Conference noted::equitation

    A friend and I were at the NHS last week.  We watched William Shatner
    win the class and then take a reserve championship.  I am not into
    Saddlebreds, but he was riding a beautiful horse.  However, he rode
    around with a look of sheer terror on his face.  Everytime he rode past
    the in-gate he slowed down and his trainer shouted instructions to him. 
    When they asked the riders to dismount, untack, tack, and mount again,
    he was so nervous that he wasn't able to mount; his groom gave him a
    leg up.
    
    His daughter also rode in several classes, and another rider rode one
    of the Shatners' horses (they seem to have quite a few).
    
    One of his horses was also in the Breeder's Choice.
    
    --Laura

    
    	I have been told that he does not know how to ride very
    	well, as much as he loves the horses...He has shovelled
    	literally millions of $$$ into the Saddlebred industry, 
    	so some people tend to overlook his ability and allow him
    	to get a few blues here and there. This comes from a friend
    	who shows in the Saddlebred industry, apparently Shatner
    	does try very hard, and is well liked by everyone...
    
    	Sherry
    

    His wife & he were special guests at some televised horseshow
    that I watched about a year ago.  His wife rode very well,
    but they kept the spotlight on him.  He wasn't very good,
    and I have to agree with the look on his face.  
        "Sheer Terror" explains it very well.  His horse is
    one of the best $$$ can buy.   But, I gave him credit for
    riding in public.....it takes guts!!!
    
    L-

    I dont know ...
    
    I saw him pretty scared on STar Trek a couple of times..
    
    
    	wendy o'
    

    
    on winning a few blues - remember the majority of saddlebred classes
    are judge on the horse (not the rider), so while a look of sheer terror
    probably doesn't help, it may not hurt either. In an amauter classe, a
    horse that preforms well with an out-to-lunch rider may get brownie
    points.
    
    Nancy
     

    What exactly is a saddlebred class?
    
    Lisa.
    

    
    Sorry, it should read saddleseat - in Kentucky most of the horses
    used for saddleseat riding are saddlebreds. However, morgans and
    arabs are also ridden saddleseat. Its also known as 'gaited'. Three
    gaited (walk, trot, canter) and five gaited (walk, trot, canter,
    slow gait, rack). I'm not sure which William Shatner rides - I think
    he rides a saddlebred - Some of the most famous horses of that breed are
    Wing Commander, MyMy and Imperator.
    

    It is American Saddlebred, a breed of horse that Captain Kirk rides.
    Many breeds use a saddleseat saddle, including American Saddlebreds.
    Gaited refers to horses with gaits other than walk,trot and canter.
    These include Five gaited American Saddlebred, Tenn. Walker, Paso Fino,
    Peruvian Paso, Missorri Fox Trotter, and the Islandic Pony.
    Hope this helps,
    Sandy
    

Yes, we did check out the program to see what the class was being judged on,
and it was the horse, not the rider.  And it was an amateur class.

Good rider or not, he does love his horses.  They interviewed him at the NHS
one night and they practically had to drag the microphone away from him to get
him to stop talking about his horses.

I saw another member of his family ride, and I think it was his daughter.  She
did ride better than him, but her horse wasn't as flashy.

   The TV show Prime-Time Pets had a short feature on Shatner and his
   favorite Saddlebred horse "TJ". He said he rides early every morning 
   in the California Hills accompanied by his doberman, (whose name I 
   can't remember.) They said he owns a "million dollar" horse farm
   in Kentucky where they raise Saddlebreds.