( Continued from page 76 ) a proven MIDNIGHT SUN mare that won second place in the Baton Rouge Dixie Jubilee . She haswalked from the day she was born and stands fourteen hands of all black , solid horse flesh . Her mother , by MIDNIGHT SUN and out of OLD
GLORY , is bred back to SUN ’ S DE LIGHT and is safe in foal . My horses are stabled at my home on Cleary Avenue , overlooking Lake Ponchartrain , in New Orleans . The stable is named after my children , The 3TK ( Tara , Trist , Tracee , Keith ) Stable . If you ever have the occasion , please come to see us . We are very proud
of our new home and our new horses . The atmosphere and quality of horses we have has been a tremendous stimulus for the Tennessee Walking Horse in New Orleans . If you should
ever have time to visit with us , I am sure you would enjoy hearing the story as to how I got started in business by the sale of my fine Walking
Horse colt , now known as DARK MAGIC , who is shown throughout the United States by Frank Parnell .
Thus you can see that I , probably more than most people , am deeply indebted to the Tennessee Walking Horse and the promotion of the breed . I would like at this time to thank you for your fine efforts and all that you have done to help the breed . I assure you that I , like so many others , sincerely appreciate your hard work and good news .
Very truly yours , GERALD G . PFISTER New Orleans , Louisiana
( EDITOR ’ S NOTE : This letter came
10 us as a general warning for new people in the horse business . This vas not one of OUR trainers ; howver , we felt it deserved reprinting n this column . Think about it !)
' ear Sirs :
I hope you print this letter as a / arning to the novice horse buyer . My husband and I have just re- : ently moved to Missouri and deided to buy a horse , preferably an Appaloosa .
We heard that a trainer in Springfield , Miss our raised them . We didn ’ t want to get into anything too expensive , as this was our first time at buying a horse . We didn ’ t know what to look for or expect .
When we got to this stable , we found a little two-year-old Appaloosa stud we liked . He was a little thin and the trainer told us he scoured a little , but the vet could clear it up easily . Not knowing exactly what scours were and how badly they could affect a horse , we didn ’ t think it a serious matter .
The horse was built nice and had a nice disposition , so we bought him . We didn ’ t notice that the horse had not dropped and the trainer didn ’ t volunteer any information . The vet told us this is quite an expensive
operation .
The vet bills for scours and poor condition haven ’ t ended yet , and this has been going on for two months now . We called the trainer and asked if we could either get another horse
or a refund , and he said he " just couldn ’ t do it . You bought the horse , he ’ s yours . Whatever was or is wrong with him is not my responsibility now .”
Please watch out for this type of individual in the horse business .
MRS . W . R . Correll Missouri
Dear Sir :
Your magazine ’ s remarks on the ’' pleasure horse ” ( A Lot To Talk About ) were the unkindest cut of all ! Let me say that out here there are those of us who definitely do not consider the " using horse ,” as somecall it , to be the garbage left over after the banquet of the show has been prepared !
I daresay there are a few who would not trade their best horse for any Celebration winner alive ! We are as hard to please as any show judge , but we are looking for entirely different things . Maybe it ’ s a horse that simply can walk right up a flfteen-hundred-foot mountain without needing a rest . Maybe one who has the brains to stand ground-tied while hunting and doesn ’ t kick the gun dogs . Maybe we have one who can drag a post on a rope and not mind a post-hole digger balanced across the saddle , or can pull a tool sled in harness , chase cattle or even cut them , or one who can keep up a steady five miles an hour over mountain trails all day long , walk and running walk . Whatever it is that we want , it ’ s an excellence of its own . To breed a good using horse some people wouldn ’ t even try breeding two show horses .
The Walking Horse breed is bigger
than the show ring , even the biggest show ring on earth , and it ’ s a terrible shame this gets so little publicity .
Yours sincerely , RUSSEL FREELAND 1238 Versailles Avenue Alameda , California
Dear Editor :
We recently visited Middle Tennessee in the effort to learn more about the Walking Horse breed .
Stopping in at Mr . ( Charlie ) Bobo ’ s stable was a real privilege . Mr . Bobo
and his son , Bill , spent an afternoon
giving us valuable information on various aspects of riding and handling the horses .
It was indeed a thrill for us and we feel this is a way of really selling the breed .
We know now from experience that once you ride the Walking Horse you won ’ t be happy until you own one .
Sincerely , DOUG AND BONNIE CLARK 4717 Barton Road Williamston , Michigan 48895
EDITOR ’ S NOTE - We have received considerable correspondence from
readers who are primarily interested in the Tennessee Walking Horse for pleasure . One letter , from Mrs . Douglas C . ( Suzanne ) Patton of Cincinnati , Ohio , pointed out that there is considerable confusion with regard to the horse show aotivity for Pleasure Horses . This confusion stems
from the terminology used to describe classes for Pleasure Walking Horses in various Rules and Regulations . To clarify the situation we reprint herewith revised rules for 1968 from the February , 1968 issue of the " Horse Show ” bulletin of the A . H . S . A . as Mrs . Patton suggested . 1968 RULE CHANGES RULE XXXIII Part VI , insert Park Pleasure Class before Pleasure Class and change Pleasure Class to Plantation Class . WALKING HORSE PARK PLEAS URE CLASS . To be ridden by an amateur ( shows may divide class by rider ’ s age and / or horses age or sex ). A Park Pleasure Walking Horse is defined as a lady ’ s or gentleman ’ s mount for park pleasure riding . The horse should typify the ultimate of
the Walking Horse Breed for a personal mount . Set tails , boots and braids are optional . Tobe judged25 % for the flat walk , 25 % for the running walk , 25 % for the canter , and25 % for manners , quality and suitablity of
horse to rider . Horses competing in this class are not eligible for any other class in this division at the same show in which the performance of the horse is the deciding factor .
WALKING < HORSE i PLANTATI ON CLASS . To be ridden by an amateur ( shows may divide class by rider ’ s age and / or horse ’ s age or
( Continued on page 84 }
August , 1968 81