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RE: [RC] Faster walk - Sharon Levasseur

Well, sure, some horses have a conformation that is more conducive to walking
faster.  Sure, if I'm shopping for a new endurance horse I'll look for a nice
fast walk.  But if the horse I HAVE doesn't walk as fast as I'd like, I know
how to improve it.

I'm not comfortable with the generalization that horses who naturally walk
faster will ALWAYS walk faster than those who used to naturally walk slower. 
There are too many variables.

-Sharon L. & Zephyr



Quoting "K. P. Ross" <kpross@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:


Don't you think that some horses just have the forward reach and are more
driven to walk faster from the get go.  AND even though you can get a horse
to speed up, the ones that are faster to begin with can always out walk the
ones with the slower beginning . . . .?  Any thoughts . . . kim from
lakeport

-----Original Message-----
From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Sharon Levasseur
Sent: Thursday, June 08, 2006 7:01 AM
To: rdcarrie@xxxxxxx
Cc: cherylrandyw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [RC] Faster walk

Zephyr is living proof that this works.  Spent one whole winter doing
nothing
but practicing walking faster (using Dawn's method) through the very deep
snow
we had that year.  By springtime he had a 4.5 mph walk AND had begun to
develop
a nice foxtrot.

Of course, he's half Rocky Mountain Horse so his conformation meant the
tendency
to gait was already there... just had to be found and developed.  Building
up
those 4-beat walking muscles did the trick.

-Sharon L. & Zephyr





Quoting rdcarrie@xxxxxxx:


Something I learned here on RC really works to speed up a slow walk.  The
horse's barrel will swing slightly from side to side as he walks.  Watch

for

that rhythm, then gently bump his side with your leg to enhance that

swing.

As the barrel moves left, bump him lightly with your right leg...as if

you're

pushing the barrel further left.  As it swings back to the right, bump

with

your left leg.  It takes a bit to get the hang of it and get into the

rhythm.

 If your horse breaks into a trot, bring him back to a walk and resume,

but

with lighter bumps.  Sometimes just a tiny bit of pressue is needed.
Experiment to see what works with your horse.  You will feel the horse
lengthening his stride, reaching up under himself with his rear legs, and
moving out at a faster walk.  This works great.  Work on it every ride,

and

over time, your horse *will* develop a faster walk. I had a friend's

gelding

for about 6-7 months a couple of years ago, and did some 50s on him.  He

had

a horribly slow walk.  I worked on his walk a lot during training
rides.  When I sent him home, one of the first things she said was,

"You've

been working on his walk!"  He still didn't have a super fast walk, but it
was greatly improved.

Dawn in East Texas (blessed with two horses with good walks now)

-----Original Message-----
From: Randy or Cheryl Winter <cherylrandyw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thu, 8 Jun 2006 06:58:24 -0600
Subject: [RC] Faster walk


Hi Dave,
Good luck with your young horse.  I think that any healthy, able bodied,
good minded horse can do the sport, the question will be to what level.
That time and conditioning will tell you.

As for the walk, I think that they can be taught to walk faster.  Some of

it

will come as they get stronger,  some have it more by nature, but some of

it

is a taught response.  If they learn to walk slow and then trot to catch

up,

that is what they have learned to do.  Another way to teach them, IMO, is

to

ask them to step up the speed at the walk with you legs until you get the
response, then stop with the legs and reward them. The reward can be a pat
on the neck "good boy" and stop with the legs. As SOON AS THEY BACK OFF

THAT

PACE DO IT AGAIN>  Just keep telling them that "this is the pace I want".
It will take much persistence on your part and being very clear, that the
legs mean to go forward at any spend when asked. Eventually, you should

not

have to ask much anymore, they will learn that is what is wanted. The
problem that most people get into is "nagging" the horse with busy legs

and

yet not getting the response they want and the horse gets dead in the

sides.

I can be guilty of that myself, and have to be careful. NOT GOOD.  If I

have

a horse that I think is starting to tune out my legs, then I will put on a
pair of the blunt English spurs and asked them with my legs once, then

back

it up with a spur nudge to be sure that they respond. Could use a dressage
whip also to reinforce the signal.  Does not take long for them to figure
out what you want, but again, you have to be clear and consistent in

asking,

receiving, and releasing the signal. I think early on with inexperienced
horses, don't rush them through bad footing just to walk fast.  I would

want

them to learn to place their feet well and think it out rather than rush
through tripping. Once they learn how to walk out and that is what you

want,

it can be a great way to make good time in bad terrain.

Cheryl Winter



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=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

 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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=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

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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Replies
RE: [RC] Faster walk, K. P. Ross