AF Eddie Van HalenBy: Alicia M. Mala

Ed

die

•About him:

• Half-Arabian Gelding

• 1 year old

• Bred as an English prospect

•Conformation:

• Neck, Hocks & ease of motion

•His Mind:

• High-strung (Good & Bad)

• Smart & driven

• Young

The breed: Arabian • Strengths:

▫ Stamina

▫ Beauty

▫ Muscular

▫ Ease of motion

▫ True gaits

▫ Smart

▫ Versatile

• Weaknesses:

▫ Mind stability

▫ Can be fragile

▫ Require a lot of training

▫ Smart

▫ Forward thinkers

▫ Not bred to jump (not in terms of saddleseat)

The breed: Saddlebred

• Strengths:

▫ Size

▫ Body strength

▫ High neck sets

▫ Not-versatile

• Weaknesses:

▫ Simple mind set

▫ Weaker hind end

▫ Gaited (artificial)

What to expect

•Conformation:

• Well build musculature

• Proportionate

• High neck set

• Big motion!

•Personality:

• Hot

• Absent minded

• Love to show

•Trainability:

• Lots of try

• Can be stubborn

• High strung behavior

• VIDEO

The reality of it all…

•His Mind: • Can be stubborn

• High strung!

• Loves to work

•His Job:• Halter horse

• English Show horse!

•Good Qualities: • Fast learner

• Great show horse personality

•Poor Qualities:• Stubborn

• One track thoughts

•Breed strength:• Eddie is a strong athletic horse

• Conformation is good!

• Bloodlines

•Breed weaknesses: • Eddie was built for one job (english

horse)

•Breed interactions:• The saddlebred lackluster mind helps

balance out the sometimes crazed Arabian mind

The Parents

Sire: Gitar MF Dam: Young and Hot

Psychosomatic reflection

•In General:

• At first sight he is breath taking (although I’m partial)

• He picks up on things quick

• He’s feisty (in a good way)

•Training:

• He has a lot of heart and try when it comes to the training process, however he is still young

•Travelling:

• He has been trained to trailer although the show experience may create some stress

•Showing:

• He hasn’t shown but is expected to be to be a strong show competitor in halter & performance

Conditioning

• Light lounging

• Turnout!

• Pattern work in hand:

▫ Learning respect

▫ Small circles

▫ Stand

▫ Stretching

▫ Not make him bomb proof, however introduce him to different sceneries

• Advanced:

▫ Wearing tack

▫ Learning to trot free

▫ Building up his hind end, without using canter work

▫ Bring him to shows and not show, just to get the experience

▫ Bring him back to a relaxing point after each difficult exercise

What not to do!

• Don’t start him under saddle too early!!!!!!!

•Over train him at a young age (allow him to be a horse)

•Cantering work

•Put him under a lot of stress

•Work in long periods of time

•Focus on the end result

His Future….Then… Now…

What he might be!

ERA Moonlight Serenade