# Does anybody else have gaited horses?



## Foxtrotters19 (Jan 8, 2019)

I have 2 Missouri Foxtrotters....anybody else have gaited horses?


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## Baymule (Jan 9, 2019)

I have a 32 year old retired Tennessee Walker. I loved her smooth gait. She has ALWAYS been spooky, no matter how old she got. LOL

We recently bought another TWH mare from a kill pen.

https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/meet-pearl-new-horse.38633/

We have a 29 year old cremello QH, also retired and a 9 year old stocking legged, blaze faced chestnut gelding that also came from a kill pen. Breed unknown. 

https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/we-got-a-new-horse.35218/


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## Gary (Jan 9, 2019)

Im new to byh. Can anyone tell me how to start a new thread? Ive been on byc for a long time but can't find how to do it here.


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## Goat Whisperer (Jan 9, 2019)

Gary said:


> Im new to byh. Can anyone tell me how to start a new thread? Ive been on byc for a long time but can't find how to do it here.


Click on the section of the forum you want to post to, then click the "Post new thread" button.


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## greybeard (Jan 9, 2019)

I had a quarter horse when I was younger that was just a pleasure to ride at any speed.
Don't have any of my own now, and may never again. 

Many will say only certain breeds are easily trained as a gaited horse or have it naturally, but I'm not so sure about that.
One of my neighbor's Gypsy Vanner and 2 of her paints are gaited. Another neighbor has one gaited paint, but his other paints will jar your kidneys right up to your throat and have your legs so sore when you get off you can't walk.
(for those that don't know what a non gaited horse does and why they aren't terribly popular, watch the space between the girl's butt and saddle at about 1:12 thru 1:25  minute: )


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## Bunnylady (Jan 9, 2019)

Hot Rod has a very upright, steep shoulder. This gives him a very short, choppy, up-and-down stride, which is what creates all that painful bouncing. A horse with a more laid back shoulder has a longer, more gliding stride, which is much less jarring to ride. The difference in the way the animal moves has to do with conformation.

Gaited horses have a completely different "firing pattern." At anything faster than a walk, a "normal" horse's  gait involves a moment of suspension in which all of the feet are off the ground. A certain amount of the horse's energy has to be directed in an up-and-down direction to allow for this.  Gaited horses always have at least one foot on the ground, whatever the speed, so they aren't just sure-footed, more of their energy goes forward, with a lot less bounce.

You can actually hear the difference. A trot or jog is a two-beat gait with the horse hopping from one diagonal pair of feet to the other. A lope or canter is 3 beats, with one beat stressed because two feet are hitting at the same time. All gaited horses' paces have 4 beats.

You can force a horse to move so slowly, he basically can't get all of his feet off the ground. If you watch Western Pleasure classes, you will see animals with "normal" 2- and 3-beat gaits that have almost no upward movement (precious little forward movement either, come to that!)   While these gaits are much easier to ride, they should not be confused with the way truly gaited horses move, which has a neurological component to it as well as conformation.


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## rbruno (Jan 16, 2019)

I have 3 TN Walkers.  One was born on my property, and I did all the training.  Cool experience.  Taught me a lot.


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## TaylorBug (Jan 16, 2019)

Personally, I have only quarter-blooded horses, but my best friend has only ever ridden Walkers(and her cousins own an auction barn; they normally buy quarters and Walkers). I’ve never ridden a walker, but I really want to. We will go riding together some time so I can experience the Walker gait.


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## Baymule (Jan 17, 2019)

TaylorBug said:


> Personally, I have only quarter-blooded horses, but my best friend has only ever ridden Walkers(and her cousins own an auction barn; they normally buy quarters and Walkers). I’ve never ridden a walker, but I really want to. We will go riding together some time so I can experience the Walker gait.


Ride one, you will have to have one!


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