Ridecamp: Re: [RC] Canter vs Extended Trot

> I have often thought that a canter would be easier on the horse as their
> weight gets spread out over 4 hoofs hitting the ground at a slightly
> different time than a trot where the weight it split up between only 2
> impacts at once. Would love more information on this. My daughter's horse
> almost always refuses or fights an extended trot but can seemingly go
> forever at a nice soft canter.

All depends on how a horse moves at a given gait.  Some are better designed
to trot, and some to canter.  It behooves the rider to work on whichever
gait the horse is weakest, even as one takes advantage of what the horse
does best.  A truly well-built horse should have the ability to do both
well, but different variations of conformation from the ideal (as well as
selected tendencies, in breeds such as Saddlebreds, and of late, the more
faddish lines of Arabs for the trot) will render some horses more able to
trot and others more able to canter.

BTW, a truly extended trot is NOT easy on the horse--what one strives for at
the trot is a really free WORKING trot that is very ground-covering.
Extension, especially to the extreme, takes a lot of extra effort.  (I think
many endurance riders mistake a fairly long working trot for extension--I'm
talking about the actual alteration of gait as one would define it in
dressage here, not just a big, long trot.)

Metabolically, one can see a horse's heart rate climb as one pushes for more
and more speed at the trot, and then drop back down as one "shifts" into a
canter.   Although it is not a perfect analogy by any stretch, imagine
watching the RPM meter on your vehicle as you push further and further on
the accelerator, and then watch it drop when you shift up into the next
gear.

Heidi


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