Western Pleasure
Western Pleasure is a western horse show competition that is judged on the quality of movement, form, gait and speed. The conformation and behavior of the horse is also taken into consideration.
The riders compete at the same time as a group, traveling around the outer edge of the arena. The judge will give commands over the loudspeaker for the horses to walk, jog and lope in both directions, stand quietly and back up.
Judges look for horses with strong muscling that are fit, calm, willing, and good movers with flowing comfortable gaits. The horse must look like it is a pleasure to ride. Reins are kept relaxed and loose. Subtle rein signals can be given.
Infractions include rough gaits, not picking up the correct lead, incorrect head position, incorrect speed, hard to control, and being ill tempered toward other horses.
While almost any breed can be shown in Western Pleasure, the most popular choices are Quarter Horses, American Paint Horses and Appaloosas. Gaited horses such as Tennessee Walkers and Fox Trotters also have their own Western Pleasure class.