I agree w/you Barbara. I have a horse I had to teach to trot and is a natural cantering horse. She loves to canter, nice rocking chair canter. I don't usually use a HR monitor, but the few times I did, (to check and see if I was reading her correctly by my eye and instincts in knowing her) it displayed a much lower HR at the canter.
I did however, take my time, over a period of years doing slow work and teaching her several different speeds of trot, canter and walk. Very easy horse to rate w/a good mind.
I focused mainly on building up her tendons/ligaments, skeletal structure. Heart and lungs came after.
In regards to her early training, I focused on a trot between about 6-8 mph. I actually felt at one time I was "looked down" upon by some for going slower. I remember one friend calling me one night shortly before my first 50 w/my mare. She politely asked if I thought I would be able to go fast enough to finish! I remember feeling a little hurt by it, but then had to chuckle when we finished our first 50 in 23 place on a very technical ride. My mare had great metabolics that day, and was not even tired when we finished. (which is also important to me) So I think the long slow did it's job. The friend didn't mean anything bad by the question at all. But it was a little hurtful until I did the ride and finished. In fact, had I not got lost and a little confused going back, and had I not stopped to chat w/a nice gentleman on my way out of that last VC I would have been in 19th place. Right behind the person who called me!!! lol :))
Bottom line, to me, all horses have a natural gait that they do best. But good to school and develop the other gaits as well.
Oh, also, I'm personally don't prefer an extended trot either. I believe it can lead to suspensory injuries. So I keep my mare just behind that in her trotting. I rarely let her extend her trot totally and for sustained periods of time.
JMHO,
happy riding!
kathie
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