padded horses makes sense.

We are believers in pulling the packages and letting "a horse be a
horse" during the off season. Younger horses sometimes need some
remedial training, but that loss of training time is made upover the
long haul.

The horse in the Picture, affectionately called "GIT" around here,
(with a "J" sound) is 11 and still loves to compete. A lot of horses
that sit in a stall 12 months of the year lose the drive. who can
blame them eh?

When people do basic groundwork, train and show without hurting them,
give and earn respect, give'm a vacation, every year, after a few
years it almost becomes just a matter of giveing them a few months
off, tossing a package and a saddle back on them, and hitting the
show ring. (a bit oversimplified, but not much)

  Most of the "Training" our fellers get is more to condition them
again. They already know what to do, and they're eager to do it. We
still do some groundwork with him too. He likes it, like a game we
play or something. This is one HAPPY padded horse, who is respected,
and gives it back and then some.

Have you ever ridden a padded horse that's "kicken it?" It is a
different feeling. If you get the chance, try it you haven't already.
Careful though, that "Chopper" feeling is addictive, and your shoeing
bills will double heheh.

Maybe they could have a class that allows chains only in that class?

Actually, they are doing that now. Starting next year there is
supposed to be a racking horse w/ chains class at Celebration. Should
be interesting to see. Already the horses are way to "walky" going...
I know that you drop a chain on my boy on the cover page and he will
walk a hole in the ground. Do I plan to show him in that class? NO. I
figure it will start off as a class for walking horses that can't cut
it at walking horse shows, but can't do anything without a chain
around their feet. Course, that will evolve into it being a really
big-lick walking class, and eventually we will completely lose the
autonomy of the racking horse.

Gee, can you tell I think it is a bad idea?

I personally don't like the chains in the showring. I know they don't
hurt the horse (unless of course they have had some substance put on
their feet to enhance the feeling of the chain), but I think the
showring is a place where they should exhibit their talents as
naturally as possible and using a chain just screams that this horse
can't do it without help. Of course wearing a plantation shoe, some
would say isn't natural either. But at least there are classes for
the heavy and lite shod exclusively. Maybe they could have a class
that allows chains only in that class?

I am absolutely against the soring methods. I think it evolved
initially as trainer's needed ways to get results in a shorter period
of time and exagerate the gait more.

I show a flatshod racker (Country Pleasure), that had just been broke
and put on pads for about 4 wks when I bought him. First thing I did
was get him off the pads and into plantations. Actually I loved him
padded, but personally, wanted a horse that could be trail rode or
shown. OK I know, I'm going to get some flack about trail riding a
plantation shod horse. I'm only talking riding a couple hours on a
trail ride, not a 2 or 3 day event. Plus he's rode everyday during
the time he's on the plantations, and stays in condition and has no
problem riding trails.

I have nothing against a natural padded horse. I think they are
beautiful and don't believe the pads hurt the horse in anyway if they
are reset in a timely manner, and if were me, would let them rest in
the winter off of them. Although I'm not sure if in the long run, it
wouldn't be better to keep them on pads until thru showing them, may
be putting more stress on the shoulders and back taking them up and
down like that. Just my guess. I'm no expert on padded horses.

I live in northern Mississippi. We will be showing the racking
circuit this year in north Miss, southwestern Tenn. I hope to make 1
show in White Plains, TN and will be going to the Celebration in ALA
next fall. Hope to meet many of you at the shows.

Paula

I use Jerry Self from Thaxton, MS. He does travel around going to
about 7 different states so many of you know him and he sets up at
both celebrations. He is the best I know of at shoeing gaited horses.
I made a mistake and let someone else who had been in the business
for over 30 yrs and only works out of his shop now do my horse last
year, BIG MISTAKE. So I'm back to Jerry's now, even though I have to
call and wait for him to call me back to let me know when he will be
working in his shop. During the winter I only use kegs, and they run
about $65 for shoes and setting. Show season he has plantations, new
shoes and setting run between 90-110. Around 75 for a reset.

I subscribe to the magazine, but pretty much because I like looking
for what silly thing they'll write about next. Some of the articles
are pretty good, but one a few months ago was about "Horse
Communicators". It was a hoot. One "communicator" told the owner
horse had relayed to her about an old injury it had as a colt. The
injury had healed, but the horse felt like telling the story anyway.

What was really funny was at the end of the article, the author
concluded this crap was probably legitimate!

I'm just curious. I've noticed farrier fees can vary greatly from one
geographic are to another.

Some people think the RHBAA should begin allowing chains to be used
in the showring. I find this to be a step backwards, for quite a few
different reasons, not the least of which is for P.R. reasons.
Anybody have any thoughts?

This is mostly a problem for, but not limited to, padded racking
horses. For those that don't know, A padded racking horse is
outfitted with "a package", a stack of pads, nowadays generally made
of a plastic material, to build up the front hooves of a racking
horse.

Sadly, more than a few people abuse the padded horse, with a process
commonly referred to as "fixing". This practice, contrary to what
many people think, is not all that uncommon. It isn't under control,
as some in the industry would have us beleive, but the people who do
it have gotten trickier, essentially.

Fixing can take many forms. Chemical irritants, mechanical devices,
static pressure devices, etc. All are unethical when abused, most are
illegal in the showring, and anyone utilizing them unscrupulously is
a bold-faced cheater.