Years ago I opened up my Endurance News (EN) magazine and happily skimmed the pages until I came to a shocking advertisement.
Some Tennessee Walking Horse breeding farm had bought a quarter page ad to tell us how their horses were better than Arabians at the sport of endurance. Not in general, but specifically better.
Now as you know I'm a full on Arab snob but I did work at a TWH breeding farm and got to know those horses pretty well too. Most comfortable ride of my life was a TWH named Incognito in Maple Valley, WA.
I've always thought, "Gee, when I can't handle this trot anymore, I'm gonna get one of those!" and I thought, "If I ever have a husband who doesn't want to post, I'll get him a TWH."
But this advertisement was so brash! Not that everyone who reads EN rides Arabs, of course not! But ....to be so antagonistic!? I saw it so.
OK Let me show you my recreation of that ad. People out there who have that EN issue, I'd love it if you posted it, cuz it would be so great to get that farm name and address/phone number out there.
This is a recreation from my memory. It had a TWH, three traits of the THW, and the claim to kick Arab butt on the endurance trail, followed by their farm name and address. Oh my was I surprised that this went over at EN!I emailed Troy (is that his name, at EN?) and said, "How could you let a breedish ad like this pass?" and he said, "Oh, well, we really need the money." I said, "OK. I see that. I'm sending you an ad now, please let me know when you receive it."
I worked on my ad, and mailed it to him.
It looked like this:
He laughed and said they wouldn't print it of course, but that everyone in the office enjoyed it.
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14 comments:
I love it!!!
I think the TWH ad exemplifies much of the attitude displayed in professional sports today. Not only a complete refusal to acknowledge when others do well, but downright animosity if they do.
Loved your ad.
I loved you add, and I totally agree with Ms Martyr...well said!
*snork* Yeah, Right. Suuuure that horse in the image used could out do an Arab on the trails! Only of course if the Arab only had two legs... with feet like those, that poor horse is lucky to be able to move out of his own way.
Oh-- off topic here-- I read about your family cat, and OMG!! You are SO RIGHT- he'd be a purrfect BA!!! LOL (I promise-- I'm working on getting back into the swing of writing Keeley story. I want to see how it ends too dang it. With luck, things will start settling down a whisker and I can get back on a writing schedule again.)
Smooch Baasha and rubs to the kitties!
Troy is a lady ;-)
And basically, EN does need the money, at least that's what I hear from the "inside". I hope they will be happy later in the year when the US Trotting Association starts a proposed series of advertisements marketing STANDARDBREDS as endurance prospects. That should bring in some money with some reasonable illustrations. At least standies don't have those ridiculous "stacked" shoes.
Heh heh heh. Standies really can kick Arab butt...but we are too polite to say so. Um, mostly.
OMG, was it really a PADDED walker? I would die laughing if they weren't so sad.
I will say that in my experience, TWHs are much more kind and forgiving horses than Arabs. :) I mean, you'd get killed if you tried to put a TWH saddleseat saddle on an Arab's loins and get it to move out... or if you tried to pad it... Maybe if TWHs weren't so sweet they wouldn't get abused as badly. :( So sad.
Definitely funny but I must say I think it's sad that Funder's only experience with Arabs has been really uncharacteristic for the breed.
I think that Arab horses who have been mishandled are the reason of such beliefs. It is not the horse's or the breed's fault they have been trained out of their normal characteristics. As a once beginner who started out with Arabs and has made more than my share of mistakes, I can tell you I find them to be the most kind and forgiving horse I've ever met. But then you see, the reason I've such an experience with the horses forgiving me for my trangressions is because my intention was never to harm the horse, even when I did. They seem to know the difference between the person who has their best interest at heart and the person who does not.
Arabian horses that will not tolerate whatever human behaviors are that way because they have been taught to be so by intolerant humans. You cannot beat an Arabian horse into doing what you want and if you do they will fight back. Arabian horses who have been trained in such manners will always remember the unkindness shown to them and may carry their intolerant behavior over to future relationships because they have lost their innate trust of humans. They can be rehabilitated but many never get that chance, Instead they get a bad rep for something that was caused by some human in the first place.
It makes me sad to see the horse I love so much maligned for something caused by a human. Arabian horses nurtured and protected the way any horse are an amazing horse. I wish everyone could know them as I do.
No, MiKael, that's exactly my point! You can beat a TWH and get it to do "what you want." And it'll forgive its next owner. The Arabs I've met have too much fire and self-preservation to let themselves be abused. I am not trying to malign your breed. It's more of a compliment, really. :)
Wow I love that ad! Even if I dont have any personal experience with either breed, I have come to love Arabs theough your and Mikeals blogs.
Judi, too bad they didn't print mine: )
Ms Martyr, that is also something seen in the political campaigns in America lately, so I hear. Interesting.
Nikker, thanks!
Mrs Mom, I can't wait for you to see the other pics of Popoki!
Aarene, really! That is so odd, and my man just said, "Well, why would you think Troy would be a boy's name - think of Deanna Troi on Star Trek!" *lol*
Funder, no, the original ad did not have a padded walker. I cannot find the original ad so I thought it would be funny to put a padded one on there, and it was also tricky finding an image that is old enough to be borrowed for this blog without enfringing a copyright. You're right about Arabs not taking abuse - if you start doing ridiculous things to then people end up hurt. This is why I was so surprised when I had to repeatedly use a crop on a German school horse and I didn't get much reaction.
Mikael, with more people reading your blog, they are more likely to give Arabians a chance and get to understand them like you do.
Crystal, wow, I had to share that with my husband, that made my day.
The things they do to the TWH make me sick. I think your ad is far more accurate :-P
LOL. That was enjoyable.
That is hilarious!
I'm not much of an Arab person myself, which is funny considering the fact that when I was younger all I dreamed about was owning an Arab. I do definitely have a soft spot though, for the one lone Arab at my barn. He makes me laugh on a daily basis! I think my non-fondness is basically because i don't have a lot of experience with them...
Anyway, Tennessee Walking Horses?...I don't know if I necessarily have something against them, just what they've come to stand for...Okay fine, I don't like them at all! Sorry TWH lovers, change your ways and I'll change my opinions!
I love your Arab ad!
I used to ride a TWH on the trails and he was a complete sweetheart. Of course, he went barefoot but boy could he stride out in comfort.
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