Lets be real here: the natural movement of a Morgan Park horse is one that is cadenced, moves about level with the knee and has clean snappy and/or fluid hock movement. They correctly engage the rear end, thus lifting the front higher and placing them correctly on the bit. The higher movement is from training with streches, running W's, and chains. The worst of which is the running W's. Add to that- the Morgan show people bred in Hackny and Saddlebred blood to make a taller, neckier, higher trotting ' show horse" and you get what you see above. Sour ears, bad expression and at most times very off and weird movement, which is rewarded!! Thats why it keeps happening!! Now regarding the bits, a if you uneducated people think that these horses are ride with " severe mule bits" and all that nonsense went out with the late 80s. Trainers learned that correctly bitting, longlining with correct bit work and using the horses body set the horse in the bridle correctly and softly. Most trainers use a slight twisted or a fat twist bradoon, smooth snaffle. The curb is low port with a roller, a broken snaffle or in some cases just a straight copper slide. I trained Morgans and showed at the National, for over 25 years- I quit when they ruined the integrity of the breed by infusing the bloodline with nonsense. When you cannot tell a Morgan from a Saddlebred/Morab or whatever other breed- thats not a Morgan, thats a mess.

Poor animals, the gait, the bits, and some of the riders are just bad

This unnatural movement and posture can't be healthy for the horse! It looks painful and forced. Poor horses!