Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Title: Re: [RC]   Faster walk//Treeless Saddle

I used to condition a 15.1 CMK (I think—one of the stockier Arabs) gelding w/ a stiff, poky walk. He responded to

• more miles, more 50s (esp w/ more experienced people)
• the Right-Left bump method. Some of slow walking is just losing focus, not paying attention.
• lots of half halts “No, that’s not what I wanted” when he started to break/broke into trot
• lots of “Good Boooooy!” when he down shifted from trot to faster walk or even took a few faster steps. (But then, this a horse, that if he doesn’t hear “Good BOY!” at least every ten minutes, he turns around and looks at you, like, “Well?”  I called him my 1-800-How’s-My-Driving horse.)
• Mainly—getting him out of a Sharon Saare and into a Barefoot Cheyenne.
  

I have heard that some horses are restricted in their shoulders at the walk due to pinching saddles.

Beverley