[tuffydoodle]

http://www.dixiephc.com/html_files/picture.html

Here is a picture of where the new hand position seems to be. They look like Barbie dolls arms and at the show yesterday, every single person had the exact same arm. They looked like a bunch of stepford riders. The arm at the side looks much more natural and the rider in your pic doesn't look like she's trying to outshine the horse.

[HairOfTheDog]

That link sent us to what looks like a trail class... not what you intended I don't think ;~D


You know... I don't really mind the flash... I showed in Arab circles, and at AA shows, sequins and flash and shine and impeccable matching tack were and always will be part of horse showing.

If I have a taste difference, it's that western pleasure (and AQHA hunters, for that matter) have become so super exaggeratedly slow. And that's not new, it's been years getting here. They have everything that might move strapped down, manes don't move, tails get deadened to the point they had to make a rule about it... jogging and loping is as motionless as it can be, with daisy cutter action preferred. I just think it's far from the ideal cow-horse that western pleasure was intended to display. You now have to look to barrel racers and reiners to see that.

Of course, it'll always be taste. I like to see collection, but with impulsion and action and movement.