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Re: [RC] speaking of twh/mft - RBluebirdpr

In a message dated 12/31/2003 8:24:18 AM Eastern Standard Time, tprevatt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:

This is an old show ring training trick for "trotty" walking horses. Take then down a hill and teach them to "swing." The hopefully that could be applied to the gait to move from a trotty gait ( or fox trot) to a even four beat gait. With pacey horses you would use uphills to square them up toward a trot and again hope you come carry that over the the show ring.



My Rocky Mountain (which is gaited) can go down a hill (very controlled and safe) faster than any horse I've ever seen.  He does the "swing" which I had not heard of until Truman's post but knew it was different from my Walkaloosa's downhill gait which is much slower. I've always been told that a horse has to be taught to go down hill and some do but this Rocky had never been on hills like Leatherwood until we moved here and he took to them like he had been on them all his life.  I guess that is why the Rocky Mountain people say that the breed has a natural gait.  I've done a few LDs on him but his is very muscular and it is hard for him to come down.  The Walkaloosa on the other hand will make a great 50 and hopefully 100 mile horse.  Very athletic and loves to go. 

Phil