# Gaited horses?



## dianneS (Nov 22, 2010)

Do you have gaited horses?  What do you know about gaited horses?

I'm intrigued by gaited breeds of horses, but not very familiar with them.  What disciplines can they be used for?

They look like a smooth ride, but I can't help but think that that gaiting looks like a lot of effort?  Apparently not, its just the opposite.  How much of this is natural to the horse and how much is training?


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## patandchickens (Nov 22, 2010)

Too big a category to answer most of those questions. There is SUCH a wide variety of 'gaited breeds', from pasos to ASBs to icelandic ponies to standardbreds (and of course many others too). Some non-w-t-c gaits are correct-right-out-of-the-box "natural" (at least when the horse is at liberty or is ridden very very well); others exist in some form naturally but need heavy, heavy training, often with various appliances on the horse, to get the horse doing them in the manner that is publicly displayed. 

(And of course this is true *within* a gait too -- like, there is a big difference between the natural running walk that some horses will offer, versus the showring thing that big lick TWHs do. Many other examples as well)

You can't as far as I know train in a gait that the horse does not have inborn in him, though (or at least a very similar gait inborn). For instance, you cannot reasonably expect to take a nongaited w-t-c thoroughbred and teach it to pace. Whereas many standardbreds come out of the womb with the natural tendency to pace instead of trotting sometimes. Some of them are such strong natural pacers that they can be fitted up and raced 'as is', others need training or equipment to strengthen the tendency to pace rather than trot and to discourage them from breaking. But STB pacers canNOT necessarily do, or learn, other funky gaits (some *do* display other gaits, of course, but mostly not IME)

With the question about effort, again, it depends. Some gaits are pretty efficient (fast, ground-covering, not too much energy expenditure); many are not, especially the high-stepping showring versions. You can pretty much tell by looking which is which LOL -- a TWH or MFT on the trail just looks a whole lot different than a Paso Fino stompin' bugs in a show 

In terms of disciplines, it depends what you mean "used for". Like, competing internationally, or just recreational riding, or local shows, or what? Basically any horse that can't be counted on to stay in a pure w-t-c is a liability in standard hunter or dressage classes (and I would *think* in local-show open western classes too, but I dunno), and in some driving classes. You're not barred from entering them or anything, but if you start doing a running walk in your circle at E, the judge isn't going to be impressed 

The way most gaited horses are constructed does not lend them to be fast gallopers or talented jumpers, although some particular individuals can be quite reasonably competitive, especially at the local-show level. They tend not to excel at the serious levels of endurance, mostly because just *nuthin'* reliably does endurance better than an Ay-rab  but some of them do fine in competitive trail riding. And of course they can compete in their own breed shows, or if your local shows offer open park-horse pleasure type classes and that sort of thing.

Personally I am not into gaited horses, but only because a) I've spent my whole life doing disciplines where you require a *pure* w-t-c and nothing else, and gaited horses are usually not as well suited for dressage or jumping or galloping; and b) it's just not what I "imprinted on" in terms of how a horse should feel under your butt   These are comments about ME, though, not about gaited breeds. And I have ridden TWHs and a MFT and a few gaited ASBs on the trail and although I could not tell you what the heck gaits they were doing, it sure wasn't walk trot or canter yet once you got used to it it was fairly comfy and efficient. So I think if you were to rewind my life and stick more gaited horses under my saddle parts starting when I was a teenager, I'd probably like at least some of them pretty well 

JMHO,

Pat


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## goodhors (Nov 22, 2010)

I would pretty much agree with Pat on her comments.  Some other things with gaited animals, is that their conformation may not allow them the ability to do "everything" or be the all-around animal other breeds can.  Gaited are designed for EASY RIDING, bred and developed (usually) for the best easy ride under their rider.

With young gaited horses, they may need help in developing their gaits.  Can need teaching, shoeing, to properly do the gait skillfully, muscles and brain have to learn how the action works.  Then the more they do the gaits, the better and more reliable IN the gaits they are.  Real easy to get them going badly, pacey, instead of distinct steps of 1-2-3-4 or 1-2-3, needed.  Usually the better bred animals, have a better gait within them, but not always.  I saw a 2week TWH filly, doing a running walk beside her dam at an Expo demonstration.  That filly was a natural, great mover.  Other young horses going, seem to be trying to ALL their gaits at the same time!  UGLY.

If there is any question with a young horse, you need a gaited horse Farrier to help get things sorted out.  Some just need a bit more toe, others need some special shoes until they have the muscle memory going, gait established in them.  You CAN'T be trimming them short toed like they want all the QHs trimmed.  Gaited horses have mostly got NORMAL sized hooves for bodies, need a bit longer toe to fit.  So many we see have been QH trimmed or shod, going sore or badly gaited with wrong shoeing.  These are even on old gaited horses.  Can be hard getting that toe length left on, almost NO ONE knows what a normal hoof looks like anymore under any horse.  Just because horse is only 14.2H, does NOT mean he MUST wear a 000 shoe!  I would think a gaited horse that size, would probably be going in an 0 or 1 size keg shoe.  That would be NORMAL for him.

Many folks really enjoy their gaited horses, especially those with joint problems.  They are praised for being fairly level-headed horses when raised right, trained calmly.  Show ring stuff is very different than trail riding expectations, though there have been plenty from the ring transtioned to the trails, reshod to use outside.

As with any horse, each is an individual animal.  Some are dead calm, others are flighty or silly.  You can't always modify that with work.  Riding lessons with a gaited trainer would help you know how to ask for the gaits when you want them.  Expecting horse to "fall into" his gaits is not going to do well for you.

If you do get a good gaited horse, just don't try turning him into something else.  You buy them for the great ride, comfort while going.  If you want to do dressage or jump big fences, horse is not going to be good at this.  And making a gaited horse trot (TWH, MFT, Rocky Mountain etc) is BAD for his gaits.  Standardbred does trot, but he is not going to be doing a running walk or fox trot either, so he could do the dressage stuff.

Buy an animal SUITABLE for what you want to do.  We see that so often, person falls in love with a breed or individual, then wants it to go in an entirely different direction of horse activity!!  You and horse just end up very unhappy because he is not capable in that direction.  Gaited animals can be driven, but they need VERY light loads behind.  If they have to really pull, they use themselves differently.  They are firstly RIDING horses with special riding gaits.  If they have to pull loads, you may loose the gait, horse will retrain to trot and use himself differently.  We have seen several loose their gaited ability after being driven a lot with heavy carriage loads.


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## michickenwrangler (Nov 22, 2010)

I ride a TWH barn so we see lots of gaited horses come through. There is a wide variety and even some walking horses will rack or pace and some racking horses will do a running walk and so on.

They are nice animals and come in a variety of breeds, colors, sizes and temperaments. 

Agree with Goodhors, find a farrier who knows how to trim and shoe gaited horses.

They are nice for trails since they cover ground a little faster at a flat walk than most trotting horses. Although if you ride with non-gaited-horse people they might complain since your horses will *GENERALLY* walk faster than a trotting horse but if they trot the gait isn't as fast as a good working trot. Since I have a half-Arab and I endurance ride, her trot is quite fast so if I ride with a group of gaited horse people, it's easier if I just borrow a gaited horse since my horse gets frustrated if she can't keep at a similar speed--I'm either holding her back or pushing her.


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## dianneS (Nov 23, 2010)

Thanks for all the info!  That pretty much answers most of my questions.

I've just never known much about gaited horses and it seems that they are increasing in popularity around here.

I was just always confused by horses like Paso Finos who look like they are going nowhere fast!  I thought "why would they _want _to do that?"  Seems odd to me.


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## patandchickens (Nov 23, 2010)

dianneS said:
			
		

> I was just always confused by horses like Paso Finos who look like they are going nowhere fast!  I thought "why would they _want _to do that?"  Seems odd to me.


For showing off. Pretty much like any "extreme" in any discipline (and they virtually all have 'em) 


Pat


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## michickenwrangler (Nov 23, 2010)

dianneS said:
			
		

> Thanks for all the info!  That pretty much answers most of my questions.
> 
> I've just never known much about gaited horses and it seems that they are increasing in popularity around here.
> 
> I was just always confused by horses like Paso Finos who look like they are going nowhere fast!  I thought "why would they _want _to do that?"  Seems odd to me.


Those are just show Paso Finos and that in particular is a "paso fino" the gait. They also do a paso corto or short step like a flat walk and a paso largo or long step which is a fast extended fast walk.


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## FlipFlopFarmer (Dec 3, 2010)

I have always been partial to my quarter horses, but I will tell you my younger sister was given a big jug headed wide eyed scawny walking horse colt by a relative, and I made fun of him to no end, my sister being the sweet determined thing she is, fed him, loved him, and talked his body into growing in proportion to his head, we gelded him, and she logged many miles on him. When I started calf roping, she set up some barrels in the pasture and started " prancing" around on him. We went to the arena, and although skeptical, I watched her enter barrels, poles, goat tying, break away roping, etc. and in the 5 years she rode at that arena, she took home 2 trophy saddles and numerous buckles and ribbons. She almost always competed against nothing but quarter horses, and beat them often at their own game. On the rare occasion I rode the little gelding, I can tell u he was as smooth as glass, and while today I have two big beefy quarter horses with baby doll heads in my pasture, I will never again think a certain breed of horse cant do something that a different breed was designed to do better. The one thing about horses you never underestimate, and thats their heart.


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## w c (Dec 18, 2010)

Gaited horses have their own horse show classes where they perform their gait.  These shows may have various types of classes, such as dressage tests, taylored to the gaited horse.

They usually can not compete in the regular ('open') Hunt Seat, Dressage, Eventing or open Combined Driving competitions.  They aren't usually seen in Endurance or Show Jumping, either.  Most of those competitions require a horse to walk, trot and canter.  And most Endurance people seem to feel a trot is easier on the horse and more efficient use of energy.

Some gaited horses will trot and canter on command, but on them, the trot and canter usually have a different sort of look to them, compared to the breeds developed for their trot and canter.  The canter still looks a little pacey, and the trot can be kind of shuffly.  Of course, if you find a gaited horse with a good walk, trot, canter and gait, that is really cool.

Each gaited breed has a slightly different gait, but almost all are variations on a pace.  In a pace, the legs on one side of the body swing forward together.  You hear two hoofbeats - the left side pair of legs hitting the ground, the right pair hitting the ground.  When the gaited horse 'gaits', you hear 4 hoofbeats, because the legs on one side, don't quite swing forward together.

The 'gaited' gait usually feels smooth to the rider, without the bouncing of the trot or canter.  Sometimes there is a very slight wiggle to it, but it just does not feel like a trot or canter, both have more of a bounce to them.

Gaited horses have a very, very long history.  At one time, most people rode gaited horses to get from one place to another.  The whole idea is comfort of the rider.  

Not all gaited horses gait around the pasture when they are babies.  American Saddlebred trainers love to say their horse's gait is 'trained in' and is 'not natural'.  But also, unlike most 'gaited' breeds, American Saddlebreds often have a very good
trot and canter, and many can compete in almost any type of competition.  Some are trained to be 'five gaited' - walk, trot, canter, stepping pace (slow) and rack (fast).

Over the years a lot of very exaggerated showing styles have developed for gaited horses, especially in the US.  Tennessee Walkers especially are often shown in a style called 'Big Lick', a very exaggerated gait.  But Tennessee Walkers can also learn to do a very relaxed, comfortable gait.

Icelandic horses may be the oldest distinct breed of horse that 'gaits'.  The best of them will walk, trot, canter, tolte(gait) and pace on command.  That tradition goes back hundreds of years.  There are training books from almost 800 yrs ago that tell how to train horses to do all five gaits.  The Icelandic people used to travel long distances by riding one horse and leading two others.  They'd switch off from one horse to the other, and switch from gait to gait depending on terrain, to avoid fatigue in the horses.


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## michickenwrangler (Dec 18, 2010)

If anyone decides to read any of the old Arthurian romances written by Chretien de Troyes, you'll read many, many references to palfreys from both Spain and Norway. Palfreys were gaited riding horses.

While many gaited do not compete in endurance (although some do!) because of the fast pace, in the Southeast and Ozark areas, they are common in NATRC competitive trail rides since their pace is about 5mph, about the pace of a nice flat walk. Gaited Saddlebreds, Foxtrotters and Rocky Mountain Horses do quite well.


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## w c (Dec 18, 2010)

Endurance riders are really interesting to talk to on the subject of gaits.  One told me that the 'gaited' gaits are easier on the rider but require more energy from the horse.  Anther gal told me that 'gaited' gaits are less suitable to rough terrain, where the trot is king.  

We had a pony at the barn where I took lessons as a youngster - 'Pancho', a gorgeous little Palomino who 'tattled' on any rider who didn't keep his hands steady, by breaking from a trot to pace.  It didn't take long for some of the kids to start to WANT him to pace, LOL.  To get him to trot, we put our hands lower and very steady, leaned forward a little bit, and rode in a circle.  To pace/gait, sit further back, sit up very straight, and lift the hands.

I only got to ride a 5 gaited horse sometimes - the trainers teach Icelandics to pick up the gaits differently than other trainers - a steady pull on the left rein shifts the horse into the flying pace (skede, fast gait).  I love riding the tolte (slow gait), it is so much fun, I just steady them a little and they go into it easily enough, but the quality of the tolte is really gotten by doing basically what people do in dressage, getting the horse very straight and balanced, that's quite an art and schooling Icelandics is really fascinating.  

I love riding 5 gaited saddlebreds too.  The way I was taught to ask the horse to gait, was to very quickly tug very lightly on first one rein and then the other so the bit 'shuttles' back and forth in their mouth, sit back and raise the hands slightly.  Then the horses are either kept slow or urged into the faster version of the gait.  What a rush!  The scenery rather flies by.  The fast gait definitely was not invented to encourage sightseeing!

I've seen people ride gaited horses almost any way you could imagine - western, english, in almost any bit.


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## michickenwrangler (Dec 18, 2010)

Yes, a trot is a more efficient gait and can be maintained over a long distance. One of the ride vets once said the horse can use its cardiovascular system easier at a trot than other gaits, that's why gaited horses don't do as well at UMECRA rides. Our p/r parameters are low, lose points beginning at 40bpm while NATRC rides have "easier" parameters. Don't lose points until 48bpm.

Many people do not like to post, many QH and Arab owners I know just walk with their horses on trail rides or any other kind of ride for that matter.

Honestly, posting 25 miles is not as difficult as it sounds. You and the horse fall into a rhythm and the miles required for conditioning ensure that you and horse know each other and move together quite well. As long as I eat a banana and get adequate sleep the night before a ride, I have no soreness issues.


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## w c (Dec 20, 2010)

Posting was invented to ease the backsides of the 'Post Boys' who rode very long distances on the mail coach horses - their job was to haul the iron mouthed beasts to a halt at each post stop.


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## adoptedbyachicken (Dec 20, 2010)

While they can be very comfortable to ride I agree, the gaited horses don't do well at CTR, at least around here.  First the judges are quick to note that they don't judge gaited horses often enough and want them to trot for the Vet checks.  They ding them for not doing it since they feel they can't judge them.  I think that's unfair but there seems to be no resolve to this, it's been going on here for as long as I can recall.  Second is the PR checks and yes they come in higher, especially on the hot days.  They seem less tolerant of the heat, and in rides where water is less abundant they get dinged more for hydration status.

I have never had a gaited breed in CTR myself, but just years of seeing them show up and being the PR team in some rides.  I now have a TWH and sure enjoy the pleasure trail rides with her, but she would never be good at CTR for sure, but that's her temperament and abuse history, not her gait that makes me say that.


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## patandchickens (Dec 20, 2010)

w c said:
			
		

> Posting was invented to ease the backsides of the 'Post Boys' who rode very long distances on the mail coach horses - their job was to haul the iron mouthed beasts to a halt at each post stop.


It's also to the benefit of the *horses* though, as trying to sit a fast time-making trot is not really any better for the HORSE than for the rider 

Pat


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## w c (Dec 20, 2010)

That is for sure!


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## michickenwrangler (Dec 20, 2010)

adoptedbyachicken said:
			
		

> While they can be very comfortable to ride I agree, the gaited horses don't do well at CTR, at least around here.  First the judges are quick to note that they don't judge gaited horses often enough and want them to trot for the Vet checks.  They ding them for not doing it since they feel they can't judge them.  I think that's unfair but there seems to be no resolve to this, it's been going on here for as long as I can recall.  Second is the PR checks and yes they come in higher, especially on the hot days.  They seem less tolerant of the heat, and in rides where water is less abundant they get dinged more for hydration status.
> 
> I have never had a gaited breed in CTR myself, but just years of seeing them show up and being the PR team in some rides.  I now have a TWH and sure enjoy the pleasure trail rides with her, but she would never be good at CTR for sure, but that's her temperament and abuse history, not her gait that makes me say that.


We see an occasional TWH or Icelandic at MI rides. A 10 yr old girl who used to ride with me wanted to ride her Racking Horse in a CTR. At the next ride I went to, I asked the ride vet about trot-outs with gaited horses. She said that she can see if a horse is off even when gaiting so it wouldn't be an issue.

Racking Horse mare ended up dying of impaction colic but the girl went on to ride one of my horses and did 2 25-mile CTRs.


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## adoptedbyachicken (Dec 20, 2010)

Cherish that Vet.  Seriously, most here dock horses for gaiting at the Vet checks.  It's not fair IMO, but they say it's not fair to the trotting ones to not dock the gaiters because they can't tell if they are lame.

We need more gaited horses in this area, simple, the Vets just don't see enough of them.


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## michickenwrangler (Dec 20, 2010)

What organization sanctions the rides there in BC?

We are UMECRA rules here in the Upper Midwest. There's a few guys from Ontario with big standardbreds that when these things pace, the ground about shakes.


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## adoptedbyachicken (Dec 20, 2010)

BC Competitive Trail Riders association. 

Standardbreds are a blast to watch, but that pace is not so easy to ride!  Not the big guys that used to race anyway, I think I lost my wisdom teeth that way.  LOL


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## michickenwrangler (Dec 20, 2010)

adoptedbyachicken said:
			
		

> BC Competitive Trail Riders association.
> 
> Standardbreds are a blast to watch, but that pace is not so easy to ride!  Not the big guys that used to race anyway, I think I lost my wisdom teeth that way.  LOL


I watched one guy last summer with a standardbred. It was quite painful to watch his horse lurch to one side, fling his left legs forward, land, shift balance, lurch to the other side, fling right legs forward, land, shift balance, lurch left side forward ....

Trotting standardbreds are fairly common and also common for Arab crosses.


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## patandchickens (Dec 21, 2010)

I have ridden pacing horses, sometimes at a really *fast* (by riding horse standards, not by harness-racing standards) pace due to things going wrong while trying to get the buggers to canter. Hoo boy!  I loathe that the most of all gaits a horse can offer. It makes me not want to _ever_ set butt on a _camel _

Although, I once briefly worked with a small round sorrel horse of undetermined parentage who would readily offer a very, very slow pace, you'd almost say it was a pacey walk only it was a totally-pure pace, that was sort of weirdly comfortable in its own way. Of course you were only moving maybe 1-2 mph at the time  


Pat


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## w c (Dec 21, 2010)

Try the flying pace on an Icelandic some day, LOL.  You can take your hands off the reins and do like Kelly Reno in The Black Stallion, LOL.


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## hlf1996 (May 7, 2011)

My 4 year old AQHA gelding is naturally gaited. And he is beautiful when he trots and lopes


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## robren (Jul 29, 2011)

Hi I have a 7 yr. old paso fino/qh gelding.  I have been working on getting him to trot and do a collected canter.  I am starting to wonder if I can being "fair" to him as this is not what he does naturally.  He is a great guy and I am thinking of giving up my quest for the w-t-c gaits.  Am I harming him by asking for gaits that are not his naturally?  Thanks in advance.


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## goodhors (Jul 29, 2011)

robren said:
			
		

> Hi I have a 7 yr. old paso fino/qh gelding.  I have been working on getting him to trot and do a collected canter.  I am starting to wonder if I can being "fair" to him as this is not what he does naturally.  He is a great guy and I am thinking of giving up my quest for the w-t-c gaits.  Am I harming him by asking for gaits that are not his naturally?  Thanks in advance.


Not familiar with Paso's, but I don't think they trot at all.  The ones I have seen going, had no trot gaits.

If your horse does not have a trot in his gaits, then it is beyond difficult for him to trot, unless his gaits or shoeing is messed up.  He may fall into trotting while confused, but should be stopped instantly, not allowed to happen.

My question is WHY did you get a Paso, if you want to trot?  There are MANY other breeds of horses that trot, if you want to do the common horse activities, showing.
Paso is bred to do gaits that are comfortable, culled from breeding if they don't gait well.

In other breeds, Tennessee Walker, a trotting one is a sin or badly shod.  Gaited horses often need a nudge with shoes or skilled rider, to get gaits developed in the young horses.  This teaches the muscle-memory needed to confirm the gaits, as horse matures and is used.  TWH does NOT have a trot if he is a going well.  Their riders want to AVOID that bumpy ride
at all costs! 

Do you have any Paso trainers locally, that could help you with him?  Maybe talk about his hoof trims or need for shoes, to get the trot gone.  I don't think his value as a Paso will be good if he trots readily, should you ever want to show with Pasos or want to sell him.

We say it a lot, when folks ask why they are having problems with "Sparky".  Buy the horse for the activity you WISH TO DO!  If you want to do long distance rides, need comfort while riding anyplace, get the gaited horses.  If you want to do horse shows, get a horse than suits the discipline you plan to do, whether it is Gymkhana, Pleasure classes, Jumping or Halter.  Do NOT BUY the horse just because it is pretty or they have good PR from the Breed Office.  Getting the wrong animal for your planned activities just means you are ALWAY working against his nature and body, trying to CHANGE how he does things.  Makes both you and him very frustrated with each other!!  Having the correct type animal for your discipline makes it EASY for horse to do the job you want, he is happy, YOU are happy, so things go along well. 

And despite all breed advertising, every breed CAN NOT do every horse activity in a suitable fashion.  Not made to go that way!!  Might not have the correct mindset to do those things.

Yeah, a bit harsh here.  I just see this same situation happen so often.  Feel sorry for the horse, because "you can't turn a pig's ear into a silk purse.  You just have an angry pig."  Training and working with that horse, spending more money will NOT make him into a winner.  Wrong type horse can NEVER perform to succeed in the wrong discipline that he is not built for.  Locally we have Fresians trying to be the "everything" equine at shows.  Just makes you shake your head about what the rider is thinking!  Not suitable for those classes, waste of money to enter.

So ask your self why you got the Paso?  Then what kind of horse things do you plan to do when "your equine" is trained?  Your goals as a rider?  Then see if Paso horse and horse goals are even close, to make your decisions about continuing training or getting a different horse.  With no trot, you can greatly enjoy him in pleasure activities, trail riding in comfort.  But when the Show class calls for a trot, horse has to trot or you are donating entries to the show.  Judge can't place you if rules say trot and you don't.  You may need to get a second W-T-C horse if you want to show.  Maybe sell the Paso, so you can get a horse CAPABLE of doing what your horse goals require.


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## michickenwrangler (Jul 30, 2011)

robren said:
			
		

> Hi I have a 7 yr. old paso fino/qh gelding.  I have been working on getting him to trot and do a collected canter.  I am starting to wonder if I can being "fair" to him as this is not what he does naturally.  He is a great guy and I am thinking of giving up my quest for the w-t-c gaits.  Am I harming him by asking for gaits that are not his naturally?  Thanks in advance.


What goodhors said about the trot.

I ride at a gaited horse barn--despite owning an half-Arab--and while I have seen gaited horses trot, they usually only do so for a few strides before resuming a pace or lateral gait.

They CAN canter. Most gaited horse people choose not to. I have heard some gaited horse people say that cantering "ruins" the gait. However, the trainer at the barn says that usually that is due to bad training and riders not knowing how to ask for a canter rather than a canter inherently being bad. Also, some gaited horse people LIKE to perpetuate the myth that they can't canter.

That being said, these gaited horse people do show at local county fair shows where the vast majority of horses trot and canter. The gaited horse people will do a "dog walk" for first gait, a "flat walk" for second gait and a "running walk" for third gait, eliminating the need to canter. A woman I ride with used to own a gorgeous red roan paso fino mare. She took the horse into the county fair show one year, where she consistently came in last in all of her classes. In the English Equitation class, I was very surprised with her last place (5th out of 5) when the woman who came in 4th was slouching and see-sawing at the reins while my friend had very quiet hands and sat upright. So I asked to speak to the judge about the placing. The judge explained that since my friend didn't have to post, her "degree of difficulty" wasn't as high and that the riders posting had "more to do". I still don't agree with her placing my friend last in that class though.

A paso fino/AQHA cross probably wouldn't be my first choice for a show horse since the paso part would make the QH half look "hot" compared to other stock breeds in the show ring and the QH half would make the paso half inconsistent as far as gait goes. There really aren't any shows for half-pasos so this horse would be better for pleasure riding or trail riding.

If the horse is more important to you than showing, look into an alternative discipline like judged trail rides, Competitive Mounted Orienteering or something along that line.


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## genuck (Aug 12, 2011)

I used to breed and show Paso Finos, have owned TWH and spotted saddle horses.

 Paso's come in 3 styles, fino are the ones with the super shot collected gait that sounds like a machine gun, then you have pleasure and performance type. I had performance/pleasure types and believe a paso should be able to do both. Performance is just more collected with more brio. Brio is the 'spirit' kind of hot but controlled and not spooky or stupid. If you were to equate the gates to a trotting horse fino=piaffe, corto=collected trot, largo=extended trot.  I would love to have another Paso, Colombian with a nice fast Largo. They are small and very agile, I hear most have pretty good cow sense too and have heard of a few ranchers who use nothing else. They also excel at endurance. My paso's could ride all day and still be ready to go, even when the Walkers were ready to drop.

 And no, paso's should not trot and training one to do it devalues him greatly. It's like trying to train your QH to corto.

 P.S. Paso's should be able to go barefoot, if anything for shows they use light weight aluminum shoes just to make the footfall sound louder on the boards.


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## equinehugger3 (Aug 12, 2011)

I'm in love with Paso Fino gaits.


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## ca (Sep 1, 2011)

We have Paso Finos (had for 15 years). We do not show and do not insists in perfect gaits. We ride almost daily through anything from sandy washes to very rough terrain. We love our Paso Finos because they ARE very comfortable and also very strong. We can easily go for 5 hours in hot weather. Although we don't race or try to be fast on our trips, the Pasos love to lope every now and then. They are in general very fast. Even their slow pace is faster than what neighboring non-paso fino horses do. That's really the only disadvantage.
For us these are the perfect trail companions. They do require at least intermediate riding experience though. At least our 4 boys are very stubborn and will take full advantage of beginners .


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## SoaringHawksFarm (Sep 18, 2011)

I love my ssh and twh. The ssh has a high showy rack that is very nice. Are twh has what we have always called the rocking chair gait ( running walk)  I have found on the twh you want a horse that has a gait were the back hoof goes in front of the front when in a running walk. They tend to have the smoother gaits. Some to the point you. An carry a glass of water and never spill a drop.
The other thing is 15 mi s on a twh is like a hour in the gym.
That is why my whole family has a twh. Plus it helped being raised on a horse farm where they bred twh's and apps.
They are dear to my heart so I am not the best to put in for other breeds.
Gaited or not there are some outstanding breeds out there.


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## dianneS (Sep 18, 2011)

I'm reading about Dan Patch the harness race horse right now.  I'm fascinated by Pacers!


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## FlaRocky (Oct 9, 2011)

Hi, new here. I have Rocky's and on gait and buying one I always tell people to (buy the one that fits your butt)(smooth ride).Ride lots of horses and visit lots of farms. Remember you can't ride color. Remember if you are W-T-C gait will feel smoother than anything  you have now. I use mine for trail, show, breeding, horse camping, moving cows, driving, and whatever else needs doing.  I start all of my babies and don't put any shoes on them. 

 What are you looking to use your horse for?  Sorry to jump in with both feet. I am a member of the Rocky Mountain Horse Association, and a member of the genetics committee. Also a member of FOSH (Friends of Sound Horses), board member of the FlaRMHA. Hope this helps, pm me if you have any questions and I can call and talk to you.


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## horseowner (Jan 14, 2012)

The gaited breed is a very diverse breed and I won't go into details now. But I would like to clear up a few things that have been stated if I may. 

1) Gaited horses need special trims and shoes to gait. No, they don't. They only need proper training.  My gaited horses are trimmed the same way my Quarter horses are, barefoot and a natural trim. Unfortunately for the gaited horse, many trainers did use long toes, heavy shoes and other artificial devices in order to enhance the gait to get one that steps higher, ect. But many natural horses people are now trying to get the horse back to their natural state as they were bred and have made some strides in doing so to the benefit of the horse. Since all these other things can lead to soundness issues in the long run. 

2) Are the gaits natural, yes they are! Some are just born and bred with a more natural tendency then others. Some if allowed will pace, but if they pace they can gait and you just have to know how to get them to gait. 

3) They cannot do other things such as barrels racing, jumping, team penning, ect. Yes they can. All you have to do is google and you will find some gaited horses that have excelled in these disciplines as well. 

4) They cannot canter/lope well. Yes they can. They are a horse first and foremost. They walk, gait and canter, all of them. Some have just been trained not to. 

5) They cannot be competitive in endurance. Yes they can and many do quite well. But I am sure you are right about certain areas and judges that do not know how to judge them. Had to laugh at the one that said he would not be able to tell if it is lame. Whether gaiting or trotting the lame horse will be the same, it will limp! And you will be able to tell when it is lame. The judges would be the only reason a gaited horse would not do as well. Although I agree that some gaited breeds might excel at it better then others. Again some have been breed to use less energy and go longer. 

5) If a horse is hardwired to pace, it won't gait. Not true, if a horse can pace it can gait. But it will take some work and training to get it to do so. 


But most people buy and ride a gaited horse, for just that. Their gait. So most gaited horses are just trained to walk and gait. Most do not canter their horses out of the myth that if you canter them they will not gait as well. No this is not true, but it is very important to make sure your horses gait is established well first before you teach the canter. Since the canter is easier to do, then they will likely try to break into a canter from their gait, if it is not established well first. The exception is on the horses that tend to pace. You need to break up that lateral gait, so it is best to teach them to canter, it will be easier for them to gait if you do. 

But to answer the first posts question. These horses easily gait and can go all day in their gait. They can cover more miles and do it much easier then the trotting horse. And it is much easier on the rider. That is why you will find that people that are older, have joints that hurt, ect are switching over to the gaited horses. They don't hurt after riding them. 

There are many different breeds of gaited horses for many different reasons that  have been bred for a particular discipline. Anyone interested in getting a gaited horse, just needs to do some research on the different breeds to see what will work best for them. 

Also their is a difference between the Peruvian Paso and the Paso Fino. The Peruvian is much like our quarter horses, except they gait. They are very smooth and are used to roundup cattle.


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