New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-13
2 SADDLE TYPES
FOR HORSESHOE
The National Association
Takes Action on Revis-
ing Prize List.
ANNUAL EXHIBITION
WILL BE HELD NOV. 6
Plan TO Go Into Effect This
Year Long Desired by
Owners.

OWneTS.
An important decision affecting the
future Of American saddle horse types
and the judging Of saddle horses at
American shows was reached yesterday
ut a meeting Of the executive commit
tee of the National Horse Show Asso-
citation, held to arrange plans and re-
wise the prize list for the annual ex-
hibition in Madison Square Garden
from November to II.
In judging at the Garden this year
two distinct saddle types will be recog
nized all through the show, and sepa-
rate classes will be made for each type,
instead Of jumbling them together as
in past years, to the confusion of the
judges and the dissatisfaction Of the
exhibitors and spectators alike.
In one series Of competitions the or
thodox walk trot" saddle horse Of the
riding schools and the parks will be
judged, while in another series recog
milton will be given to what Is various
ly known as the English type, the thor
oughbred type and the hunter type Of
riding horse.
Tho walk trot saddle horse, as It Is
known among breeders, dealers and
trainers, Is full made, finely finished,
high styled, fashy going hcrse, with
SNOWY action and ability TO step along
at smart pace on trot.
The "blood hack" as his admirers
love to call him, after the fashion in
England, is often a thoroughbred race
horse, or hunter with plenty of
quality, and now and then q polo pony
of bloodlike character has carried off
the blue ribbon before judges having q
preference for this type. The blood
hack must have thoroughbred quality,
or fneness of fibre, with what the con-
noisseurs call riding shoulders" and
prominent withers to keep the saddle
back where it belongs. Though suality
and finish are highly priced, the snowy
STYLE and action which distinguish the
walk trot saddle horse are not essential
in the makeup OF blood hack.
On the contrary, good many Judges
would froWn upon horse OF the thor.
oughbrcd type that carried his head and
tail TOO high or displayed the peacocS
nropensities which are wanted in the
walk-trot horse, whether at rest or IN
action. As the trot is the most i'm
s ko II horse the
canter is the mainstay Of the blood
hack.
Few thoroughbred horses trot we'll
and those who ride them are not gen
orally partial TO the gait for saddle
work. On the other hand. no other
breed of horses can equal the thorough
breds at galloping, slow or fast, and the
canter is merely a show gallop.
In their distinguishing points the t~9
tvpes of saddle horses are about as dlG-
ferent as light harness roadsters and
high stepping carriage horses, and 10
Judge them together is regarded by a
great many experts as good deal ike
mingling low-going, long-talled trotters
and high going, locked hackneys in one
class for harness horses. The directors
of the association have taken this we"
of the matter in separating the two
types. i..
a troublesome question. Some horsemen
have favored the plan of classifying all
walk trot horses as park hacks" and
ali horses of the thoroughbred or
hunter type as road hacks" But the
trouble with this plan is that good
many men and women nowadays prefer
to use horses of the thorough bred type
for park riding. The only practical way
that could be found of separating the
two types was by classifying saddle
horses as either "docked' or un,
docked"; in other words, as long. tailed
or short-tailed. Of course, the length
of tail does not of itself determine the
type OF the horse, since any one so dls-
posed might dock a thoroughbred, just
as he might dock a trotter or light mar
ness horse.
But as matter Of actual experience,
10 one does such thing, and no good
borseman. on the other hand. leaves a
typical walk trot saddle horse unlocked
any more than he would let hlgh step
ping hackney of the heavy harness type
carr a long tail when shown 20 glg'
stanhope, phaeton or victoria.
1t il expected that the separation OF
the two types will have the effect Of in
creasinc the number Of saddle horses
very materially at the November show.
with both types shown together IN the
Same classes in past years 1t has neces-
sarily happened that whenever long
tailed horse of the thoroughbred type
won a blue ribbon the owners OF all the
walk trot horses were disappointed, and
sometimes disposed 70 say the judges
favored that type, as they very often
did.