So you have decided your next horse is going to be gaited. Here at Shawnee Sunrise Farm, we get lots of inquiries that start like that. T e follow-up is oſt en something about the rider get ing older, had an accident or they are wanting a horse for their non-riding spouse. I totally understand the age and injury issue. T e “non-riding spouse” angle is something I try to nip in the bud im- mediately. It is based upon a completely false notion.
Mocha Jack, a Kentucky Mountain Horse with over 3,000 AERC miles, is performing a perfect running walk. T ree feet are on the ground. T is horse has a short straight back, broad chest, lots of bone and he’s very compact—all 14 hands of him. Photo by Steve Bradley
R iding a gaited horse, one who moves corre n me rectly, is easier
on the rider. It is not easier than riding a trot ing horse. A beginner rider who will not get some gaited horse instruction can mess up the movement of a perfectly moving gaited horse in the course of sev- eral rides. Issues of collection, weight shiſt , headset
and rider position can alter the best-trained gaited horse. Of course, this is also true for a trot ing horse.
T e fi rst beginner who came to buy a horse with his riding spouse dropped to both knees in front of the lovely three-year-old Tennessee Walker gelding and started blowing in his nostrils. When I asked him what he was doing, he said, “I am bonding.” I told him the horse was three and he was about to be stepped on and that crawling under the horse was a bad idea. T e next non-riding husband who came to our place stepped into a stirrup of the calmest Walker on our place and climbed on board. However, he did not stop at the saddle and missed it completely as he vaulted over the horse to hit the ground on the off side. Fortunately, the horse did not move and only looked at the man as he sprawled on the ground. To paraphrase the “soup Nazi” from the TV show Seinfi eld, “No horse for you!”
WHY DO YOU WANT A GAITED HORSE? So, assuming you are looking for a gaited horse for a reason other
than seeking to include your non-riding “signifi cant other” in your horse addiction, how do you acquire one? T e fi rst issue is to decide
what you want one for. Almost any decent gaited horse can trail ride. However, if you want to compete at competitive trail or endurance, you might have to look for diff erent qualities. Some of the opinions I am going to voice in this article may off end some owners of diff erent breeds. T at is not my intent but I have to be honest when giving advice and that is what this article is.
GAITING BASICS Let’s take a moment to go over some basic gait issues to explain
gaited movement. All gaited horses do a fl at-footed walk. Most do a running walk. Some rack, foxtrot, canter, gallop and perform some intermediate movements. Diff erent horse groups around the country call the same movements by diff erent names. Not every gaited trainer would always agree on what a certain movement really is. Opinions on gait are like noses. Everyone has one. Here are the basics:
» Flat-foot walk. Faster than an ordinary walk or “dog walk,” the fl at-footed walk is a square, four-beat gait with each foot hit ing the ground at even intervals. Many gaited horses are known for their ground-covering fl at walk, which typically averages 5 to 6 mph. T ere is oſt en a head nod at this gait.
» Running walk.T is is a glass-smooth movement that has three he s
me
feet on the ground at the same time. You should again see a notice- able up and down head bob. T e rider should not bounce at all.
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