It's About The Horse

PasoBaby_CarolU · Site Admin Joined: 31 Jan 2009 Posts: 9031

(I know some of you THINK you like to trot...but...)

Man, can you imagine THIS at a trot??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=H...v=X2o5-BK7atM&feature=related
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Carol Nudell
Corazon de Oro Paso Finos

"The path to your horse's heart lies through your own."

Rumors are carried by haters, spread by fools, and accepted by idiots. - Words of Wisdom - Mhar

‎"Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss activities; Small minds discuss people." - Eleanor Roosevelt

happycat · Member Joined: 03 Feb 2009 Posts: 370

JCnTrey · Member Joined: 21 Feb 2009 Posts: 4 Location: Oregon

Trey, my Rocky Mtn has found his gait. Being the newbie I am.. I'm not sure which gait he is performing. Looks like a running walk. He gaits inbetween a trot and canter. I have not ridden him beyond a walk yet. But my riding instructor says even uncollected it's smooth as glass. I can't wait to become a better rider for him!

Gallop On · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 10:42 pm Post subject:

Don't have any gaited horses, but would love to own/ride one. Might be training a TWH filly this fall though!!

PasoBaby_CarolU · Site Admin Joined: 31 Jan 2009 Posts: 9031

I have a very good friend in New Hill, NC who raises Paso Finos, does open houses and would LOVE to give you a test ride Sarah.
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Carol Nudell
Corazon de Oro Paso Finos

"The path to your horse's heart lies through your own."

Rumors are carried by haters, spread by fools, and accepted by idiots. - Words of Wisdom - Mhar

‎"Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss activities; Small minds discuss people." - Eleanor Roosevelt

calatar · Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 3:58 pm Post subject:

I have been working on training Cody, a 4 year old twh for a year or so now and and am so thrilled with our last ride. The owner got him as a three year old and he had 30 days of training and that was it. Thankfully, he has a really great mind and the trainer that started him didn't do anything traumatic. For much of his three year old year I worked with the owner on NH principles and groundwork. She did some light riding but we had not covered that yet in our lessons.

Since September the owner and I have been boarding at the same barn and although she can't do many lessons now (thanks to this lovely economy) I have started riding him some while I am waiting for Eclipse to get more weight on him. His gait is by no means solid and he doesn't really know what a canter is but I think that a lot of this is just being young, awkward, and not knowing very much. That being said, our last trail ride he did a beautiful running walk. Every now and then I would have to bring him down from a trot or pace but 95% of the time he started off and stayed in the running walk. He is barefoot and is ridden in myler comfort snaffle

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Alayna

"Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it." -Andre Gide

"It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not." -Andre Gide

gaiting lady · Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 11:39 pm Post subject:

I have two mountain horses and find that they (being left brain) are reluctant to move out. After I started Parelli several years ago, I have no problem getting them to go. When I kiss the one horse moves like a shot a bullet. Parelli is the greatest!!

JCnTrey · Member Joined: 21 Feb 2009 Posts: 4 Location: Oregon

Hi Everybody,

I've either read about or watched instructional dvd's regarding the differences in body structure of gaited horses when compared to (for example) a quarter horse.

I seem to remember something being said about saddle fit should be more forward but the cinch farther behind. 6 inches back instead of just behind the leg.

Have any of you had any experience with this? I'm new to horses and mah boy is a rocky mountain horse.

Any knowledge shared would be greatly appreciated.

thanks,
JC

gaiting lady · Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2009 1:45 pm Post subject:

Hi JC,

I have found that using the euro rigging works best for my mountain horses. It is so much more secure and keeps the girth straps away from the elbows. You can do that several ways and if you go to Crestridge saddlery site you can download pics of how to do this. I actually converted my western rigging to the tucker type rigging, which I love!. Had one horse that was rather cinchy until I switched to this kind of rigging.

Marilyn

JCnTrey · Member Joined: 21 Feb 2009 Posts: 4 Location: Oregon

Thanks Marilyn,

I have a circle y trail gaiter saddle and originally was using the 3/4 drop down style rigging. Then switched back to western. I was having trouble keeping it tight enough. Perhaps now that I have leather straps and a shorter cinch I'll give it another try.

JC

Clarissa · Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2009 3:39 pm Post subject:

My mare Jude gaits. It must be a trot gait but she flattens her back out & 'runs'. I can only ride it bareback as I need to sit further back than a saddle would allow but it's very smooth.

Her mother (a Qrab who died at 36 4yrs ago) has old time QH bloodlines (Red Miller) which must've had some gaited blood in them. She prefered to amble & I was told she racked which as I understand it is that rolling trot gait. Not quite sure about that. But she had 5 distinct gaits. She was also one of Australia's first QH ROM winners at Western Pleasure so they probably made use of her gaitedness to give a nice picture.

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Pyrgirl · Member Joined: 07 Feb 2009 Posts: 1308

OK, I'm going to ask an ignorant, non-gaited horse person question:

The thing that keeps me from gaited horses so far has been that I like the feel of trotting but also that the gaits LOOK so funny to me.
I guess they look like they are painful for the horse.
Does that motion hurt the horse? The legs move so funny and they always look like their heads are yanked inwards and they are pushing hard in the mouth to get out of it.

Could someone explain this to me? I have no experience with gaited horses other than riding one horse one time. I've never been to a show etc. etc.
Just curious.

gaiting lady · Posted: Sat Mar 14, 2009 5:42 pm Post subject:

It does look a little odd from a distance, but I assure you, it is not painful for the horses to gait. They gait, because of their structure and it is natural for them to do so.

I also enjoy a trotting horse, and have an Arabian for that. As I have gotten older though, I find that after 20 minutes of riding my Arab my back hurts some. I can ride my Rockies all day and never feel a pain.

Marilyn

Pyrgirl · Member Joined: 07 Feb 2009 Posts: 1308

gaiting lady · Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2009 9:09 pm Post subject:

I am not professing to be an expert on this subject, but Having been in horses for over 20 years, I have observed some things. The smoothness of gait within breeds can vary greatly, just like personalities. I have not ridden a Paso Fino, but they (as a rule) brag that they are the smoothest. I personally like the rockies because of the gait and the personality. They are generally very laid back. If you like to move out fast maybe a paso is for you. They always seems to have a lot of "brio". This can be a personal preference as to how you like to ride and what you want to do with your horse. My advice is to try the gaited horse out yourself and don't go by the generalities that you hear. Try many breeds and don't just stick to one type. They are all different.

Marilyn