Andrea Simons shows our reader how to make a great first impression on the judge—and maybe nab that next blue ribbon!

By Lindsay Grice - The Western pleasure class, while historically the most popular class in the stock horse breeds, comes with its share of criticism. Knowing that I judge and compete within the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) circuit, the subject of Western pleasure often comes up with the dressage, hunter, and jumper riders in my clinics.

Introduction Horse showing is an integral part of many youth’s passion for their horses. Many spend countless hours preparing both their horses and themselves for competition. As with most things, horse showing goes through many trends and fads. However, the bottom line is how are these new and sometimes expensive fads perceived by the judge in the show ring? The Mane To band or not to band, braid or not to braid? Much of this will depend on the level of competition, what classes the horse…

It's time western pleasure riders get the respect they deserve! Every time I post something about western pleasure it sparks a debate. Whether you love it

It’s extremely important to preserve space for your horse on the rail during a Western pleasure classes. The goal is to get your horse shown as best you can. But if you’re bottled up in a jumble of horses, that’s not possible. You must be able to maneuver your horse through tight spots, out into the open of the arena, and back to the rail without sacrificing your horse’s performance.

The Western Pleasure class is often the largest performance class at any horse show, be it real or model. This is a basic rail class with the horses competing in a group, at three different gaits and in both directions of the arena. The ideal pleasure horse should exhibit smooth, relaxed gaits and perfect manners. In other words, he should be a pleasure to ride! All of today's photos were taken at the Rocky Mountain Quarter Horse Association's Youth and Amateur Show held last month at the…

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