Ridecamp: Re: [RC] Canter vs Extended Trot

I have often thought that a canter would be easier on the horse as their
weight gets spread out over 4 hoofs hitting the ground at a slightly
different time than a trot where the weight it split up between only 2
impacts at once. Would love more information on this. My daughter's horse
almost always refuses or fights an extended trot but can seemingly go
forever at a nice soft canter.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jennifer Thompson" <jlthompson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Ridecamp" <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, November 04, 2002 10:38 AM
Subject: Re: [RC] Canter vs Extended Trot


> Interesting this has bee brought up.  My mare, who suffered a ligament
> tear in her stifle last year, is now pretty much retired due to
> arthritis
> setting into the joint.
>
> The vet at the clinic told me that I could still ride her lightly, but
> try to only walk and canter.  He said cantering is easier on the joints
> than trotting.  I thought it was weird, but he insisted that was the
> case.
>
> Jennifer
>
> "Linda B. Merims" wrote:
>
> > Leonard.Liesens@xxxxxxxxxx said:
> >
> > >-   gaits : most don't canter - I do not understand
> > > why - many places were OK for canter especially in
> > > what you call the badlands (and event on dirt road) - I
> > > think this is less traumatic for the horse as long as
> > > the canter is gentle and slow - you guys like the
> > > extended trot (we don't do that anymore in Europe)
> >
> > Interesting.  Remember that Frank Baines (the great
> > 19th/early 20th century endurance rider) recommended
> > cantering as well.
> >
> > Has anybody--for example a certain rather obnoxious
> > self-taught equine physiologist who runs a group
> > on equine sports nutrition on Yahoo--ever done
> > carefully-controlled treadmill input/output tests
> > to see whether the canter is the more efficient gait
> > for any given horse and across the majority of
> > horses?
> >
> > Linda B. Merims
> > lbm@xxxxxxxxx
> > Massaachusetts, USA
> >
> > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> >  Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
> >  Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
> >  Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp
> >
> >  If you are an AERC member - PLEASE VOTE in the upcoming By-Laws
> >  Election!!!! (it takes 2/3rds to tango!!)
> >
> > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
>
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
>  Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
>  Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
>  Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp
>
>  If you are an AERC member - PLEASE VOTE in the upcoming By-Laws
>  Election!!!! (it takes 2/3rds to tango!!)
>
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
>


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
 Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
 Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

 If you are an AERC member - PLEASE VOTE in the upcoming By-Laws 
 Election!!!! (it takes 2/3rds to tango!!)

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=