[RC] TWH Advice-Thank You! - Peter HarperI wanted to tell everyone "Thank You" for your helpful advice and encuragement. I especially liked the topic on trotting out at the vet check. I read in one of the archives a vet's comment "if it looks lame in all four legs then its OK for gaited". I had a good laugh at that one. It seems people are about equally divided on the subject of should a walker trot. Ladyhawk has a walk, wonderful smooth fast running walk, a rough pace and a nice cantor. The pace is just above the running walk and before the cantor. If I keep asking for speed at the running walk she'll start to pace from side to side. She also tends to pace down hills. I generally don't like the pace and will take her up to a cantor or back to a running walk. Going up hills she's got a whole other gear, driving hard with her hind end in a powerful running walk. I'm not sure I've really had her in a trot. Her history was a show horse in the plantation pleasure class. The breeder we baught her from has a good reputation, none of the horror stories you hear associated with Big-Lick Walkers. My wife's 4yr TWH gelding in contrast is much more trotty. He doesn't have the speed of Ladyhawk and has to trot or cantor to keep up. He's still real young and we're just starting him slow of the trails and hope to develop his running walk more as he get more mature. I'm in quite a quandry on if I should teach her to trot or not? With her past show carrer I'm sure they've trained her not to. Should I undo that training? or be happy with my wonderfully gaited, yet slow mare? Happy trails, Pete and Ladyhawk in Texas __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - More reliable, more storage, less spam http://mail.yahoo.com ============================================================ REAL endurance is sleeping in the tack compartment of your trailer w/the door open, and your horse snorts/snots on your forehead every 30 min! ~ Heidi Sowards ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ============================================================
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