Pacing Rocky MT.

[MargePiwowarski <MPiwowarski@compuserve.com>]

Karen, 

A chiropractor for your mare will certainly do no harm but I wouldn't
expect such treatment to produce a four-beat gait.  That isn't a spinal
problem, it is a green horse-rider problem.

Your mare paces, she *will* gait.  She even qualifies as a "naturally"
gaited horse, she just needs some mileage and fine tuning from her rider.

Be sure her saddle is placed 4-6 inches farther BACK than where you (and
me, and everybody else) were taught to put a saddle.  Be sure you are
riding with a bit that allows the horse to establish solid contact without
discomfort in the mouth.  A curb with a correctly adjusted strap or chain
is actually more comfortable for most gaited horses than a snaffle; if you
really want to ride in a snaffle get something like an egg butt french link
that is the right size for the mare's mouth.  Don't diet <G>.  The more you
weigh, the easier it is to tune up a gaited horse.

Hit the trail.  Sit up and back.  Take a solid contact on the reins, 'bout
a firm handshake amount.  Encourage her to go on down the trail at a good
clip, *pacing* (avoid the trot for now, it is much harder to get gait from
a trot).  Give her a few strides at a speed you like and then vibrate the
reins (squeeze alternate reins, if you have enough contact to start with,
squeezing is about all you have to do).  She should start "mixing up her
gait".  She may go through several 4 beat combinations, for now, just
encourage anything that is four beat.  Stop squeezing and keep a steady
contact as long as she four-beats, vibrate the bit again, when she returns
to the pace.  The first goal is to get more and more strides of four-beat. 


Once she readily switches to four beats, maintains it for several yards and
goes back to it easily when reminded, decide which of the many things she
has tried you like best.  She has probably done a stepping pace, foxtrot,
rack and running walk and maybe a few crosses of all of those.  Pick the
one you like best and encourage it by clucking, counting, singing, making
any noise you choose, *in rhythm* when she does your favorite gait. 
Vibrate the reins again if she switches to something else.  

Most Rockys rack.  If you want to do endurance, you might prefer to
encourage a running walk instead.  The rack has more "up and down" motion
at ground level (the back doesn't move and it is comfortable for the rider)
and produces more impact on horse legs.  The running walk has less impact,
may be a consideration if you have very high mileage goals.  Any four beat
gait produces less impact than a trot, chances are, you will be fine with
anything you like.  She can be taught to perform your gait of choice as her
"usual" gait.

I think allowing a gaited horse to choose among the many available gears is
important in rough terrain,  The horse knows which is the most efficient in
different situations; gaited horses readily share your goal of getting to
the end of the trail in good time.  My pacing, running-walking fool will
foxtrot in areas with a lot of loose rock, it is the fastest way to proceed
without slipping.  At a foxtrot, the back feet land in the front tracks, he
can look at where to put his front feet and keep on keepin' on.  Over 50
miles of rough trail he may do some of every gait he has, always returns to
my preferred running walk where it is comfortable.

The more miles you ride your mare, the better she will gait and she will
just get smoother and faster.  Wet saddle blankets will fix what the chiro
didn't.

Marge