Get Out Of The Way And Let Your Horse Gait

Howdy Folks,

 

Yesterday's Coffee Clutch, "Gaited Horses and Saddles, Bits, Shoes and Stuff" generated some lively discussion, and a few questions. We pretty much covered the fact that no special saddle, other than proper fit as with any horse, is needed. No special bit – in fact no bit is needed. No special shoes, in fact barefoot is best, for all horses really, but that could be a subject for another blog day again. You can read my thoughts on barefoot, in my earlier post  "Why Barefoot?"

Kessy Saturday and me headin' out for the trail

I'll never forget the day I was riding along a beautiful "rails to trail" a number of years back, and a young woman rode toward us on a tall, stunning red and white paint. We stopped to chat, and as I'm wont to do, I looked the horse over as he danced and fidgeted beside us. I made note of the tight martingale, his shoes and high heels, his hollow back, thick inversion muscles and sad, worried eyes. The tack and saddle shined like a million bucks. Foam dripped from his mouth around, I don't know what kind of bit. She held tightly on the reins, her legs jammed forward, as they had been when she rode toward me. I asked her what breed her beauty was. With a smirk she replied, "He's a registered, non-gaiting Tennessee Walking Horse." She must have seen the question in my eyes because she promptly added, "He's a registered Tennessee Walking Horse who we can't make gait. He's been to several trainers, and just can't gait!"

I began to ask a question, but she cut me off. "Don't bother, I've heard it all. No-one's ever gonna make him gait." With that she jerked him right, and trotted away.

"Make him gait." I've never forgotten that, obviously as I'm writing about it all these years later. I've never forgotten the look of that beautiful horse she rode either. All the signs, stress and breakdowns of a fine horse people were trying to, "make gait." The over-collected, inverted, hollow backed look of a horse forced to gait, or try too, unnaturally.

Gaited horses will gait. They're born with it. All we need to do is get out of their way and let them. Simply sit your horse comfortably, in proper posture, as Sally Swift would say "in neutral," and allow your horse to walk on. After all, the flat walk and running walk are walks; they're just a little quicker.

The same muscles used to gait are the same muscles used to walk. Riding your horse for miles and miles and miles on the trail at a walk, will develop those muscles, and a longer and longer soft and powerful stride. It is important that as you ride these miles at a walk you allow your horse to relax, walk with their head down, off the forehand, and on a loose rein. You know, get out of their way.

About the trail miles as opposed to miles in the ring. Trail is much preferred over the ring, no matter the size, your horse is always preparing to turn, so are you. It's more difficult for her to, "walk on" and develop the stride in long continued muscle engagement. So really try for unending trail miles. Besides it's better birdwatching on the trail. And more interesting for your horse.

In not too much time you'll feel the stride begin to change; the hind end will become more powerful, and engaged, and softer (Also there are exercises you should consider to free up the hind end if your horse is short strided). She'll begin to achieve a bigger overstride. All without forcing, over collecting, and gimmicks. And damage to her biomechanics. It'll be completely natural, and make sense to your horse. During this time it's fine to mix in a few canters, even trot if she wants to from time to time. What we are doing is building confidence in her long gait and her proper body carriage. And we are staying out of her way while she does it. I would say during this phase look for at least 80% long, easy, but powerful walk.

When she tells you she's ready, find a nice long stretch of level trail, ask her to walk faster. Be gentle, and stay out of her way, but move her on and say, "Gait please." I use my right heel and a lot of kisses, and I say the command over and over each time I tap my heel. She'll speed up instantly, and might try for a trot or pace. Using just one rein tap her back, Very Gently, (never ask for collection) just short of the trot, at her fastest walk (Pacing is not good for a horse so don't do it). Then go right back to a loose rein and let her walk on a bit before asking again, congratulating her for the magnificent effort. Remember to smile.

Off and on, in safe level places along the trail ask for the "Gait please" – It'll come, just before the trot. If you did you're walking miles loyally and politely, she'll give you her flat-walk or gait in just a few tries, remember to praise her, and every stride in gait say, "Gait" so she learns the verbal request. At first she'll only hold her gait a few strides, and that's perfect. Keep helping her build those muscles. It takes a few months to build up the power to sustain it, but really, it's just this easy. She'll learn the verbal cue fast too.

Her head should be level, her stride soft and long, her head will bob a little, and you'll feel the glide. In time together you'll develop a variable speed running walk. Just stay out of her way, and enjoy the ride.

Gitty Up ~ Dutch

"Gaited Horses and Saddles, Bits, Shoes and Stuff"

Howdy Folks,

One of the many things I'm pretty fussy, and outspoken about, is saddle fit. Gaited horses are just that. Horses with extra gaits. They walk, they trot, they have a running walk, a rack and a canter. Some gaited breeds have even more gaits. What they don't have, is a need for a special saddle or equipment. They just need, as do all horses, a saddle that fits. If a saddle fits, it fits. Some gaited horses have high withers, others not so high. Just like other horses. Some are wide, others are narrow. Just like other horses. Some have big shoulders, some don't. Some are tall; some are short, just like other horses. Why "experts" too often insist folks need "gaited horse saddles" is way beyond me. Except as a selling tool for their saddles … And yes, I've seen the big name gaited horse saddles, and no, I've not been impressed. But I'm a simple fella. Either a saddle fits, or it doesn't. Simple.

My mare Kessy and her saddle. Just a little endurance type saddle built by Larry Wilson. Has a Western tree, weighs 18lbs. Just a blanket, no pad, breast collar, or crupper. I've had this saddle a long time and Kessy is the third horse he's reshaped the tree to fit.You can read a bit about Larry HERE.

What makes a saddle fit? A horse needs to be able to move under the saddle, while the saddle stays put. It's in the tree, or the flocking. Yup we need room at the withers, the shoulders, the spine. It can't be too long, too short, too wide, or narrow. It can't bridge, rock or pinch. It must be well balanced, can't lean forward or back, and certainly not to the side. But isn't that the case for all horses? If your saddle fits, a blanket will do, no pad required. It's not the saddle that gives a horse their gait. They're born with it.

But what about all those gaited horse bits? I ride bitless. Have for years, with many different horses. I use a little noseband hackamore. Discovered it in my endurance days. I love it, and every horse I've ridden has loved it. Often I've ridden in a halter only. I really got a kick out of the times I'd ride a horse for the first time and the owner hands me their bridle with a "Walking Horse" bit and I say, "I'll use this," showing my little bitless rig. They always doubt it, then often say, "Wow, he never gaited like that for me!" It's not the bit that gives a horse their gait. They're born with it.

What about those special shoes? And I don't only mean only the horrible stacks and such they do to TWHs. There are the nasty plantation shoes and cog shoes and others, all causing damage to the foot, the joints, the legs and back. I ride barefoot. Have for a lot of years. Since before it was really catching on. And no long toes or high heels either. A gaited horse's hooves should look just like any other hoof on any other horse. "He needs longer toes to gait," they say. "Hogwash!" I say. He needs healthy feet, just like any other horse. It's not the shoes or the trim that gives a horse their gait. They're born with it.

What about the other "stuff?" There are lots of gadgets, gimmicks and attachments out there some people insist are needed to "teach" a horse to gait. Many of them too nasty for me to mention. Some not so nasty, but equally unnecessary, and to some degree, harmful to the horse's biomechanics. It's not the stuff that gives a horse their gait. They're born with it.

An exciting note I'll share here, in my travels doing my "Therapy For Therapy Horses," clinics I have several times helped what folks call, non-gaiting breed horses discover they could indeed gait. Arabian and Quarter horses to name the breeds. Click HERE to read about one of those fun times, Lilly's Surprise. And each time we had this experience, I only knew the horse a few hours, and their owner was riding in their regular tack, all I did was talk them through it.

So there you have it. A gaited horse is no different in what it needs from any other horse. They need love, respect, honor and a trusting rider who cares. Sit your horse, relax and say, "Gait please," and watch the world glide by.

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry

Lilly's Surprise

Howdy Folks,

 

"I noticed as Marissa led Lilly, her footfalls and placement improved with almost every stride."

Lilly is a Quarter Horse. She's a seven year old beautiful black and white paint who loves her job working with children at Verde View Equestrian Center. She's a Therapy Horse. I had the honor of playing with Lilly, and her teammates this past weekend while I was there conducting my "Therapy For Therapy Horses," clinic. Like all the horse partners there she receives the best of care. The owner Lori Piccirilli, her daughter Marissa, and the volunteers make sure Verde View is a wonderful, fun and happy place for the children who come for healing, smiles and giggles, and for the horses too. They understand therapy horses need a little therapy too.

Lilly and me just goofin' around early in the morning - I was massaging her gums here to help her relax - Doesn't she stand beautifully?

Our "Therapy For Therapy Horses," clinics are an all day affair, the volunteers learn a lot of new things, and the horses do too. The clinic is designed to teach and promote exercises that help the horse release, relax and maintain proper posture, and clear their minds. This was my second visit Verde View, so we added a few more fun exercises to the mix, and for me it was a delight to see what they'd learned in May had been incorporates into the routine care of all the therapy horses. As Lori says, "Without our horses we can't have equine assisted therapy, they are the heart of what we do."

"Lilly's surprise?" You might be asking.

Just as hard as the volunteers work to understand and master the techniques and exercises, so do the horses. It is honestly a lot to throw at them in just a day or two so I'm careful to space out the layers of learning and allow for plenty of time for the horses to process the new feelings, releases and posture.

Near the end of the day I noticed Lilly was a little overwhelmed. Her volunteer had worked hard to master an exercise I call the "one step," and while Lilly stood quietly after numerous repetitions, I noticed she was clearly asking for a break, so I asked Marissa to simply lead her around the arena at a walk to help her relax and process. I thought they could just walk while I explained a bit more.

The other horses and volunteers stood quietly, and as I spoke I asked them to watch Lilly and Marissa. This was a perfect opportunity to demonstrate how, while a horse might be cooperating and doing a great job, they might be internalizing confusion, stress or worry and I was hopeful by watching Lilly relax as Marissa led her, the volunteers would see the transition as she softened and lengthened. The reason I was pretty sure Lilly would be a good example is unless you looked really close it was hard to notice she needed a break. She's a very good girl.

I noticed as Marissa led Lilly, her footfalls and placement improved with almost every stride. And I pointed out how she stepped perfectly heel to toe. How her hind feet came forward nicely to her front feet.

I asked Marissa to walk on a bit more quickly. Lilly began a soft half-a-hoof overstride with her hind feet under her and falling exactly on the track of her front foot. Her neck lengthened, her body lengthened and softened. In another lap Lilly had a full hoof overstride and her carriage was beautiful, soft and rhythmic. I thought I knew what I was seeing and had to tease, "If I take Lilly home for a few months I'll bring you back a Quarter Horse with a running walk." We all laughed a bit and Marissa kept up the pace.

I encouraged Marissa to walk just a little faster as I explained a bit what was going on, then I turned to Lori and said, "Lilly's gonna get it right here, right now." 

Everybody understood what we were trying for by now and having a grand time as we watched.

I instructed to Marissa to go just a little faster, keep Lilly at a walk, but move on just short of a trot. A few times Lilly did go to a trot, but Marissa is really, really good, and soft, and she brought Lilly back to a brisk walk. This was all being done on a loose lead.

Marissa and Lilly walkin' on (sorry, we don't have a better picture) but you can see here Lilly's great soft posture and good foot placement ... One of the things we work on in the clinic is something I call "ReConnecting Your Horse To Her Feet" so Lilly has had those exercises by this time - You can read about them on my blog (HERE) -

Then, on the third lap, Lilly stepped into a running walk! – WOW! – She could only hold it a few strides, but everyone saw it and burst into a cheer! It was soft and beautiful! Lilly and Marissa got it two more times, just a few strides each time, but it's there and simply delightful.

Then we just knew we had to try it under saddle. And since this post is already long I'll just tell you, after a few laps around they got the running walk under saddle. Again just a few strides, but perfect and sweet.

Now to help Lilly build the muscles to maintain that sweet, soft running walk, Marissa will ride her on the trail for miles and miles at a walk. And of course continue to do our release and relax exercises. Yes Lilly can and will still trot, canter and gallop, her new running walk is just another new gait she'll have. And folks this was done barefoot, on a loose rein, soft and easy. Simply beautiful!

My mentor, Diane Sept often said she believed most horses can do the running walk and since this is not the first time with horses of other breeds I witnessed it, I sure believe it too!

What a wonderful surprise Lilly shared with us and I'm so tickled to have been there to be part of the fun when she discovered her new gait!

Gitty Up ~ Dutch