Yes!
Redbud, our racking/KMPH gelding, will trot during the trot-out, which
helps the vets considerably...
My TWH mare refuses to trot, but I have gotten her to do a pretty
consistent running walk (sometimes she paces through the turns).
I have a friend who rides with me who has a mare who goes from a
drag me along walk, to trot, to pace, to rack and then who knows what.
Understandedly, that does drive the vets crazy, as everytime she
shifts "gears", she looks off.
Another problem I see is the laterally gaited horses have more of
a problem looking even on the small circles/figure 8's. They also
seem to lose impulsion during those tight turns, tending to lag behind
and looking "unwilling" or "tired" when they actually are not. I think
a lot of this could be solved by doing my "homework" practicing the
patterns, but some of it is, I think, inherent in the gait. My mare
will often shift from running walk to pace around the circles, and I
know she must look off....
On one ride, there were 3 of us with gaited horses, and the vet had
us do a "ride-by" as well as an in-hand "trot-out", to help him
understand their way of going. Most gaited horses are "multi-gaited",
and will shift in and out of different gaits in hand, but are
usually consistent under saddle.
Recently, I was in a ride with 8 gaited horses - each one moved
differently - I mean, I guess a trot is a trot is a trot, but
the easy gaits are many and varied, even within the same breed.
One comment I overheard while a Paso Fino was doing the "trot-out" -
one vet said to the other vet "If they look dead lame on all 4 legs,
they're sound!" :^)
Any good suggestions from other riders of gaited horses?
Jude Hall
Hall@cc.denison.edu