While I'm not a saddlebred trainer (Morgans are my cup o'tea) I think doing what you're doing now and pushing her up into your hands and in front of you will help you a lot in getting that motion (She had times in the video with you riding where she really brought up her motion!). Other than that once you get her more in shape you could try to add some light exterior weights to help her bring up her legs more before you jump straight to weighted shoes. (IMO/E they're easier to switch out and easier to change the amount of weight and let the horses get use to them.)

I really want to commend you on recognizing where your mare's limits are and only wanting to perfect those rather than create false ones! Also I think you may get a bit more trot then you think with her, she moves like she's got more to give but isn't quite sure how too.

 

What a cute horse! I love Saddlebreds.

I agree that I think she would be a better hunt horse than a saddleseat horse, I love her trot and her canter looks fun.

 

I think you were doing a marvelous job and your mare is more than a willing horse. I'm not sure of her age as you didn't say. She looks to be a young mare. As you said she need more muscle. Hence, her propensity is to be a real mover (forward) and not so much a big mover. I think that is what WillowNightwind sees and suggest her as "hunt horse than a saddleseat horse". I probably am not using the right language though.

My point... to say positive and not go to that harsh place is this. You and your horse are fine. You seem to be very cognizant of your mares needs. I'm not so sure your Trainer/Riding Instructor is? What I perceive from you post and video is that you and the mare are ready to take it up a notch together. I perceive with the little information provided that your trainer is holding the two of you back.

Meaning, this horse guy specializes in something completely different. You on the other hand are at the top of your game and need some very specialized training to move forward. I'm not saying you trainer is bad. Don't get me wrong. It just looks like you two need to find a top notch trainer that can take you two further.

I hope that made sense? Good luck to both of you, G

 

Thank you all for giving me of your time to reply to my questions and how nice of you were!
For some of them, I actually plan to focus on hunt seat but my trainer is in love with her and wants to take her on in lower class of saddleseat. Whereas Legs can be really nice saddlebred for hunt seat which is what I wanted!
I tend to struggle occasionally with my trainer, I'll say that but I do have respects for her since she is wonderful trainer and knows how to push in right way. But it's sucks that sometimes she's little too opinated with few things, like talking about Leg motion which when I say in between normal and saddlebreds motion, she shoots it down pretty quick. Knowing her, she's thinking big honking motion which is out of my level and not in my interest.
My goal is to get her trot like that bay horss in huntseat or at least the horse below it too. Can anyone tell me in their opinion and what they seen, do you think she can successfully do the hunt seat trot like the bay is doing?

 

do you think she can successfully do the hunt seat trot like the bay is doing?

Yes. I believe so.

And as far as being with the right trainer or not: No one is saying that the one you have isn't just great. Just trains to a different discipline than what you want.

I mean, if you wanted a car you wouldn't go to a grocery store, right?

All trainers sell a product and you purchase from the one who has the product you want.

 

They don't "sore" ASB's. Period.

And do some work uphill and downhill if you can, and if horse will jog to cart, that builds legs up the best.

 

First, what a lovely mare She looks really fun to ride, but then I am biased. I own an ex-saddle seat Saddlebred who is now being used for dressage and I am training for low level hunter.

In short, most ASB horses have a tendency for bigger movements, but the truth is that they are trained for years to get that big high stepping fancy gait with things like weights, etc.

However, for what you want (from the pictures), I don't think you need to go with fancy add ons- I think developing your horse's hind quarters and really bringing her up from her back end will give you what you want. She obviously has a lot of forward motion, but I will warn you about one thing that I learned from the Saddlebred world- they have long necks, and a graceful way of going, which means it's not hard for them to hold their head in a position of neck flexion. What I mean by that is that their head is vertical with the ground as if they were collected, and because they are so forward, they don't lack movement, but the impulsion is not TRULY coming from the hind quarters, and their back is still fairly hollow, not round. This is the way that many, many Saddlebreds are trained, and we often mistake it for collection and impulsion but it's not truly the case. From my experience, I had to train my gelding to go long and low for a while on a loose rein, before he ever figured it out. And the difference is easily felt in the saddle or seen on the ground, his movement changes completely and he gets a lot "floatier" for lack of a better word.

I would echo the hill work (up and down), and I think some other hindquarter-developing work will help (i.e. laterals, transitions). Just so she gets more muscle in the hind end and it's easier for her to carry herself properly without hollowing the back.