Do slow, young horses ever speed up?

["Karen Sullivan" <greymare@jps.net>]

I hope this is a subject that has not been hashed to death.....I don't
remember many discussions on it and at least it is not controversial!
But....I would appreciate opinions on folks that have raised youngsters on
the following:

I have had the pleasure most of my life of aquiring mature horses that just
love to go.  Of course some have other problems (why I got them cheap), but
they always had that drive to go, which translated to fast walks and having
to hold them back most of the ride!

I now have a 5 and half year old (got her a year ago) that is just a
plodder.  She is an Anglo/Arab (you might think hot), but seems to be fairly
laid back and even lazy.  I have devoted the last year to getting her out,
both ponying her off horses that walk fast, and more and more riding.  She
is especially slow walking down hills, but just doesn;'t have any kind of a
nice, fast walk....her trot is slow with not much impulsion, and her canter
is slow and she keeps dropping back to a trot.  In a nutshell, not much go.
If I go out with other horsees she will  keep to their pace, which means I
can just about drop the reins on a trot (and believe me, this is nice after
all the pullers I have had!).  But, I just can't tell at this point, after a
good, solid year on hte trail (out 3-6 times a WEEK), if this is just her
temperament, or if the will "pick up" the pace willingly at some point.
This is a tall, long-legged mare (15.3), and the little 14h arabs can
out-walk her.  Believe me, I am appreciating her laid-back qualities, but
also just wonder if she is not going to enjoy this sport.  So, those of you
with lots of experience bringing babies along.....does this change?

Thanks,Karen