14 July , 1962
Beech Cautions Against Excess Speed For Colts
( Continued from Page 13 ) as it takes for the colt to learn to go on without being urged .
After the colt has learned to go on , it is time to begin the next phase of its training — the running walk . By Lhis time the colt will lead nicely without the mother walking before it . But as you lead the colt at this stage , have the mother standing quietly not too far away . It ' s usually rather easy to start off a colt in a good running walk because this gait comes so naturally to the breed . Just lead the colt off gradually and walk a little faster yourself . That will get the colt into the gait desired .
When you reach the speed at which the colt does o good slow running walk it is best to stop . Do not lead the colt into an extremely fast running walk . It is found that an extremely fast running walk will cause the colt to break either into a trot or else into a pace . If either of these gaits develop they are very hard to correct later on , or when its training as a two-year-old under saddle begins .
A good practice found by many Tennessee Walking Horse people who show young colts is to place an arm around the shoulders of die colt when attempting to lead off in a running walk . The colt will soon learn that you expect it to execute a running walk when you place your arm over its shoulders and also that you desire a flatfoot walk when just leading it naturally .
I never try lo give a colt excessive head motion by working its head with my arm . It is better to hold a lead line some distance back from the colt ' s head and let it work its own head at will and as nature intended . In this way , the colt is not thrown off balance in its gaits and its way of going . In a show ring or leading in a small circle , I hold my colt more closely , but care is taken not to rob it of its own special way of going or executing its show gaits .
Do Not Irarh Excessive Head Motion
Over a long period of time — extending for years — I have found that one chief reason many of the best bred and top Tennessee Walking colts did not develop into top show colts or show horses is that they have had owners or trainers who tried to teach them excessive head motion instead of trying to keep them in the walk that nature intended .
Let me emphasize the necessity of leading a colt slowly . It is bad for the colt to lead it at any time into a fast running walk . Many of our best Tennessee Walking colts are led along too fast , causing them to become choppy in their gaits and also to spread out behind . They thus begin to line up improperly and this results in a trot or a pace that has to be squared up later when the colt is put under saddle . Sometimes it takes most of a training season to correct this , causing the colt to miss a year in the show ring . Sometimes it can never be corrected successfully .
As a rule I like to start working my yearling colls a bit earlier in the spring than I do my weanlings . A yearling colt takes more leading to get it to settle into a flatfoot walk , and the running walk as well . The colts are bigger and stronger , and it ’ s not unsual to see a colt wear out more than one man leading it . This is especially true in the running walk .
I like to groom weanlings for the show ring as well as yearlings , but by the time the colts are yearlings , you can almost tell which will be next year ’ s show winners under saddle . I shoe my yearlings in time for them to get thoroughly used to their lightweight plale shoes , which help them with their footing , give them a nicer appearance and keep them from wearing their feet down . As soon as the show is over I pull off the shoes . < ■ .'>
Removal Of Shoes Important
This removal of shoes is very ’ important . The colt ’ s feet are really growing and spreading at yearling age . Also I turn the yearlings out into pasture and do not want to risk getting a shoe hung in a fence . We also show our yearling Tennessee Walking colts with natural tails . Usually the trainers do not cut the colts ’ tails until they are broken and started in their gaits under saddle .
Tennessee Walking Horse lovers will find much to delight them at a colt show . Very often they can learn more about the breed at such an exhibition than they can in the faster action , and more complex scene brought on by all the competition at a show of older horses .
If you see a colt with slightly-crooked legs snatching his hind legs up under it , nodding its head and going along , it may well be that you are looking at a world ’ s champion in the making . Colts show their class early if they are handled correctly . They can show the natural gaits of the breed in unmistakable fashion , and they are worth all the trouble that a conscientious person can take to put them into their “ natural way of going .”
( End of article )
Owns City Miss
Walter C . Jenvey , 4364 Keller Road , Holt , Mich ., tells us they learned a lot of facts about their “ City Miss ” from the Biography of the Tennessee Walking Horse story about City Girl — the 1944 World ’ s Grand Champion and mother of “ City Miss .”
I learned some unusual facts about that championship from Mrs . Frank Rambo of Fayetteville who was formerly Miss Syd Houston — an early Secretary of the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders ’ Assn , of America , Inc . ( The name was changed later to add Exhibitors ’) .
Mrs . Rambo told me M . J . Meyer of Baton Rouge , La ., bought the horse in April , 1944 , from Mr . Rambo ( who died last year . He was a dynamic president of the Breeders ’ Assn . 1945-49 ). City Girl placed just fourth in the mare class preliminary to the championship slake , so Mr . Meyer became depressed over the stake prospects — went to Wanrace and took a train for Baton Rouge before the Saturday night show . Thus the owner did not see Urban S . Small , Jr ., make one of the greatest rides in Celebration history-piloting City Girl to the championship throne .
Later the Rambos acquired City Girl anew and gave her to Urban S . Small , Jr . of Fayetteville who kept the great mare until her death last year . On our trip to Syracuse , Utica , and Binghamton , N . Y . in April we saw another " child ” of City Girl — we believe — at the home of Mrs . Priscilla Marable , 753 Herkimer Road , Utica , N . Y .
Reader Jenvey also learned that City Girl and City Miss won the mare and colt class two years in a row at the Celebration . He also says tire Biography is a ‘ regular bible on Walking Horses ." Thanks ' G .)