re: RC: Efficient gaits question

[David Bennett <benamil@juno.com>]

I think that many horses are probably more efficient at an easy, relaxed
canter than they are at a trot on good
fairly level terrain and good footing.   However, the trot has many
virtues, one of the best is it is easier on the
front legs.  It is also a good alternate gait.   I mean, who wants an
endurance horse than can *only* canter all the time (although we all
might like a horse that *could* canter through every ride).  

When I bought my latest horse his  breeder cautioned me about cantering
early in his training.  She felt, and I 
agree, that the horse needs to develop a good trot first before starting
to canter.   Otherwise he would only
have one gear.  Running is such fun for the horse that many would like to
do it instead of a trot.  So, to 
develop[ and keep the trot I use it a lot during conditioning rides. 
After the horse gets experience I think that
it is possible for the rider to choose the speed and the horse can choose
the gait he prefers...

To answer the question about efficiency - I have observed that the heart
rate of many horses will drop when 
they change from an extended trot into a relaxed canter.  It is almost
like shifting my truck into overdrive.   
That tells me that it is probably more efficient at that speed, on  that
terrain, in that climate, etc....  With
a seasoned horse that has several "gears"  it would be possible to let
him choose the gait for a given
set of conditions.

Dave Bennett

You wrote:
>>So, my question, at  last, is this:  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)?  Or what?  Lif
>>


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