Re: RC: Efficient gaits question

[BMcCrary27@aol.com]

In a message dated 4/2/99 10:49:26 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
fasterhorses@gilanet.com writes:

<< If a horse naturally prefers a
 certain gait, would it be better to ride using that gait (switching
 diagonals regularly, of course) ?  Would there be some efficiency factor
 involved?  Would an easy, ground covering  lope use less energy for a
 horse that was good at it (preferred the gait) than an extended trot
 (given that all other things were equal)?  >>

Lud has ridden horses that preferred to lope and did the lope with less 
energy expended than if he demanded the horse do a trot.  My horses, for some 
reason, are prone to trotting and are rough at the canter.  I really feel, as 
does Lud, that the rider should let the horse do the gait he prefers and does 
best.  They will do it with less energy expended than at a gait they don't 
like or don't do with as much ease.

Barbara


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