Five-Gaited World Grand Champion:- Sky Watch. This photograph shows the coordinated saddle seat turnout of horse and rider; the magnificent erect neck set and poll flexion. Note the rider's elbow, wrist and reins all create a straight line from the horse's mouth - the standard sought throughout the world - but the high neck set puts the mouth of the horse higher than it would for a hunter etc Photo: Jamie Donaldson

I have been asked to provide an article that deals with the mysteries that have come to surround the Saddlebred with regard to the training techniques involved in producing them. This is a challenge I will take up, but would first like to explain some of the background of the culture of the Saddlebred in order to create a backdrop on which to put the training information. Exploding the Myths Part I will deal with this, Exploding the Myths Part II (next issue) will go into training techniques a little more deeply.

When considering any written word about the American Saddlebred it is important to first keep in mind some key factors:

It was developed as a prime utility horse, but had such special exotic qualities that it became the show ring favourite and developed a showing sport all of its own. Showing in USA is nothing like showing in the UK. The sport of showing Saddlebreds is an exacting and precise science demanding extreme athleticism from the horse, together with much pizz-pazz and glamour. Kinetic science testing of the Show Saddlebred proved that an individual competing in one five-gaited showing class uses as much energy as a steeplechaser racing in a top level race.

Fine Harness. (Photograph Jamie Donaldson)

The five-gaited show horse is the epitome of Saddlebred athleticism and skill; but the show ring also supports the three-gaited horse, the walk-trot horse, the fine harness horse, the parade horse, the Western pleasure horse and the Saddle Seat Equitation horse.

Within these basic groups there are levels which for the purposes of this feature can be described as a) Show Horses, b) Show Pleasure Horses and c) Country Pleasure Horses. At the top shows there is little scope for a 'backyard' horse that spends its time trail riding to compete in show classes. The Show Horse whatever his level is a specialised animal, much like the racing Thoroughbred. And, as with the Thoroughbred, the horse that probably will not go to the top in his traditional discipline - i.e. racing for the TB, showing for the Saddler - makes a very gifted and suitable horse for most other sporting interests, having proven himself time and again in endurance, dressage, jumping, cow herding and circus.

Most of the big Saddlebred stud farms in the USA specialise in producing horses for the showing market. Showing Saddlebreds is big business in the USA, with huge prize money, and a good earning career for horses that go on into breeding.

Even in America the breed is surrounded by much mystery, and some misunderstanding, they are regarded as uniquely special and exotic.

Next it is essential to briefly attend to the different styles of riding, and clear the air over a number of misconceptions in that field.

Not all Americans ride in the style of the cowboy as seen in Westerns. In fact very few do. Most Americans ride in a style they call Hunt Seat, which is the regular way we all ride traditionally in England, i.e. the regular forward jumping seat. In the opening of the West and in the pursuit of managing vast herds of cattle, the cowboys rode in their specially developed style which is known throughout the world as 'Western'. In the Colonial days of the Deep South, the gentlemen of the plantations rode in their style which they confusingly referred to as 'English'. This designation of names happily denoted each of the three basic styles to other Americans, but has caused much confusion on this side of the Atlantic. Fortunately the so-called 'English' style is also known as 'Saddle Seat', and for clarity that's what it is called now officially, although many American exponents in the Saddlebred, Morgan and Walking Horse world still refer to Saddle Seat as 'English' riding when communicating amongst themselves. They also regard that they are riding in the English style with English equipment, but nothing could be further from the truth, although undoubtedly Saddle Seat was the accepted style of riding in England in the days before superb ambling 'saddle horses' became extinct in these 'green and pleasant lands'.

The Saddlebred Show Horse is a supreme athlete and is treated as such. He is kept in loose boxes in vast barns, clipped out and rugged (blanketed as the Americans say), and is given a daily work out. He is not expected to spend his days and nights in a cold muddy field and then come in and perform like a top ballet dancer - this would be blatantly absurd.

I hope now, I have managed to draw a picture for you of the fundamental differences in the American way and the English way, and the American language and the English! This background should aid enjoyment of the rest of this Exploding the Myths feature, and indeed any other American related equine articles. Now to removing the veil from a few of the prevailing myths about Saddlebreds and their turnout and training.

Myth No.1: The extra gaits are articificial.

Answer: Wrong! The Saddlebred inherits his gaits from his Old English Ambler forebears; And inherits his trot from his English Thoroughbred forebears - see previous article. ALL Saddlebreds inherit the ambling gait, however not have the necessary talent for competition, just as not all Thoroughbreds are keen to gallop at break-neck speed, and not all Hanoverians make world champion dressage horses. Those that do not show much talent for the gaits will have their preference brought out in them - refer to section about showing divisions above.

Myth No.2: Artificial unnatural methods are used to produce the Saddlebred show horse.

Answer: Bearing in mind that humans using horses for riding is unnatural to start with, I have never experienced anything in the dozens of barns in America and scores of training sessions I have witnessed that led me to think their system was any worse than ours for breaking and training a riding animal. A well bred gifted Saddlebred has a lot of natural motion with its knees, many have terrific hock action too and it is not unusual for colts to exhibit this motion totally barefoot and before any training. Training methods merely teach the colt to do what it does better (as dressage training does) and teaches the gaited horse to execute its five gaits on particular commands - as any horse is taught. Of course, there are more aids (cues, as the Americans say) for a five-gaited horse as there are more gaits required of him.

Myth No.3: Saddlebreds are wild, fiery and unmanageable.

Weanling

Answer: Not true. The Saddlebred was bred to be amenable and to work with humans. He was a family utility horse, and his temperament today still reflects that. He is calm, exceedingly intelligent, and loves being with humans. His reputation for fieriness comes from his show ring persona. It is the horse that attracts the judge's attention that usually wins the class! Therefore Saddlers are encouraged to present themselves in a flashy 'hey look at me' way. As youngsters they are shown how to 'park out' when standing, to hold their necks high and flex at the poll, and look sharp.

The Americans have a saying that a horse has to 'look through his bridle' and this is one of the attributes they are judged on. A dull, quiet looking horse will never win the class! This attitude goes with them through life, because after all a horse is a natural show-off who likes to 'present' himself - watch any horse in the paddock when something exciting happens. This tendency is brought out by American trainers and the horse is taught to produce this attitude on command. In their stables, away from the crowds, they are relaxed and tranquil. It is their very calmness and sense, that allows them to be taught to be fiery-looking. If they were always fiery the emphasis would have to be on calming them down!

Myth No.4: The riding position - further back than Hunt Seat - is cruel because the rider is on the kidneys.

Different conformation: note the Thoroughbred's center of balance is well over the withers; the saddlebred's centre of balance is well behind his withers and placed evenly between his fore and hind quarters thus free the shoulders for its airily elevated and rapid motion

Answer: Wrong. The horse's kidneys are very far down into his body, and it is almost impossible to 'sit on' them. The correct sitting position on a show Saddlebred is determined by the horse himself. He carries his neck set back, and his shoulder sports a terrific slope: to be out of the way of his incredible elevation, the rider has to sit further back. When actually mounted on a Saddlebred one immediately feels that he requires you to sit further back, and when he moves his motion demands it. The traditional cut-back Lane Fox flat saddle facilitates this. The horse is his most comfortable and the rider is his most comfortable, sitting just those few inches further back from the withers.

Myth No.5: The long feet are what make the horses gait and give them their motion.

Answer: I wish it was that easy! In general Saddlebreds do not have excessively long feet. I have measured scores in my time and found no feet over 4" long - my endurance Arabians have 3.75" feet. But it is a common practise to allow the natural heel to grow rather than cutting back each time like an English farrier would do. However, because of the speeds and elevation they achieve, they are provided with a pad between the shoe and hoof to protect them from concussion. This combined with the heel growth gives the hoof a longer look. Usually the intending five-gaited Saddlebred is schooled for correctness and accuracy in his gaits, when totally barefoot. The above points have filled the apportioned space for the regular Saddlebred feature, and have been written from personal experience with my own and other imported show Saddlebreds, and training visits to professional barns in the USA; the queries have been drawn from the questions I have been regularly asked when demonstrating and displaying the five-gaited Saddlebred.

Next issue: Exploding the Myths: Part II - How are Saddlebred's Trained?

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