I went to a CTR one weekend only doing the novice ride on my green 5 1/2 yr. old novice horse.
My friends were doing the 30 so I had to find someone to ride with and that someone turned out to be riding a Paso. This horse was hot to trot. My fave way of going in a CTR is to go faster in the first half and take it easy in the second half. Well, I wasn't disappointed. We flew, mostly trotted behind the Paso. My green arab was all go in the beginning but had the wind taken out of his sails after a while. That was fine with me. Worked GREAT. But, this Paso wanted to do the same thing coming back which would mean a higher heart rate for him and we'd get in too soon. I suggested switching positions. It worked like a charm. At first, the Paso didn't like it but he became more and more calmer the more we walked and slow trotted. We came in on time, the Paso's heart rate was the slowest it's ever been coming in and I had someone to ride with on my very novice horse.
Now I have a gaited baby (daddy was a spotted saddle horse and mom is an appy). The only thing that worries me is that she's only 9 mos. old and rears a lot. Mostly in play, a lot by herself playing with the hay. I'm worried about when she's old enough to ride. Are TWH's prone to this rearing? I have a friend with one who has an adult TWH horse and it does rear occasionally.
