Performance Geldings

Evaluate and place these Paint Horse performance geldings. Then see how your choices compare to our expert judge's.

- Holly Hover

Holly Hover works with youth and amateur riders in all-around, ranch riding, and reining events from her Holly Hover Performance Horses in Cave Creek, Arizona, and during that time she's coached or trained 18 world and reserve world champions. She's also judged the AQHA World Show and All American Quarter Horse Congress multiple times, as well as the APHA World Show.

I'M JUDGING THESE APHA GELDINGS as a performance halter class, a division at stock breed shows that is open to horses that have qualified by earning points in performance divisions of their breed association. In performance halter, I'm looking for a horse with qualities that make a good performance horse overall balance, correct structure, and sufficient muscling to get the job done.

A horse that does well in performance halter will look like an athlete, with all the structural components that enable agility and power, lightness of movement and length of stride. In my career, I have come across some good performance horses whose conformation would not indicate their athletic ability, but far more often, good conformation leads to better performance, e, as well as soundness and longevity.