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[RC] [RC] Arab/Saddlebred...suggestions/opinions/experiences? - Lucy Chaplin Trumbull>I am looking at a half arab / half saddlebred horse(NSH). His dad is an Arab and mom a Saddlebred. Does anyone ride/have or have ridden NSH on endurance rides?Erin I'm just starting my husband's NSH in LDs this year and she's turning out to be the best horse we own (we also have two arabs). > How do you like them and are their gates very different? Zini is naturally gaited (her sire was a five-gaited saddlebred) but also has a lovely smooth big trot (which I'm trying to discourage a little, as I also want her to learn the "100-mile trot"). I've never seen her gait in the paddock on her own and I haven't attempted any special training to enhance her gaitedness. Right now, it's both a blessing and a problem - her gait (four beat, about the same speed as a nice easy trot) is very easy on me and a *much* better alternative to the excitable jigging I get from my arab gelding at the start of rides. However, she mostly exhibits it at rides when she's cheerful - borin' old training rides at home don't warrant it (we ride alone a lot, so she doesn't get as much stimulus as she'd like <g>), so we haven't conditioned to use that gait - and it came back to bite her last weekend when she finished the 30 miler more pooped out than when she'd done a mostly trotting ride. Something we need to work on. > Does anyone has opinions on them from riding. I understand all horses are different, but I wanted to see what people thought of them in general. from reading other people's accounts of them, this is definitely true. These are *her* characteristics: While fairly forward moving (I had to rate her most of the 30 miles on Saturday), she doesn't lose her head or want to run off - she just wants to go faster than I want her to go at this stage. She's much more level-headed than my arabs - but I suspect some of that is upbringing. She had an excellent base-training on her, in terms of dealing with "stuff". Although she does occasionally spook, she doesn't run (something I've been thankful of, when hanging off one side of her and being convinced I'm about to hit the deck). She is a crabby mare. She is very independent and self-sufficient (although on two-way trail, she usually wants to turn around and follow the horses going the other way). She's not obsessed with staying with her friends. She's *very* curious and likes to check everything out. She can trot really fast and big (although, like I say, I'm trying to limit that somewhat as I'd like her legs to last... just because she *can* doesn't mean she necessarily *should*). She is incredibly smooth - both trotting and gaiting. Her canter isn't great. She has a good walk. Not great, but certainly a good place to start. She isn't very stoic. She doesn't tend to get very hyped up (although she likes to have fun and can jump around). Her recoveries last weekend equaled those of my friend's 1000-mile arab, even though I wouldn't say she was in great condition. She has an upright headset, but doesn't travel hollow. > I can tell that a lot of them lift their front legs up and do a different gait. she does the different gait, but doesn't lift her legs up much. Her's more a smooth, ambling gait, than a flashy one (I was under the impression that the flashy gait was a trained thing, involving weighted shoes?). > Does this wear them out easier in endurance or can they be trained to change their gait? See above. Observations of friend's gaited horses is that gaiting is easier on their legs and harder on their bodies/ metabolism. I'm pretty sure, with training (mine, mostly <g>) I'll be able to cue her to either gait or trot. Right now she goes in and out of it at will (hers). I like the idea of being able to use both, since when she's gaiting it'll give her trotting muscles a rest and vice-versa (and give me a rest <g>). > It seems to me that the only "tall" horses these days are half arabs, so I am looking at NSH's. ? Zini's about 15 hh. which is taller than I want. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Lucy Chaplin Trumbull elsietee AT foothill DOT net Repotted english person in the Sierra foothills, California * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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