What is Natural, Anyway?

For anyone who hasn't seen the latest issue of Horse and Rider, one of my favorite magazines, there is a good article about the never-ending debate over the Western Pleasure industry. For the lay-person, Western Pleasure is a specific class or event at a horse show in which the horse is ridden around an arena at all three gaits, but at moderate speed. The class is judged on which animal looks like it would be the most pleasurable to ride in a western setting( hence the class name ). The horses must be calm, balanced, and obey nearly invisible cues, traveling smoothly and on a very loose or draped rein. It requires a high level of skill and training.

Now to me, that sounds like a horse I'd like to ride every day, show or no show. The problem in the horse industry, however, is that Western Pleasure has a lot of enemies in people who say that it is unnatual for horses to move that slowly and collected, and to have their heads and necks held so low. This debate hits close to home for me, though I can't quite see why it's such a BIG deal. Not because I show in Western Pleasure-I don't show at all anymore, but when I did I enjoyed that class. It's because when I ride my horses western, that's how I ride. I don't feel my horses are being comprimised by being 'unnatural'-isn't it unnatural to ride a horse to begin with? I know it's true that when they are at liberty in the field they move out with their noses up in the air. They also like to kick and buck but I don't care to ride that no matter how natural it may be.

My mother-in-law, Jodi, who is my favorite riding buddy besides my husband, rides her Thoroughbreds western (don't get me started on that, I was taught Thoroughbred=Hunter/Jumper) and she likes them 'lively'. Her word not mine. Sure, that breed tends to be spirited but she really likes to ride them with their heads in the air, really stepping out, thinking about but not quite spooking at everything. I meanwhile prefer to plod along on a steady low-headed mount. I always tell her I'd rather have my horse watching where his feet are going than looking for tigers in the trees.

She says isn't there an in-between?

I guess so, I just like their head down.

A horse with his head low is a calm horse. A horse with his head in the air will find a tiger if he looks hard enough. Jodi says she thinks she'd feel like she was about to fall headlong off with her horse's head so low. She likes to see where he's looking.

I guess I know what I like and that's all I care about. Why are non-Pleasure riders so concerned with the industry? They don't have to enter that class, they don't have to train their horses that way. That's the great thing about horses, there is something for everyone. You can ride your horse your way and I'll ride mine my way.

As for Natural? As soon as you tame a horse and put a fence around it, it stops being natural. Maybe the focus should change to reflect individual riding goals. For me it would be for my horse to be comfortable, calm, trained, and I don't know...happy.