One part of this discussion, mainly the part about rider skill having an impact on things is hinging on trotting horses. Lets see if I have this straight. The assumption being that an unbalanced rider that is 20% of a horse's weight on a trotting horse will cause the horse to work harder to compensate for the "sack of potatoes" that is bouncing away. A skilled rider that is heavier would have less of an impact because they are more balanced and work with the horse.
How would gaited horses play into this scenario? While non gaited horses are trotting, the gaited horses are gliding along with their rider sitting perfectly still. Would this make a difference? Could a gaited horse in theory carry more weight than a non gaited horse as there is no trot and therefore less of an impact from the sack of potatoes rider? I can see the rider being balanced on the horse's back having some impact, and I have noticed that many gaited riders tend to have more of a "chair seat." But still, does the lack of bouncing have an impact? Not to mention the way that gaited horse's legs support the horse differently when moving? Diagonal vs Lateral vs Isochronal vs Pacing. Which one is best to support a horse and a heavier rider?
Just some after dinner thoughts.
Mel
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