Leading the…oh shit, get out of the way, TIMBER!!!
Sep 05 2007
Today I’d like to announce the formation of the American Halter Horse Association, which I think we might as well retitle the American HYPP Horse Association since it’s pretty obvious that’s the real reason for its formation. Their slogan is “We aren’t along for the ride; We’re leading the way!â„¢” A snarky but accurate poster on another board already observed that the subtitle should be …”Cause we’re afraid to get on our horses in case they fall down!” Oh, touche. You see, this is a new registry created in March of this year to promote halter horses of any breed. They compare it to the way NCHA promotes cutting horses of any breed. Except, well, it’s pretty obvious from their web site that they’re only interested in stock type halter horses. And when you get to their FAQ, the reason for the creation of this new registry becomes abundantly clear:
Q: What is the AHHA’s position on issues like HYPP?
A: The AHHA is not limiting registration to exclude any genetic abnormality Well, yay! Now the H/H stud at left can just keep splashing around in the gene pool, spewing his defectiveness far and wide. Lovely pasterns, too, and could his hocks be any further under his body?
Congratulations and welcome to the We Don’t Give A Fuck, We Just Want To Make Money Registry. Got a genetic abnormality? Come on in! Bring your money! Come to our horse shows! We already have four scheduled for next year! And we don’t have no stinkin’ rules against stuff like your horse falling down and having an attack in the halter class. We understand that these things happen. We are thinking of having a year-end award where you get a humongous case of Karo Syrup. (OK, I made that part up, but seriously, I see a real promotional opportunity for the ACH Food Companies here. Not to mention Wyeth for the acetazolamide. Hell, Wyeth has such a great record with humane treatment of horses anyway, I figure they’ll sign right up!)
Oh hell, it gets better. Their rule book notes they believe in “Keeping our events as family events with solid Christian values at our core.” Their rule book actually quotes Scripture. OK, can anyone out there point to the part of the bible that says “be fruitful and multiply defective horses likely to suffocate to death?” What happened to the good stewardship over the animals part? Apparently, along with all the little children, Jesus loves the big money halter horse industry. Who knew?
Here you go, straight from their rule book – as I like to say, “folks, I don’t make this shit up!:”
“To ensure we “Repay no one evil for evil
but be honest, proper and noble –
aiming to be above reproach in the sight
of everyone†– Romans 12:17
Amplified Bible. Texas translation – We will not
be ugly, even when people are ugly to us. We will be
honest, trustworthy and fair so that no one can say we
done them wrong.”
WTF is so honest, proper and noble about allowing the registration of genetically defective stock? Exactly WHAT noble and honorable lesson are you teaching the next generation when they get to watch their horses die in front of them, gasping for air? You ARE ugly if you think it’s ok to keep breeding HYPP horses. You need to re-read that part of the Bible about how money is the root of all evil. Believe it or not, that is not meant to apply to people other than you. Giving HYPP positive horses an opportunity to show and breed apart from the regular registries that kicked them out for a reason is not doing the Lord’s work. 
Here’s another H/H broodmare who I’m sure will be producing many AHHA horses in the years to come. Love those front legs. Those are awesome.
But it’s not just the AHHA that is continuing to promote HYPP positive horses and act like it’s no big deal. An alert reader sent me some recent ApHC minutes in which the Board voted unanimously to approve the use of acetazolimide as a legal drug to keep those HYPP positive Appies showing. Yay ApHC…because everybody needs a spotted horse flailing around on its side in their barn!
A little more research sent me to another site about HYPP. Unlike Bringing Light to HYPP, this one “doesn’t take a side.” As they say, “We support all views on HYPP and neither is considered right or wrong.” Their bulletin board was down (damn! You know it would have been a sea of idiocy!) but I did find this brain donor on their “letters” page. Based upon his e-mail address, he appears to work at a school – we’ll hope it’s not as a teacher, based upon his poor logic. His words in black, my comments in blue.
“Hypp is exactly that “hype” Wow,did you think that line up all by yourself? Sure it is something that serious breeders should concern themselves with, but it isn’t any different than any other genetic deviation that people have been ignoring for a very long time. Well, most people are not ignoring it, and most genetic deviations do not result in the horse falling over, unable to breathe. This is not like, say, being born with one floppy ear. In my opinion, it seems to be the only ones making noise about Hypp, are those who aren’t affected. I have yet to meet an Hypp bandwagon jumper who have ever owned a positive horse. Clearly he hasn’t been to the other site to read all the stories from people whose horses died from it, or to Youtube to see the sad “memorial videos” from teenage girls who lost their pet. Again it is my opinion that this is probably the new way people who do not like the entire halter aspect of the stock horse industry. “horses are too fat…, not usin’kind of horses…, etc.” The new way of what? Hey if you don’t like halter horses fine…don’t show halter. What about all of the breeders who breed N/N halter horses only. Do they just not like halter horses, either? I personally don’t care for Fords so do I lead a boycott to get rid of them…no,I don’t buy one. Um, they stopped making the Ford Pinto after they determined they BURST INTO FLAMES on impact. HYPP positive horses are the equine equivalent. We’re not talking about strawberry versus vanilla here. We’re talking about a healthy horse versus one that has a potentially fatal defect that may cause it to die a horrible death. Like anything else with horse people this is a heated issue. Everybody takes things so personally. Oh yes. Those silly N/N people, they’re just overemotional and taking it personally! I don’t own an Hypp horse. But I am not afraid of them. Because I am hoping my competitors’ horses will fall over dead and then I can win everything. Yay me! I also really enjoy great pleasure horses so I am not partial to any one segment of the industry. There are those who have many complaints about pleasure horses too. But that is another story. I guess we need to go back in time when the same horse was used to rope calves in the morning, show halter, and ride in all the performance classes in the afternoon because those were the good old days! While we are at it lets all quit using the telephone, get rid of our computers, and walk everywhere we go. In the good old days, we also had no way of testing for and thus avoiding genetic defects. “Progress” allows us to do so. Oh, you mean you didn’t mean that kind of progress was good? Personally I don’t want to return to those days. Why go backwards? Ignoring genetic defects we now know how to avoid is going backwards, duh! Yeah those horses did a lot, but how much of it did they do well? I wasn’t there to watch and neither were you, but one thing I will note: They did not need to have a rule to disqualify halter horses who fell down in the class in those days. I defy anyone to prove to me that yesterdays reining horses were better than todays modern reiner, or cutters. So if that can be true for horses in those disciplines, why not halter? The whole point of ever having a halter class used to be to critique conformation with performance in mind. Now it’s got nothing to do with anything else; it’s an end in itself, with generations of horses who never get broke past the ability to lead, horses who are lame with trembling legs over at the knee by age 6, horses permanently crippled from overfeeding, falling over and suffocating seen as an “acceptable” risk. That’s the difference between specializing in halter and specializing in, say, working hunter. Finally let’s remember the consumers rule the market place, if the modern halter horse wasn’t what a majority of the people want then who is it buying all of them. We’re not talking about the modern halter horse, we’re talking about HYPP positive horses. If none were available, halter horse devotees would buy N/N horses and life -and halter class- would go on. Tim McLochlin” 
However, Mimi Michielsseni got it right, after sadly experiencing the death of her young mare who was purchased before everybody knew about HYPP: “My view on the subject is no one should beeed any horse knowlingly with HYPP. Anyone who does is a Jackass. “ Mimi, I could not have said it better myself! At left, a 2007 filly … born HYPP H/H.
118 comments to “Leading the…oh shit, get out of the way, TIMBER!!!”
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Just to clarify the ApHC “unanimous” vote, it was not! We had 3 directors stand their ground against the use of these drugs. We are working diligently to get this rescinded before in gets into the rule book!
fuglyhorseoftheday said…
*applauds Nat*
I swear, the halter N/N breeders should form their OWN association. You can call it the American Healthy Halter Horse Association!
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No need to form a different association. Just continue to beat the possitive horses with my N/N horses
The trends are changeing – slowly. And the judges are changing as well. Just last year a one of the largest APHA shows in the country I saw something sectacular happen in the Youth Gelding Halter class. The judges placed riders above the overly muscled halter horses! Guess they were all in agrement that a youth gelding should ride
Thanks farmer’s wife. This blog seems to have more knowledge and less boppers than any other, was hoping some questions would get answered.
My only exposure to Morgans is “Justin Morgan had a Horse”. We had one that was like that horse. Could work all day, pull a load, dirt-track race, and show on weekends. Like QHs, though, when showing with Morgans way back when, she looked like a fat pony against frilly Saddlebreds that would die of heart flutters if they saw a cow or were hooked to a load (didn’t see pics like the ones I remember on the site, though).
AMHA has a wonderful site. Didn’t find anything about Traveler, so I guess I was way off.
Thanks again.
Dear Shovels, it is refreshing and encouraging to see people on this blog who are openminded and willing to learn. Glad you enjoyed AMHA’s site. As you have figured out for yourself, there is, and always has been, the difference between “old & new” Morgans. I have a little story there, but will save it for a fresh blog when I can grab everybody’s attention right off the bat, heheh.
Where are you in the world? Oklahoma City Oct 6-12 will showcase 1500 beautiful Morgans in classes from reining to dressage to hunter to park. Worth the trip for anyone interested in the Pride and Product of America!
The Disney movie is so many folk’s intorduction to Morgans, and it it a charming story. Some fact, some fiction. The horses used to play Figure at various ages were some of the nicest during that decade, and you can still see plenty of them around.
I am the first to admit that there are extremes of type in many Morgans, and you’ll get an eyeful at Nationals or even out in my back pasture, but MOST will be identifiable as Morgans in a herd of any other breeds.
Thanks for your willing attitude.
Farmer’s Wife (head cheerleader for all things Morgan)
I was not bashing the Morgan breed, which I love and I new most of the horse from the movie ( Southern California person) I was bashing that a judge could put a part morgan as a National Champion, and yes the Morgan association did the right thing. Maybe I am old and like the older bloodlines and thought the Morgan was nice to start with.
Farmer’s Wife,
I have a lot of time to take off yet, maybe I’ll do that. I’ve got way to much time and money wrapped up in my own program to change (and the accountant said ONLY QH).
Never saw the movie, only the Henry book (read & reread, plus I make sure the Grandkid has em all).
This was over 40yr ago since we had a Morgan. Then it was just needing a good using horse, when QH hit the area, that was it, everything else went.
I’ve tried to be exposed to most horsie stuff. Working horses, did dressage & jumping until I got to old to get on them big-uns, now back to the old cow ponies of youth. I did try saddleseat, I sucked, made my uncles prize park horse look like a hunter hack. Love to watch it, though. Tried driving. Just sort of ended back with cows.
Is there cutting & cowhorse at the Morgan shows?
Nat said:
No need to form a different association. Just continue to beat the possitive horses with my N/N horses
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Here’s wishing you all the best, Nat!
Dear Weone, no offense taken. You certainly pointed out “the elephant in the living room” and I was just trying to clarify that serious cheating did occur and then was effectively dealt with by the registry and AMHA. I am not certain if Ekstrom was banned for life or merely ten years or so by both AMHA and USEF. I know Maxine Snow paid her debt to Morgan society and is back within the ranks again. I believe Ekstrom is involved in the Renai (where RN is a foundation stallion, yikes!) and Shetland/sjow ponies(?)
Dear Shovel, our regional used to have cutting classes because I recall how my fancy schmancy driving horse snorted at the bovines behind the curtain at the end of the arena (this from a horse raised in a cow pasture). Silly boy. They still have reining classes and there’s an entire reining division at nationals with pros and amateurs.
Early breeders of Morgans for stock work were Roland Hill and William Hearst, plus the US Gov’t remount stations stood quite a few “to improve on the local and native mares.” For a fun read look for Ern Pedler (Pedlar?) who wrote wonderful stories about his solitary cowboying exploits riding some fancy-pantsy-from-eastern-show-rings Morgans (TRUE stories.)
“The Big Lonely Horse”
Spent most of my life w/o TV (including now). Thanks for reminding me, got to try and find a copy.
Way cool, Shovels! I Googled “The Big Lonely Horse” and found a site telling much of the history of western Morgans. I’ve always admired Ern Pedler’s writing, being a dabbler in doggerel myself.
I believe firmly in not breeding with HYPP horses, we do not accept HYPP horses to our studs even N/H. You would not believe the amount of flack that we have recieved over this, I believe that responsible breeding does not include breeding horses with genetic faults
American’s are sick! Those “halter horses” look like friggen Chinese swimmers: they are so pumped full of steroids! They make me want to spew! HOW in gods name is that attractive???? Down under our halter horses are simply good examples of their breed, shown to increase their stud/brood mare value and for show experience before they go under saddle. We don’t beef them up like monster trucks!
but you yanks know best, bigger is better right???
Please god don’t let Australia become any more Americanised!!!
Heather May – apparently not all us Yanks know better, I am apparently one of the unenlightened (which there seem to be many of on this blog) who think a halter horse OUGHT to be a true representative of the breed ‘for which it stands’.
I find overly muscled anythings are quite disgusting. (sorry to you bodybuilders out there who are reading this, personal preference)
I don’t know that I’d have been quite so quick to advertise my horse as a AQH if the breed standard was one of those grotesquely proportioned, unbalanced, genetically deformed, lame-looking specimens that are so proudly promoted “the FINEST OF THE BREED.” Give me a freakin’ break…… those things are freaks of nature (with some help from man).
What the hell good is a horse that can’t do anything? (earning those big bucks is excluded, because they OUGHTN’T being winning anything)
And what in the world happens to all the overly muscled freak babies who AREN’T “halter quality?” Is it like the greyhound pups who aren’t fast enough? Do they just shoot ‘em and dump the bodies in a mass grave or out in the woods? Slaughter trucks? Which brings up the question, how SAFE is a HYPP H/H horse for those horse-eating freaks to eat?
I can’t imagine, with the surplus of usable horses, that a never-will-be usable, untrained baby is in much demand.
ok….I’m new to this Blogging thing…I found this Blog over on the Pleasure horse forum…….so bare with me…
I total agree with everyone here about how bad HYPP has been to our horse industry.
I have seen some nice n/h horses, and I have seen them have their attacks….and yes it isn’t pretty. I had the chance to buy a really nice n/h mare to breed. Boy that mare could move… oh god….GREAT….good looking mare! But no way….it was against my ethics…I guess thats what I would call it….I think it is a gentic flaw that could have been done away with a long time ago!
If you read in the AQHA rule book Genetic Defects and Undesirable Traits…it lists HYPP, plus several others…but they also list, to much white …..that is if you get a colt that has some overo markings or belly spot (with some underlying pink skin) you catch my drift….well here is the deal….they stamp your papers that your horse has undesirable trait!! I would be so pissed!! If one of my colt’s papers come back with that because he had a little to much white…PLEASE!
There is no way that to much white is in the same boat as Hypp or cryptorchid or parrot mouth!
Also…I have read where a lot of the bloggers are not in love with the halter horses…. they think they can’t do anything but stand around and eat…well my horse is a wonderful show horse but he does have a job….he did work the sale barn twice a week, plus hauling up and down the road to shows…he doesn’t work the sale barn to much any more because I have young ones that need to work…and yes he can and has worked a 12 hr day. And still get me in the points at a AQHA show. So there are some really nice quarter horses out there…so for you non quarter horse people… don’t put us all in the same category. My halter horse has 33.5 open points and was 6th in Nation last yr….with very limited hauling.
I enjoy readings everyones post….sometimes I agree with whats said and sometimes I don’t…. But hey this is AMERICA
Juli
&
Guns On Deck Open AQHA Champion Stallion
guns-on-deck,
I believe that most of the problem that the people have on this board are not with halter horses in general, but specifically with the halter horses who are so poorly conformed that they are incapable of doing anything else.
If the breeders were not breeding out the versatility and functionality of these horses, I, for one, wouldn’t have a problem with showing horses at halter. But any horse shown at halter should be the VERY BEST REPRESENTATIVE of the breed, with Quarter Horses, that means they should be agile, versatile — well, I’m sure you know.
bgw said…
I believe firmly in not breeding with HYPP horses, we do not accept HYPP horses to our studs even N/H. You would not believe the amount of flack that we have recieved over this, I believe that responsible breeding does not include breeding horses with genetic faults
I agree with you. You have defined one important aspect of being a responsible breeder.
4Horses&Holding said…
guns-on-deck,
I believe that most of the problem that the people have on this board are not with halter horses in general, but specifically with the halter horses who are so poorly conformed that they are incapable of doing anything else.
If the breeders were not breeding out the versatility and functionality of these horses, I, for one, wouldn’t have a problem with showing horses at halter. But any horse shown at halter should be the VERY BEST REPRESENTATIVE of the breed, with Quarter Horses, that means they should be agile, versatile — well, I’m sure you know.
I couldn’t agree more. If you got your Sept 07 QHJ, my letter to the editor is about the versatility of the Quarter Horse, and how to go about bringing back that type of horse.
I totally agree with you guys on the halter horses. I have been beat by some big ole plow horse assed damm things that couldn’t even trot most the way sound! Then after they did their halter class they went back to lay around in their stalls. Well mine had maybe 5-8 more classes to do…between the open and amateur!
I was not in agreement of AQHA to add the performance halter…
I felt if they didn’t like the way the halter horses were, they needed to fix it. Crack down on the judging…
This just kinda shut everyone up because it gave the riders a halter class to show in and win in.
Then they had the numbers to shut the halter horse people up because they didn’t have enough numbers…they hoped the numbers could be made up in the grands/reserves.
Well I earned every point in halter while he was being ridden. (Well not counting his yrling yr)
Guess what, same thing with his mother…she was a Champion as well
and she even rode in more events because she did the youth classes as well.
But that is what I wanted my breeding to be based on….good looking, correct and that versatility! TRAINABLE also!
Juli
&
Guns On Deck Open AQHA Champion