> The disunited trot is not a gait - it is instead an incorrect movement
> brought on by either the rider and inproper use of the reins or a back
> problem in the horse or by the horse being pushed into such a fast trot that
> it becomes disorganized or slowed so much that it trots in front and walks
> in back (see western pleasure).
You must not have been listening (new member??) last month when the "how
to keep your horse from forging at the trot" discussion was address, when
at least one of the list members mentioned that a way to forestall this
was to "disunite" the diagonals (as many endurance horses have learned to
do) of the trot. In fact, to foster this gait (which you and I both
agree is not "trotting") which you call an "incorrect movement."
Me, I would never choose to do this, coming from a background that says,
the goal of all training programs should be FIRST to preserve the purity
of the gaits; and if I found my horse to be doing it, I would quickly
correct it/me (since I, too, consider this to be a function of rider error).
However, someone (ti, I think) then mentioned that almost all
Standardbred Trotters do this when racing (which sparked my
question..."aren't trotters required to trot?").
I fail to see what any possible benefits of this gait might be, but then I
am not one of those endurance riders who is coldly insistent that my
horses must trot (nno matter how fast they are going). I find the canter
to be a wonderful, relaxing (for both horse and rider), ground covering
gait and use it frequently. I also am of the opinion that there is little
benefit gained by travelling for long periods of time at any extended
gait. As far as I am concerned, endurance horses need to have good,
balanced, working gaits (with collection and extension used for breif
periods in negotiating terrain where they are suitable).
I am, however, willing to be educated by someone who may have
successfully used this gait if they can explain to me just what the
real benefits are. And exactly what the horse is doing (so I can do a
mechanical analysis of it and see if structurally it makes any sense).
Until then, I will continue to strive to maintain the purity of my horses'
paces (walk, trot, canter...collected, working, extended). I do, however,
allow my horses to "disunite" the diagonal at the "canter" (i.e. they
also do a "full racing gallop" which is another very "extended" gait that
is only useful for brief periods of time during the course of an
endurance ride.
kat
Orange County, Calif.
p.s. On of the things I LIKE about the canter over the trot is the
breathing thing, as the horse is "double using" its muscles by using them
for propulsion and for respiration as well. I've always considered this
one of the benefits of the canter over the trot.