Dirty Words for Gaited Horse Owners

Are you ready to learn some dirty words? Well then, tune it!
     In every discipline, and every type of riding, there are certain things that are important and some that are just a no-no. When riding and training Gaited horses, you will find this is especially true. Gaited horses have been bred specifically for their easy gait. Whether it be a foxtrot, running walk, rack, tolt, corto or even the largo, the four-beat gait reigns supreme.The dirtiest word I can think of for Gaited riders is "trot". Trotting is definitely OUT of bounds. It isn't that these horses cannot do it, it's that it isn't what they were bred for. This breed of horses has a smooth, easy four beat gait that any Gaited rider will tell you is far superior to the trot. I suppose you could compare it to the difference between riding in a Ferrari and in a Rolls Royce. The Ferrari is slick and fast and corners well, and is fantastic for what it was designed for. The Rolls on the other hand, may not go from 0-60 in 3.5 seconds, but it is definitely designed for comfort. The same can be said for the latter breed of horse.
     Another dirty word is"pace". A pace is the exception to the rule for gaited riders. It is an even, two beat lateral gait. Which means that the footfalls are side to side. He moves first one side, then the other producing an even, but not necessarily desirable gait. While it is an even beat, it is not as smooth as the foxtrot or even the rack. It's a very swingey gait that is frowned upon by most. It's all about being fast and smooth. I've ridden with a mixture of horses, and invariably, the rider on the quarter horse(or any other straight going animal) is forced to jog, or even canter to keep up with our Missouri Fox Trotter.




Brooks Gaited Horse Training