Re: A picture is worth a thousand words

[Sue Brown <sbrown@wamedes.com>]

>One does have to qualify what one means by "extended trot."  The long, low, 
>daisy-cutting extended trot as done by dressage horses is wonderful, and is 
>not terribly concussive.  

I think what you are actually referring to here is a good "working
trot"...this is a nice, forward moving, engine-in-the-rear, daisy cutting
trot that can be maintained for long periods of time.  It is a naturally
comfortable trot for the horse and should have an overstride of at least
one hoof length -- and the horse's natural gait abilities and stride length
will really show up here.  An "extended trot" is a real power push from the
rear with the front legs reaching as far as they are anatomically able to
(still not elevated in suspension) without the horse's head changing
position very much at all -- which is (in a horse with a well developed top
line) just on or very slightly ahead of the vertical.  During the extended
trot, the nose comes a little more forward than at the working trot but
only by a couple of inches.  It's not a gait that a horse can maintain for
any length of time without falling back into the forward working trot since
it's a pretty demanding gait for the horse's body.

Sue

sbrown@wamedes.com
Tyee Farm
Marysville, Wa.