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Gaits of Gold Gaited Horse Community Messageboard > Gait Discussions > Stop the Soring! > Average Age of BL Show Horses? |
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Gaits of Gold Gaited Horse Community Messageboard > Gait Discussions > Stop the Soring! > Average Age of BL Show Horses? |
| Moderated by: Brenda Im | Page: 1 2   |
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| Average Age of BL Show Horses? | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Thu Dec 13th, 2007 06:16 pm |
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1st Post |
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Aethelthryth G.O.G Community Member 
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Many of the videos of BL show classes on youtube.com have drawn some interesting comments from people on both sides of the soring/padded/chained issue. A few of the supporters of the Big Lick/Performance horses insist that the horses have no issues with soundness and live long, healthy lives as competition horses. What is the average age of a horse when it is competing for the WGC title? What is the oldest horse to win a WGC title? Seems to me that they're all pretty young in relation to the average lifespan of a horse. And they may go on to do other things, but their "peak" years as show horses are mostly under the age of five. Then all that's really left to them is their name but they don't go on to do much else. Am I correct? It just seems odd to me. In equestrian sports like dressage, many horses do not even become serious competitors until they are closer to ten years, because of the training and conditioning involved. Thoughts? Comments?
____________________ Audrey "Parelli horsemanship is just like painting by the numbers. You need absolutely no skill. You just put this color here and this color there, and when you're done, you have ... a mess no one wants." mp |
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| Posted: Thu Dec 13th, 2007 09:27 pm |
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2nd Post |
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Nelliebly G.O.G Community Member 
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The average age of the WGC is around 5. It has become tradition to retire the WGC. Don't know what happens to its competitors. When you go to local shows, you'll often find padded horses of 15+.
____________________ Rack on home, "Wild Man" Joe |
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| Posted: Thu Dec 13th, 2007 09:29 pm |
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3rd Post |
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Afubar G.O.G Community Member 
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Hope this helps: Haynes Peacock (gelding) was crowned the Grand Champion Walking Horse of the World at the ages of twelve years & thirteen years. 40-41 Major Wilson established another Celebration "first" by being the oldest stallion to ever win the Celebration's Grand Championship. He was a nine-year-old at the time, 1961. Triple Threat was nine years old when he won the World Grand Championship in 1965 Go Boy's Royal Heir was eight years old when he won the World Grand Championship in 1968 SUPER STOCK was nine years old when he won the World Grand Championship in 1977 MARK OF CARBON was nine years old when he won the World Grand Championship in 1978 Ebony Mountain Man was thirteen years old when he won the World Grand Championship in 1980 The Pusher was nine years old when he won the World Grand Championship in 1981 He was 29 when put down Pride's Jubilee Star was ten years old when he won the World Grand Championship in 1986 The Pushover was eleven Years old when he won the World Grand Championship in 1990 Flashy Pride was thirteen Years old when he won the World Grand Championship in 1991 Cash For Keeps was nine years old when he won the World Grand Championship in 2000 Pride's Jubilee Encore was 10 years old when he won the World Grand Championship in 2001
____________________ On the 8th day, God said "Horses Shall Not Trot"! And the Good horses listened!!! |
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| Posted: Thu Dec 13th, 2007 11:28 pm |
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4th Post |
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gaitingal Ranch Hand 
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Thanks for that research, Afubar. I was just thinking as I read the opening post that most seemed to be over 9 years old before earning the title WGC, from my recollections. --Debbie in GA
____________________ "Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been." - Mark Twain |
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| Posted: Thu Dec 13th, 2007 11:41 pm |
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5th Post |
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Afubar G.O.G Community Member
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Hey Debbie, While going thru the winners, found alot of them at 5 and 6. These are the ones that stood out. I too had thought they were all older, but it didn't turn out that way.
____________________ On the 8th day, God said "Horses Shall Not Trot"! And the Good horses listened!!! |
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| Posted: Thu Dec 13th, 2007 11:44 pm |
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6th Post |
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gaitingal Ranch Hand
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Thanks for clearing that up. I must've misunderstood what I was trying to read. --Debbie in GA
____________________ "Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been." - Mark Twain |
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| Posted: Thu Dec 13th, 2007 11:54 pm |
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7th Post |
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twhstone G.O.G Community Member 
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It is typical in a lot of breeds for the horses to be shown when they are young. Look at all the futurities for racing, and AQHA has reing, cutting etc with young horses. My understanding is TWHs don't have as many problems with lameness issues either as some other breeds. Sort of interesting considering the padded horse.
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| Posted: Fri Dec 14th, 2007 12:10 am |
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8th Post |
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gaitingal Ranch Hand
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I wonder if that is because the TWH tends to remain a very proportional horse? Comparing to the AQH - hunky bodies & smallish hooves... Hmmm... --Debbie in GA
____________________ "Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been." - Mark Twain |
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| Posted: Fri Dec 14th, 2007 02:42 am |
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9th Post |
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twhstone G.O.G Community Member
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That could be. Talk about breeding the feet right off of a horse in the case of paints and some AQHs. I guess some prized halter horses in those breeds could never withstand riding. Racing has bred for a certain type of foot also I guess.
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| Posted: Fri Dec 14th, 2007 03:00 am |
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10th Post |
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Rockin H Transport G.O.G Community Member 
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I just picked up a horse this morning in TN from a barn who had a 5 y/o B/L horse that they had got for $500 .............. and, he was still stacked! I asked them how long it would take them to get him off of the stacks to sell him flat shod ....................... they said that the farrier was coming in 2 days to bring him down  I don't know about y'all, but those horses need brought down in increments, just like they were stacked in increments .................... you CAN NOT just remove the package and take the toe off in a single swoop!!!!! Just some food for thought if you have the chance to buy a B/L horse at a young age who didn't make it. They are good horses, just bred a little loose for me.
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| Posted: Fri Dec 14th, 2007 03:03 am |
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11th Post |
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Rockin H Transport G.O.G Community Member
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Afubar, don't forget the "Whole Nine Yards" ........... he belongs to my farriers "distant" inlaws, LOL ................. they don't like him and pretty much dis-owned their daughter, because they are strictly "flat shod".
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| Posted: Fri Dec 14th, 2007 03:11 am |
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12th Post |
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gaitingal Ranch Hand
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I agree, Jeff. Those joints w/ their cartilage & tendons will stress out big time. Folks need to remember that there is no muscling in the legs of horses from 'bout the knee down to the coronet. It's all bone & connective tissue. And that connective tissue doesn't respond well to drastic change...much less healing. The needed blood supply just is not there. --Debbie in GA
____________________ "Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been." - Mark Twain |
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| Posted: Fri Dec 14th, 2007 03:21 am |
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13th Post |
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Rockin H Transport G.O.G Community Member
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That's right Debbie. I wouldn't discourage anybody from buying a young padded horse who didn't make the grade ............ just talk to your farrier first, and make sure that he understands what is going on.
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| Posted: Fri Dec 14th, 2007 03:34 am |
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14th Post |
imlizonya
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Yes, Millie (2 1/2), who came off stacks last April, had what are considered "long" toes for about three shoeings. She's barefoot now and when the farrier last came and measured her angles were perfect.  I'll see if I can find some pics of the transition. 
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| Posted: Fri Dec 14th, 2007 06:45 pm |
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15th Post |
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Nelliebly G.O.G Community Member
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Rockin H Transport wrote: That's right Debbie.Even older ones make the transition well. The ones with the biggest problem are those who never came out of their stall other than for showing/breeding. Turn them out in a small paddock and they'll pace the approx. size of their stall, day in, day out, for months. They'll spend so much energy doing that, if you're not careful they'll lose a lot of weight doing so. Some never get used to being free in a pasture.
____________________ Rack on home, "Wild Man" Joe |
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| Posted: Fri Dec 14th, 2007 10:44 pm |
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16th Post |
imlizonya
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Here are Millie's feet over the last year. I thought I posted this last night, but clearly not! hehehe.  I'm lucky I got her so young. Years of living on pads is a different story. 
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| Posted: Sat Dec 15th, 2007 02:28 pm |
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17th Post |
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lastchance Ranch Hand 
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Curious, how are Millies gaits. Does she tend to be pacey? Another thing I've noticed about ex-padded horses. When you take them of pads they're built downhill. Figure it's due to the young ones trying to grow to "level" but their front ends have been artificialy raised so their bodies don't know where "true" level is. Jen
____________________ Friends don't let friends ride trotting horses! |
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| Posted: Sat Dec 15th, 2007 07:13 pm |
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18th Post |
imlizonya
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I have been noticing that she seems to be downhill, BUT she's just three this March and I'm hoping she'll level out. She trots (very fancy like she's super special) most of the time at liberty in the pasture then canters...or runs and buck-farts like a crazy fool. But I've also seen her flat-walk and a couple of times a hard pace like her pasture mate. I had just joined this site when she had the longer toes and didn't know my gaits very well, but I know she had/has a nice flat walk. It was very slow b/c of her age. Any faster and we paced. She does have a really flashy way of flinging her front hooves when she really gets her butt under her...and I've wondered if that's b/c of the pads and longer toe when she was younger....nrd
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| Posted: Sat Dec 15th, 2007 11:56 pm |
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19th Post |
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lastchance Ranch Hand
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Hopefully you got her young enough you can "fix" her. Unfortunately, quite a few horses destined for the big lick have been breed to pace. That way when they put the stacks on their feet it squares them up to run walk. Jen
____________________ Friends don't let friends ride trotting horses! |
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| Posted: Sun Dec 16th, 2007 03:58 am |
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20th Post |
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tntwalkers G.O.G Community Member
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lastchance, very true..havve had a couple ex-BL and the one I have right now is having problems with being pacey. i know its just changed to re-work the muscle memory in them to loosen up. They are torked up and cranked into such unnatural position that teir bodies really don't know what normal. Takes time Tam
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