I am trying to decide whether to allow my daughter to try all aorund with her western pleasure horse should I?

Question

He is getting really nice at western pleasure but he is young and I wonder if I let her go into trail and reining etc, not gaming maybe hus just to try for all around would this affect his natural wp and all of his training in it, he is zippo pine bar, and the son od doc omos if the breeding matters?

Answer 1

It really depends on the horse.  If he has gotten wp down good you can move on to reining & etc.  Age is not a factor.  A reing horse has all of the charcteristics of a pleasure horse.  The only difference is the advancement of the horses adjility & handle.  A reining horse essentially goes through pleasure traning first anyway.

I train horses & kids in a nonprfit equstrian camp. I have several all around horses.  Some run speed events, pleasure, reining, roping & harness, all the same horse.        

Answer 2

You didn't say how young he is, but if he is bred, built, and trained for WP then he shouldn't have a problem.

I think an all around approach is the best thing mentally for many horses. It keeps them interested. And can keep them from developing vices. Trail riding will provide exposure to life outside the ring and help him be a safer, saner horse overall if he is ridden with confidence on the trail.  

Answer 3

Trail riding should be fine if  horse is under 6yrs-Trail riding is pretty easy going. I wouldn't do reining yet until the horse is around 7yrs old as it strain the horses leg and lead to early arthritis. that is why alot quater horses have athritis at an early age.

As long as your daughter keeps up the western pleasure on occassion. Horses don't usual forget any training and quarter horses are smart!