Randy Wilson’s daughter, Whitney Wilson, is interning for GoHorseShow.com this summer and she interviewed her father for her first article in our “10 Things You Need to Know” series. Whitney is currently a junior at The Ohio State University studying Journalism. Check out her article below!
As horse show season has approached us, there are several things you need to remember when showing western pleasure. We talked to professional horseman Randy Wilson and asked his thoughts on the most important tips regarding western pleasure. Wilson is an AQHA, NSBA, and APHA approved judge and has trained and showed numerous Congress and World Champions, as well as being inducted into the NSBA Hall of Fame.
1) Movement—It is extremely important to be able to identify excellent, average, and below average movement of a horse. Starting out with a great mover is such an advantage in making a great pleasure horse. Excellent movers swing their legs, making it look effortless while below average movers may look like they’re working a lot harder. A good western pleasure horse should be a pleasure to ride!
2) Cadence—Cadence is the accuracy of a horse’s footfalls at any given gate. The cadence of a horse dictates its overall appearance. With a higher level of accuracy, a horse presents a higher degree of difficulty in the show pen. With cadence, you want to look for a four-beat walk, two-beat jog, and a three-beat lope.
3) Rhythm—For success in the show pen, a horse must have a nice, steady rhythm. During all three gaits, a horse must be consistent with self-carriage, smooth gaits, and transitions. Sometimes a horse with great rhythm can beat a more talented horse because of its consistency. An excellent horse with great rhythm is very difficult to beat.
4) Conformation—Conformation and the structure of a horse dictates what type of mover you get. A large part of a horse’s conformation looks at its balance and body type. Good movers with undesirable conformation will usually have trouble staying sound in the long run. Good movers with correct conformation typically can be shown for a longer length of time.
5) Trainability—No matter what degree of talent a horse has, it must be trainable. A horse must be willing to learn different cues. Although some horses do learn quicker than others, it is very important for a horse to accept training and to be reliable in the show pen.
6) Proper training—Without proper training- the best movers won’t even succeed. It is important to be able to read your horse mentally and physically, to know how much to challenge them. It is a give and take relationship that has many highs and lows between the horse and rider. The end result must have trust that works both ways.
7) Preparation—Practice, practice, practice! On the wall just before entering the arena in my barn, a daily reminder reads, “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” by legendary basketball coach, John Wooden. You must prepare your horse to be the best it can be on any given day. To be show ready, it’s very important to make sure that you and your horse connect well.
8) Proper presentation—The rider must know how to exhibit his or her horse to the best of its ability. The exhibitor must be confident on the exterior, when things aren’t always going as planned- this isn’t always an easy thing to do. The exhibitors that do this best seem to be in contention the most. As a judge myself, a good horse with a confident rider is something that stands out to me in the show pen.
9) General healthcare—To perform at its best, a horse should be healthy and physically fit. It’s important for a show horse to have a healthy appearance. Part of properly caring for a horse involves a good feeding program. Good healthcare requires a horse to be groomed regularly as well as having a good vaccine and deworming program.
10) Proper shoeing—You must begin by having a knowledgeable blacksmith to shoe a horse that suits its conformation best. Problems with shoeing can have a large affect on how the horse performs. A blacksmith can make a trainer’s job very easy or very difficult based upon their level of expertise. My horses are typically kept on a 4-week shoeing regimen.
For those of you who compete in western pleasure events, I hope these are some useful tips when looking for or training a pleasure horse. So make your next ride a pleasure!
Watch for Whitney’s next article, 10 Things You Need to Know About Trail with Bruce Vickery
About the Author: Whitney Wilson is a Zanesville, Ohio native, who has grown up showing quarter horses beginning at a young age. Whitney is currently a junior at The Ohio State University studying Journalism. Today, she continues to compete in Non-Pro and Amateur Western Pleasure events.
