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4K views 12 replies 10 participants last post by  princessfluffybritches 
#1 ·
Hi, Not sure if I have come to the right place, but my friend just got 4 Tennessee Walking horses which are all Gated, I am sort of their life line with the horses because they dont really know much about horses, but The horses were all imported from Tennessee to Toronto and then Moved to Vanvouver B.C. I got on one of them His name is Usher, And he is a Spotted Saddle horse but he is Gated, When i got on him for the second time he For some reason was doing a weird trot, it was like he wasnt sure weather to trot or do the gaited Walk/Trot (we call it the Walk/Trot, Not sure if that is the right name) but the time i rode him before he was doing the Walk/Trot, im not sure how he learned to Trot. What should we do? is this a normal thing? How can we make him Walk/Trot again? and how can we avoid this with the others?

thanks so much for your Help, Not sure what to do because they are looking towards me for the answer, and the ranch they come from only sells Gated Tennessee Walking Horses and Spotted Saddle Horses, And at the Ranch he was Walk/Trotting fine.

Thanks
Emily Champion :D
 
#2 ·
I've been riding a TWH mare for my friend and she hasn't quite figured out all her gaits. The owner said she would like it if the mare could learn to do her special gait and a regular trot with different cues but I've read a little bit about TWH and everyone seems to think letting them trot is really bad. Sorry I can't be more helpful but I'm interested to see some of the answers...
 
#4 ·
It sounds to me like maybe he was pacing. Many TWHs pace; It takes alot less energy than gaiting. Although they are a gaited breed it doesn't necessarily mean they will have that smooth four-beat gait.

On the trail change the terrain. A pace is harder for them to accomplish in rough or soft ground.

To be honest this is a job that if you are new to you will need help. There are subtle variances in the gaits that you will need to learn and be able to spot and correct.
 
#5 ·
Hi, Not sure if I have come to the right place, but my friend just got 4 Tennessee Walking horses which are all Gated, I am sort of their life line with the horses because they dont really know much about horses, but The horses were all imported from Tennessee to Toronto and then Moved to Vanvouver B.C. I got on one of them His name is Usher, And he is a Spotted Saddle horse but he is Gated, When i got on him for the second time he For some reason was doing a weird trot, it was like he wasnt sure weather to trot or do the gaited Walk/Trot (we call it the Walk/Trot, Not sure if that is the right name) but the time i rode him before he was doing the Walk/Trot, im not sure how he learned to Trot. What should we do? is this a normal thing? How can we make him Walk/Trot again? and how can we avoid this with the others?

thanks so much for your Help, Not sure what to do because they are looking towards me for the answer, and the ranch they come from only sells Gated Tennessee Walking Horses and Spotted Saddle Horses, And at the Ranch he was Walk/Trotting fine.

Thanks
Emily Champion :D
Had to tell without a video to see but sounds like a pace. As someone already said, this is a lot easier for the horse to do but horrible for the rider.
Best advice is to stop the horse immediately from doing this gait. Work on engaging the hindquarters by doing circles, backing, side passing etc. Do lots of walking then gradually increase speed once the horse is collected and engaged from hindquarters. Muscle memory is key so practice the RIGHT way instead of the WRONG (pacing)

Hope this helps
 
#8 ·
^^^^^^^
The pace is a lateral two-beat gait. In the pace, the two legs on the same side of the horse move forward together, unlike the trot, where the two legs diagonally opposite from each other move forward together. In both the pace and the trot, two feet are always off the ground.
 
#9 ·
In pace you may have two feet on the ground but in the trot you have a moment of suspension with no feet on the ground.

The "soft gait" is soft because, in contrast to the trot, there is no moment of suspension as there is always one, and maybe as many as three, feet on the ground at the same time.

G.
 
#10 ·
You need to walk walk walk. Then walk more. Continue to speed up the walk and slow down to walk again if the gait is feeling more side to side to you. The best way to develop a correct is to walk walk walk to a faster speed, but teaching the horse to keep that faster walk without breaking to a pace. If the horse breaks, bring him back to a slower walk and build steam again.
 
#11 ·
Also, I've found that horses bred for the "Big Lick" also are very pacy and require a bit more work to get them gaiting properly. Princess has it right, walk walk and walk some more than keep on walking. Ask for a slight increase in stride (a half go) and when you feel the horse starting to get rough, do a half halt and reorganize and ask again.

It sometimes takes a while, we just finished 90 days on a former performance horse who was nothing but pace without those stacks. After 90 days of walking and more walking and then "boot camp" he is now gaiting fairly consistently.

Just get out and enjoy and the more you walk the better those gaits get!
 
#12 ·
Work the horse where you can HEAR its hoofbeats. Count 1-2-3-4. If the beat changes to 1-2-1-2, slow down until it goes back. Make yourself heavy in the saddle(lean back a bit, and push your seat bones down) and get a good contact on the horse's mouth when you ask for a faster rhythm.

Nancy
 
#13 ·
Work the horse where you can HEAR its hoofbeats. Count 1-2-3-4. If the beat changes to 1-2-1-2, slow down until it goes back. Make yourself heavy in the saddle(lean back a bit, and push your seat bones down) and get a good contact on the horse's mouth when you ask for a faster rhythm.

Nancy
I could not have learned gaiting if it had not been for the road. I had to hear the 1 2 3 4 and then thought about how it felt.
 
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