A proposal will be presented at Convention to address the influx of big-moving, high-stepping Shetlands into the AMHR world. I happen to have one of these high steppers and I fully support this proposal, which would create a separate class for them.
The proposal, by the way, is not mine.
At AMHR Nationals, all six horses in Pleasure Driving Over (36-38) were high steppers with a Shetland background. Minis that were winning National titles in Pleasure Driving just a few years ago can't compete in that division now.
My fear is, all the minis who once were dominant in Pleasure Driving will switch to Country Pleasure Driving, which will impact the minis who once were dominant in Country. And where do they go? Western Country?
We run the risk of making some terrific Pleasure and Country Pleasure minis obsolete unless the big movers/high steppers have a class all their own.
It appears that the two proposals related to measuring at the withers are, in part, an attempt to tamp down the influx of high-stepping, high-withered Shetlands whose last hair of the mane happens to drop quite a way down from the top of the withers. Creating a class for these horses will level the playing field.
I don't want to mess with the current way of measuring because going to a withers measurement will destroy some breeding programs.
In ASPC, we have Modern, Modern Pleasure and Classic divisions to address the variance in movement. It is time to do that with minis, too.
I don't see a downside to this proposal. If you have a high stepper, you're already competing against them. If you don't have a high stepper, you'll no longer have to worry about competing against them. And if you're a trainer, you'll now have another class for a client to show in.
The proposal, by the way, is not mine.
At AMHR Nationals, all six horses in Pleasure Driving Over (36-38) were high steppers with a Shetland background. Minis that were winning National titles in Pleasure Driving just a few years ago can't compete in that division now.
My fear is, all the minis who once were dominant in Pleasure Driving will switch to Country Pleasure Driving, which will impact the minis who once were dominant in Country. And where do they go? Western Country?
We run the risk of making some terrific Pleasure and Country Pleasure minis obsolete unless the big movers/high steppers have a class all their own.
It appears that the two proposals related to measuring at the withers are, in part, an attempt to tamp down the influx of high-stepping, high-withered Shetlands whose last hair of the mane happens to drop quite a way down from the top of the withers. Creating a class for these horses will level the playing field.
I don't want to mess with the current way of measuring because going to a withers measurement will destroy some breeding programs.
In ASPC, we have Modern, Modern Pleasure and Classic divisions to address the variance in movement. It is time to do that with minis, too.
I don't see a downside to this proposal. If you have a high stepper, you're already competing against them. If you don't have a high stepper, you'll no longer have to worry about competing against them. And if you're a trainer, you'll now have another class for a client to show in.