Re: Trot/Canter

["Tina Hicks" <tina@autoairbagcovers.com>]

How does the canter put more weight on the front end?

 

I don't think we really know which gait is harder on any given horse MECHANICALLY without putting it on a treadmill with a bunch of scientific folks around to look at the data from the horse's movement.

 

Unless you are doing that with your horse then the HRM is probably the next best thing and third best is just lots and lots of riding - your horse will tell you which gait he prefers - I'd lay odds that the gait he prefers is the one that's easiest for him - and the one that, if you put a HRM on, would be the most effecient. Lots of folks have cantered entire rides if that suits their horse better - of course this assumes you do a bunch of cantering in your training.

 

Not being argumentative :), just saying that there's no more reason to not canter than there is to canter (or trot) if that is what suits your horse and you.

 

Tina

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Jennifer Kurtzhall

To: Annie George

Cc: ridecamp@endurance.net

Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2001 7:30 PM

Subject: RC: Trot/Canter

Shouldn't we consider which is harder on the horse MECHANICALLY as well as just what the heart monitor says? My horse canters with a lower heart rate but I wouldn't let him canter a whole ride. The canter puts a lot more weight on the front end and if your NOT changing leads it's uneven concussion isn't it?

I would think that a good ground covering trot, not the big extended floaty kind, with a little cantering here and there to break it up is the most efficient way to get down the trial.

JK