suffering. > > ............................................................... > > On this list how many times has it been mentioned that breeds like TWH of > today are not what they used to be? How they are totally different types > from the old stock. >
they are bred to be pacey so that when they put the big padded shoes on they will "square up" and gait smooth. Thats what they mean when they say the smooth natural gait of the TWH is being systematically bred out of existence. because who does everyone want to breed to? The WGC stallion. The pacey one in big shoes. Also they have bred for a more refined head, sound familiar? But that head is attached to something! The foundation horse of the twh breed, Allen F1, was about the homeliest horse you could ever see, very very jug headed, big walker spanish nose and head. And he was said to be homozygous for his smooth natural gait, passing it on to all his offspring, who passed it on to their offspring, and a breed was born. So gee, now they are breeding away from Allen F1's homely head and dull drab faded black color. Now you hardly ever see more than two or three naturally barefoot gaited walkers on a huge ride of 2-300 horses! Do we icelandic people want to see things go this route? History is repeating itself and we yell our heads off about it and nobody listens! Look who they just brought in for a training seminar in Georgia, Walter Feldman, A german who studied the way gaited horse trainers trained SADDLEBREDS for godssakes. They are the onlty breed i know of with gait more forced than walkers. In fact i would say they are about the worst offenders at forcing gait there is. So people love to point fingers and say oh, forcing unnatural gait was started in icelandics by americans. But I think it began with Walter Feldman, and now he is being looked at as a gait hero in the icelandic community! Might as well get some TWH trainers in to help finish the breed off completely... and those weighted boots? They look stupid. Might as well just go with the action chains walker trainers use, they weigh less anyway and dont stand out so glaring like those white boots.. Janice -- even good horses have bad days sometimes.
