Dressage with OF Bryers: The Halt

This is the first of a series of articles about models that would be good to show in dressage performance at a show. Now, I'm no expert in performance or dressage, but I'll definitely try my best to give you correct information.

I'm starting off with the halt/salute. The perfect salute would sound alot like this: Horse remains on bit and attentative; horse's weight is distributed evenly and retains its forwardness as if ready to take the next move.
Not all horses can pull this off because nobody's perfect, right? That means your model doesn't have to be perfect! Be creative. You never know what you can come up with. These are a few I discovered:

Traditionals:

One near perfect example is the Thoroughbred Mare model. She's on the bit and you can tell she's focusing on what her rider is doing and is ready to move the second her rider tells her to.

Photo thanks to identifyyourbreyer.com

Another great model is(you're going to think I'm crazy) the Standing Donkey. Yep I said it, Standing Donkey. He's on the bit, paying attention, and is still forward in his position. Actual dressage shows may not allow donkeys to compete, but I'm sure a 4H show or donkey/mule specialty show would so you could definitely get away with it in a model horse class if you have the right documentation.

Photo thanks to identifyyourbreyer.com

Like I said before, not all horses are perfect examples of dressage horses and not all horses can pull off a perfect halt/salute. Some horses can be documented as a young/green horse or as a horse that's in a lower level class. A few of those models are Adios, Appaloosa Performance Horse, Boyla/Halla, Shetland Pony, Idocus, Stud Spider, and Lady Phase.

The Trakehner model could also be used, but be careful. Most judges would say the horse isn't paying attention  and is not calm enough to be in a salute, but I beg to differ. I know a Dutch WB mare named Jenna who halts for the salute just like the Trakehner and she wins 1st all the time in dressage. You could put documentation down of explaining what the horse is doing, but I unfortunately doubt that the judge will place you high if they do at all.

Jenna's Salute

Photo thanks to identifyyourbreyer.com

Two molds that I wish were different are the Western Pony/Horse. They show perfect balance and forwardness, and they're on the bit! But of course they have molded on tack, and the type of tack that you wouldn't see in a dressage arena and aren't even allowed!

Photo thanks to identifyyourbreyer.com

Classics:
There's really only three classic molds that work well for a salute. The best choice would be Jet Run. She's on the bit and still has forward momentum, but she's not paying as much attention as I would want her to. I actually show a Jet Run model in dressage doing the salute, but I show her doing a lower level test because she really isn't that collected and looks a little like an amateur horse.

The Mustang Mare is another good example of a lower level horse. She shows forward movement and is a little bit on the bit, and she's also paying attention. Although she doesn't look very refined so she would have to be exhibiting a movement from a lower level test.

Photo thanks to identifyyourbreyer.com

The Quarter Horse Mare(not to be mistaken with the American Quarter Horse Mare) could definitely represent a younger or green horse. She isn't totally paying attention or on the bit, but she is close to square and retains forward movement.

Photo thanks to identifyyourbreyer.com

Stablemates:

The best halting stablemate, and probably the best halting model out of all of Breyer's molds, is the Standing Thoroughbred. It's collected and on the bit. It still has forward momentum. And you can tell that it is calm and still paying attention to its rider. It is pretty much near perfect.

Photo thanks to indentifyyourbreyer.com

Another good example is the Arabian Mare(g1). She looks a lot like the Traditional sized Thoroughbred mare and so everything I said about the Thoroughbred mare applies to this horse:)

Photo thanks to identifyyourbreyer.com

Two other horses that could work for a lower level dressage test and the Highland Pony and the Para Dressage horse. They aren't really paying attention but they're calm and forward. 

A kind of "out there" horse, if you like being different, is the G1 Drafter. He has forward momentum and is on the bit. He has a pretty good halt if you ask me.

Photo thanks to identifyyourbreyer.com

Mini whinnies:

Last but not least is the mini whinnies. Not a lot of people are into showing micro minis, especially in performance. But lemme tell you. Judges love it when they see micro mini tack that looks good. They think it's amazing because it's so small haha. So one good example of a halt is the Standing QH Stallion. He's perfectly square, has forward momentum, is calm and paying attention, and is also somewhat on the bit. He's near perfect and also super cute:) 

Photo thanks to identifyyourbreyer.com

Well, that's all of the models I can think of for the salute. Have fun coming up with your own dressage salute set up! Thanks for reading!