Pasos go to 4H

[Terri]

I took Mico and Mikka (the little 1/2 paso at my barn) and a passle of kids to a 4H show today. We did very well! My daugher Chrissy took blues in 4H horsemanship and pleasure and trail. Her friend Tina rode for the very first time in a show, and while she only got 6th place in beginner pleasure and a 3rd in trail, she had a great experience. A friends daughter also rode Mico on lead line and in a trail class! She took 2nd in trail. We did run into a little bit of breed prejudice. The girl I had on a lead line was in an english saddle (western saddle stirrups are to long for her). She sat beautifully and really rode the horse. I was surprised when she only got 4th (out of 4) and later approached the judge and asked what she could improve on next time. I was shocked when the judge reponsed that "I know it is hard on a Paso, but if you use and english saddle you need to rise to the trot" Ah, hello, he wasnt trotting, he was in gait! I explained that Pasos do in fact use english tack. She said, "this isn't a breed show, if you are going to sit the trot you need a western saddle.". Sigh. The judge was very young, and I don't think she knows anything about our breed. But the kids had a blast and it was a fun day.
Chrissy and Mico in showmanship
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/micomyhorse/shmashhoofCM.jpg
My leadline kid on Mico
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/micomyhorse/laurenagain.jpg
Chrissy in pleasure class
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/micomyhorse/Chrissyinclass.jpg
Chrissy's friend on Mikka
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/micomyhorse/tinapleasure.jpg
and isn't this what it is all about?
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y134/micomyhorse/rachelandmikka.jpg
It was a safe fun day, until I came home and threw my back out lifing the release on the trailer. OUCH.

[Cindy]

You should find a video of the Spanish Riding School and send it to that judge. They never post. :twisted:

[Terri]

One other funny comment I heard: I was standing waiting with Mico and my leadline kid to go in the ring when a lady walks by and says to me "my what a beautiful Morgan you have!" I said "he isn't a morgan" and she said "oh, but he could pass". Mico just looked at her and blinked. I did correct her.

[Cindy]

LMAO.

[pnalley]

Terry, sometimes you have to be happy with the bone they throw you. At least she said he was a "beautiful" morgan ;-)

Yep, thats what it's all about. Happy kids, happy horse & aching back!

[swaite]

Great photos! Sounds like everyone had a good time.

[Privatetreaty]

I'm so sorry this happened. :cry:

You would expect a total horse beginner, to make a comment like that.
There are so many gaited breeds out there.
Smart nor Diplomatic were not her middle name.

I know exactly how it feels.
Thirty years ago, I showed my Palomino stallion in a "color class" at a western show. The prize list specifically indicated "no grays" in this class.
Guess who pinned? Yep, all the grays.

A total stranger came up to and said "I've never seen grays defeat a Palomino in a color class."

I guess the Judge felt I had no business being there.

[Laura S]

That last pic of the kid with the horse is so precious! I can't believe that judge said they need to post to the trot. She must have not even known Mico wasn't trotting! It must be frustrating, but it is soooo good to get them out there and get them exposed to the general public!! It's the only way people are going to see them and learn. My new vet that just came to my house is a new grad and is involved in standardbred racing mostly, had never seen a paso before. He was very perplexed about the names!

[motorgypsy]

That is sooo pitiful - post in an English saddle. I have to say the allbreed shows we've been in were a lot more enlightened.

[Edurne]

I'm sorry your child was disappointed by such an ignorant person...... but the storry is good for a little giggle. :D

[Terri]

I've been to 4h shows before and haven't run into this problem. I believe the judge at this show had just didn't know anything but hunt seat. I was thinking, the judge couldn't have know much about western either since my horses move quickly with their head up. But as long as they weren't posting, that was "western" in her eye. Geeze. And the show manager was pretty clueless too. They kept talking about rising trots in the trail class to. One of the "obsticles" in the trail class was to post on the wrong diagonal. I once again explained we weren't posting and she said "Oh you want to be in western trail". I said, "no beginner trail". Then, she has to post. So I put her in a western saddle and she had to ride the course stirrup less. It is like there was only 2 ways of riding for these people Wester/English. Don't they know there is a bigger horse world than that.

Next show I am going to try is July 23rd, a local riding club show. This group is more knowledgable and usually has more experienced judges. I am going to bring my flashy black horse (Rio) and kick some hunter butt around the ring. But just to be safe, I will use the western saddle. ;-)

Oh, and the kids weren't really disappointed. My daughter did well (she used the western) and I told them we were just going for the experience, the comradarie and the hotdogs.

[CarolU]

Terri, I remember a few years ago someone having the same problem with their local 4-H group. Are there other gaited people in your area with kids? I believe they bannd together to show it wasn't just one breed and that it affected the 4-H program because they are excluding a number of kids. 4-H is for every breed.

In the future you might talk to show management before the show, make sure the judge knows/is OK with, horses that don't trot in that class. This worked here locally. It really was a mater of educating the judges. If it was a trot-only class, keep your kids out of it.

And if show management won't 'see the light' talk to the Extension agent. This program is supported with tax money. It can't legally descrimanate.

[Fuego]

Sad, but also funny. Glad the children's day wasn't ruined by a moron insisting that they post a trot on horses that DON'T trot, LMAO

Perhaps you should bring this to the attention of the county 4-H extension office. Not as a complaint against the show or judge, but in an educational way. Just trying to prevent that type of discrimination in the future.
This type of situation could easily make a some children feel unwelcomed and excluded . Definately not the intent of 4-H.

4-H is about the CHILDREN, not the horses, and no type of discrimination should be shown at a 4-H event.

It does sound like the judge had very limited knowledge and was definately not qualified for the job.

Kudos to you Terri for not allowing one judge to ruin the day for you and the children. Sounds like you handled the whole situation with class and still made sure the kids enjoyed theirselves. And that IS the main point.

Maybe you'd have better luck at a Morgan show ....... :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Pasogirlz]

It's good that you guys are out there doing a little educating in your area...sounds like they can use it. ;-)

Congrats to all the kids and their ribbons.

[TrueStepPaso]

Heeeeey, whats so bad about being a Morgan? ;-)

When Mike first saw Kira, he thought she was a Paso :shock: ......and TWO vets thought she was a Paso before as well....I've met alot of Paso people that started out with Morgans, so they must go hand in hand :D

[JennLM]

haha we had 2 Morgans too....

[TrueStepPaso]

I love Morgans! They are a great breed...very sweet, and good-lookin ;-)