This makes me sad

In the video is another horse trotting as slow as i can walk. it is amazing what the judges want with these babies.  such a shame. and look at the asking price. so not a quick sale. she was ridden at a year and half perhaps and shown than given the months off for growing and starting training again, all that gives me the creeps , abuse with blue ribbons in mind. (BUT WHAT DO I KNOW?    

"Such an easy filly she earned the summer off to grow and mature a bit more."
So if she hadn't been an easy filly, she wouldn't have been given the summer off?! What is wrong with people? My guy didn't get ridden until after he was 3! Her eyes look so defeated.

I'm glad I never got into showing. The stuff people do for the sake of a blasted ribbon make me sick. I'll trail ride any day. Speaking of which, I need to catch my gelding. Riding today!

I didn't watch the videos. The pictures were enough. My mare, when we did ride her, had a naturally low headset. She loved to work, but this girl holds her head even lower and there's no sparkle in her eyes. My mare actually looks sad when we take the others out to ride or work. This girl looks sad to be working!

I am tempted to send them an email and inquire about her and the training she has had. and perhaps mention our thoughts that she looks defeated. and sad.  besides i thought the head that far below the saddle horn was no longer required by the judges.  

I saw her ad on facebook. Made me sad as well. Sadly I have found that there are still a few hangers on to the peanut rolling thing, and (at least in my experience) a few judges around still rewarding it. I believe the rule is that the head should not drop below the point of the wither for more than 5 consecutive strides, but I am not 100% on that. Poor filly isn't even close to tracking up, and doesn't look remotely comfortable.

I guess on the bright side, she is not in a massive shank bit.

I have wondered about that breeding training operation before. They seem quite popular with the breed show crowd around here.

I pissed a few people off the other day when I flatly rejected the notion that I should be getting Benny ready for the young horse jumpers. (3'3" as a four year old? No thanks) I find the same attitude in the breed show world a lot. Maybe it is just the cynic in me, but I would rather be winning ribbons on Benny well into his late teens early 20's than push him for some big ones at four(three or younger).

Heartbreaking for this filly, but until all the judges stop rewarding headsets like this, and older working classes become more popular (read 'Have more prize money) I don't see things changing.

I had a paint gelding that I adored that was retired from the paint horse circuit at 11 years old and then I got him for a good price. I wasn't told that he had navicular and they'd been injecting his hocks. He was sure a happy boy for a few years getting to barrel race and trail and ditch ride and just have fun. All he'd ever done was practice and he was sour. When he was allowed to have fun the few times I showed him he was happy and had his ears perky instead of the sullen look he'd had when I'd seen him shown by his first owner. One woman said he didn't look like the same horse.

I know I had a trainer at one point told me if I didn't back Sheldon by the time he turned 2 years old that I am a complete retard and something along the lines "have fun ruining your horse and getting him sane later..". I pretty much told her that i refuse to back him before he's 3 and if he turns out insane well guess what, that's MY problem since he is MY horse. Go figure she's a WP "trainer".
My horse is currently like 3 and a half and I ride him maybe once a month and he is the calmest 3 year old I have ever ridden in my life (I've ridden lots of babies/green horses). I believe if you have a good foundation on the ground it will be carried over once they are under saddle.

Every horse deserves the time to grow and mature and really enjoy their "child hood". Do tons of ground work, it's much more rewarding in the long run in my opinion.

I feel as if someone would message the poster they would react quite negatively. But who know's it might be worth a shot.

You know, Isis actually naturally held his head really low when ridden, I hated it!

In the UK horses are 4 years old before we even start lunging.

Here I got sucked in, I sent Ira at 2 to be started, he was big and mature, but she only put 2 months on and since then he hasn't done anything much and nothing hard, I don't feel it hurt him and he was a handful when young.

I do think that horse though looks tired and defeated, almost looks like an auction horse:(

I know lots of people who lightly start at two (if the horse is mature enough) and then turn out for up to a year before they seriously restart as a late 3 year old. Nothing wrong with that in my mind, as long as the starting is light and appropriate for that horses physical and mental maturity.

There is no way that was the case for this horse. I checked out their page and they start their horses as long yearlings - too young for me. It would be my guess that this mare was started then as well.

Benny was started by his trainer lightly over the winter of his two year old year. As far as I have seen so far, he is no worse for wear. They put him in race training for a month or two, this spring, but was so dismal at it they started doing dressage with him instead. Lol. He has been turned out most of the summer and will have most of the winter off from under saddle work. Maybe a few light rides here and there, minimal lunging ect. His knees still are not closed completely, so there is no rush for me. Am I crazy about the fact he was in race training so young? No. But at least I know his trainer didn't push him.

I have ridden a few horses who were naturally low headed as well, but I think the difference here is the rider keeps bumping the horse to put her head back down every time she even comes close to bringing it up. I think this filly, if given the choice, would carry her head at a much more natural level.

If I had my own place and an unlimited budget I would scope her up as well, but that is not the case unfortunately. I fear anyone willing to pay that price for her isn't about to turn her out for a year either