Do you think Hunter judges place solid coloured horses before Appaloosas, Paints etc?

[sarah_splash]

I have always heard that hunters who are bays and chestnuts and blacks usually place higher. Just because they are usually TB, doesn't mean that paints and appies of the same skill should be placed lower.

[Colyn Johnston]

no

[Melissa]

no, tha't just like picking favorites, and most or atleast some Paints have TB in them, it's the breed.
Like how i'd like to see more color in dressage, i'm sick of seeing black, chestnut and bay, Paints and appys have the right to be in any even, huneter, jumper, even dressage. And other colored horses.

[Sydney]

I agree

[Maureen]

I don't know about hunter/jumpers, but I breed Welsh ponies and the breed standard says that any color is allowed except piebald or skewbald (Pinto) . I always thought that rule was "snobby" because I love colored horses and I know that "a good horse is never a bad color", but I guess old prejudices die hard. At Ieast there's no color requirement for half Welsh and I've seen colored half welsh do really well at the Welsh breed shows. I know the AQHA registry has been going rounds with the same issue for years: "The Quarter Horse is a breed, and not a color breed, either. But if you breed a Quarter Horse to a Quarter Horse and get too much white, they say it's not a Quarter Horse. But if it's a solid color, with no class or conformation, it's still a Quarter Horse. I disagree..." Hank Wiescamp, 1979
So, it's possible that some judges may give solid horses higher marks, I hope that they instead judge the horse and rider on their performance.

[Katherine Jones]

Color should have nothing to do with it. Paints, appies, greys, bays, whatever. I don't really think judges look at colors when deciding placement. It's all about the style. I've won a few hunter under saddle and hunt seat equatation classes on a lovely little paint mare. In fact, I've never lost on her. And although my horse beat them in two classes, two quarter horses beat out my thoroughbred mare in a hunter class. A judge who picks and chooses based on color is a terrible judge. Hunters might favor thoroughbreds and warmbloods, but you'll see pinto warmbloods and appy/thoroughbred crosses out there too. So i think it would just make any evidence that that was true too confusing. I mean, loud colored horses tend to really grab the eye. I've never heard a horse getting marked down for color. So I just really can't agree... I've seen paints and appaloosas do great in shows against thoroughbreds and warmbloods. It depends on the horse's skill as well as that of the rider.

[Paul_Hilton93]

I've heard that too. Especially in areas where there is some level of tension between english and western riders. Think mainly because Breeds like Apps and Paints are thought mainly of as western horses, but Brianne Goutal( not 100% on the spelling) has that tobiano Warmblood Mon Gamin and she places very well on him, but I doubt that happens too much anymore. Especially since the APHA Allows horses with TB blood lines. Another thing is that Paints and Apps do tend to be more flashier than solid color horses, so it may draw more attention to you so the judges might tend to pick up on little things you do wrong, than some one in the same class riding a typical bay or chestnut. I doubt its really like judging against them though

[Melissa]

Your right, people associate Western with Paint and appy and like Englsih with TB and others 'English' Horses. Like my paint mare was doing dressage before I got her. But still my friend has a paint/Qh whose brown and white and has placed very well with him in shows. Judges should be looking at riding skill not if you horse is double colored anyways.

[Melissa]

Your right about that, my paint has 4 white stockings and kind of loud black and white color patterns, there is a white patch that goes over her back, and if you look from a distance all you can see is the black right below the white so it looks like she has a sway back, but she doesn't so it's like an optical illution like you said on your horse with the one sock or stocking. Also on one side if you look the white looks like the united states.

And like you said with the QH circuit, but with the APHA, on how if they should let solid paints be in the same class as colored paints, and in the same registration.

[Rachel]

yeah sarah thats dumb and not true.. im proof of that ive been showing ladybug my very obviously coloured pinto pony for like 6 years now and i pretty much win all the classes i do with her so that not ture plus they stand out more so if their good then the judge remembers them. it not true they discriminate

[sarah_splash]

lol i mean in hunter classes
like its said that solid colours usually are in favour of the judge, but it all depends. cause thoroughbreds are usually hunters and usually bays/black/chestnut so traditionally they are hunters

[Stuart]

Hmmm...I don't think they place them lower because of their color (unless its just a judge's personal preference I guess) but I think its more how painted horses tend to be paints, quarter horse types, etc. and Hunter judges just don't like the bodies of those breeds. I think its just that the breeds of horses that are painted typically don't have the hunter 'look' that judges go for.

[martine grenon]

It does not matter what colour horse you have if they are good movers, a good jumper, have automatic changes and have nice conformation. If they are thoroughbreds, quarter horses or warmbloods or some sort of mix it doesn’t matter as long as they have that good criteria. No, black horses don’t place higher then bays or chestnuts or coloured horses. But some appaloosas don’t have as good movement, conformation, or a jump. This then changes things because the thoroughbreds, warmbloods and quarter horses with better movement, jump and conformation. They then place higher, whether it’s a coloured thoroughbred, warmblood or quarter horse. I know a friend of mine who took her paint large pony to the royal, and won. So this also proves my theory.