ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: gaited horses-a question?

Re: gaited horses-a question?

Duncan Fletcher (dfletche@gte.net)
Tue, 11 Mar 1997 22:59:44 -0800

The basic even 4 beat gait has the same foot fall as the walk. Horse
generally alternates between two and three feet on the ground (or always
three feet on the ground). As more energy is put into the walk, the horse
"gaits". Depending on the breed, other body positions may change. The head
may come up, etc. If the foot fall stays even and the horse continues to
alternate 2/3 feet on the ground the gait becomes one of the (American Paso
Fino) pasos gaits (classic fino, corto, largo) depending on speed,
collection, and overstride; the paso llano in the case of the Peruvian; the
running walk (provided the horse has overstride and a head nod); or the
(Icelandic) tolt. If the horse becomes animated to the point of alternating
only 1 or 2 feet on the ground then the horse is racking (the term is also
used by TWH people to describe the previous gaits that do not include a
head nod). If the foot fall timing becomes uneven, the gait becomes a fox
trot (pasitrote for the Peruvian - and undesirable) if the diaganol foot
falls are closer in time. If the lateral foot falls are closer in time the
gait becomes a stepping pace (sobreandando for the Peruvian). With this
latter gaits, there may be more likely alternating between 1 and 2 feet on
the ground.

The even 4 beat gaits are generally the smoothest. It is a gait that you
can sit all day. The closer the gaits come to a trot or pace, the more that
is how the gaits will feel.

Duncan Fletcher
dfletche@gte.net

----------
> From: Susan F. Evans <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>
> To: ridecamp@endurance.net
> Subject: gaited horses-a question?
> Date: Tuesday, March 11, 1997 11:30 AM
>
> Hi guys,
>
> Could someone please explain to me what the difference is between a
> foxtrot, a running walk and the Paso gait (sorry, Patty, I don't know
> the correct term)? What are the differences in *riding* these gaits?
>
> I've been playing around with the idea of finding a nice gaited horse
> for David (and eventually daughter Lila Marie) to ride, as he is a
> novice rider and doesn't have the time to ride enough to learn
> posting---TWHs were once described to me as horses for people that don't
> want to learn to ride (and this was not meant as a slam, it came from
> someone with a dozen TWH who meant it as a selling point!) and was
> wondering if this were true. If it takes alot of effort to keep the
> horse in a gait, and if it's kinda hard to find a gaited horse who is
> good on trail, maybe this isn't a good beginner horse.
>
> I'd appreciate some comments from the gaited people on the list?
>
> Susan Evans
>
> P.S. I agree with the posts pointing out to each his own regarding
> breeds. Life's tough enough without belittling anyone else's choice of
> mount. However, Since You Asked, Arabs very often ARE better as a
> rule than many other breeds for endurance because of the muscle
> physiology---Arabs as a rule have a higher population of slow twitch
> muscle fibers suited for endurance-type work than other breeds and
> therefore are somewhat more physiologically suited to distance work.
> However, if you're lucky enough to have found another breed that suits
> you AND can do the job, why not just count yourself blessed rather than
> slamming the breed that naturally does this kind of work?
>

Home Events Groups Rider Directory Market RideCamp Stuff