Novice question. Not a horse owner. If a gaited horse is born in the wild and has no human interaction or training, what gait would they have? What is the smoothest gaited horse breed?
Great video! I like that you used a horse who was actually buddy sour. For those who aren't impressed with just grass, I've put "treasures" in 4-5 buckets spaced 40ft or so apart .... a carrot in the first bucket, piece of apple in the second, and third, then a handful of grain towards the end. Same principle - you're making it a positive experience and going slow.
What ever position they comfortably gait in IS THE PROPER POSITION..I personally like the higher head with a tucked nose..And its been done for as long as there have been gaited horses. So why change what works?
Lady the Tennessee walking horse is bread to go with its head up That's the way their confirmation is they also have to shift their weight to the back end to do the correct gear regardless of what kind of shoe they have on
When the Tennessee walking horse is doing a true flat walk or running walk for that matter their head is up their weight does shift to the back end and they nod their head there has been many studies done on it by several different universities if they're not shifting their weight to their back end they would not have a smooth gate as they do that is just a fact some of the show horses depending upon the shoe exaggerates the shifting of the weight but I promise you if they did not shift their weight to the back end they would not have a smooth gate
yes my icelandic spooked and bolted on long grass/weed with hidden rocks underneath -i let loose the reins , held her mane tightly and was prepared to jump off.. she stopped
Hi, I live in Fort Worth, too! My mare is a Fox Trotter x Quarter Horse. She sometimes transition from a walk into (what I think) is a Fox Trot for about 5 steps before transitioning into a trot. I was told that she may be just confused on whether she should be walking or transitioning to trotting. I'm wondering your thoughts on that? Is she really just confused? Or is she Fox Trotting? And, if she is Fox Trotting, how can I encourage it?
Hi Ivy Starnes, hope you are well. I visited your RU-vid channel and your video making is very good. Your content idea are very good. Thank you so much
I have worked with a standardbred, but she was trotty and pacey. I would do the same thing as I do for any other pacey horse. Do you have a pacey standardbred?
@@IvyS He paces primarily, but does fall into trottiness pretty often. I’m hesitant to do much with him by way of gaiting because I’m unsure of myself in what to do with his inconsistency.
@@kailierayner5512 yes and no. I don't let horses pace unless I'm training softness and head down. When I do sit it, it depends on how hard the horse is pacing. Every horse is different.
It might have to do with footing or not giving a horse good motivation to try in the arena. I don't usually struggle unless I am having a hard time distinguishing the gait, then I need to ride where I can hear it.
Back in 2021, I had a serious accident on my horse, broke or fractured 13 bones, punctured my lung and dislocated my hip. I recovered, but didn't ride her for about 2 years. In March of 2023, I began doing groundwork with her again, then progressed to backing her. In May of that year, a friend who was a very experienced racehorse guy began to help me with her. He knew our history, I wanted to ride but was terrified, and he wanted to see this beautiful horse back in work! So he taught me how to ride racehorse style (how they train young, hot racehorses). He taught me to initially keep her on a very short rein, but to maintain light contact on her mouth. However, if she began to act up, I would be able to get her under control instantly! He made me knot the reins at this short rein length, and we rode like this for weeks, three days a week! We initially walked, then trotted at least a mile at a time on a short circuit with tight turns at each end. This kept her thinking and focusing on her work and stopped her from acting up. It also helped to regulate her gait. After this one-mile trot, I'd bring her back to a walk and warm down. Later, we made a cross-country track and I rode her on a mid-length rein, still knotted. After a while, he said I was good to ride on my own, having seen me control spooks from the saddle and even a bolt! This was using the method he taught me (if the horse acts up, bring it back to a very short rein and bring her head right in with high pressure, releasing when she softens). These days, we typically ride once or twice a week, four and a half miles, a mile walk, one mile trot, about 150m or 200m gallop, then back to a trot for another mile, then walking a mile, then a half mile trail ride through bush on my land. This particular horse has never had a canter, she only knows how to walk, trot and gallop, but before my accident, we used to gallop together and that was okay. It has taken courage to gallop her again, but she is such a different horse now, so much more training and having one on one lessons with a Thoroughbred Racehorse Guy with 50 years' experience really helped. When I first began galloping again, I made myself do it, but I knew I was nervous and tense. These days I am a lot more relaxed, I feel light in the saddle, well balanced and in control, no matter how fast she goes or what she does. Also, she knows how to stop from a gallop on light aids and knows that if she doesn't listen, the reins are going short and she's going to be brought in hard! I've heard a lot of people be really critical of anyone who ever rides their horse with hard pressure on the bit, ever, but there is a time and a place for it. Like I said, when everything is normal, I'm really soft with her, but the instant she begins to act up, on goes the pressure, and it stays there until she softens again. Then the instant she softens, so do I! Remember, this horse almost killed me, once upon a time! However, now she's a different creature, and so am I. We're best friends, but I am the lead mare in the herd, in and out of the saddle, and that's how it has to be. God Bless, and thank you for your videos!
BTW, my horse is half American Curly, 1/4 Thoroughbred and 1/4 Australian Waler. The Thoroughbred in her gives her the "Go Button" and the hot-headedness and from the videos I've seen of Walers, lots of them only seem to know how to walk, trot and gallop. To be fair, they do have four gaits, Walk, Trot, Gallop and FLAT-OUT GALLOP!!! My mare has never flat-out galloped with me because we don't have the space for that, but it would be in teresting to see what she would do if I asked for that, wouldn't it? And BTW, this is a film clip, showing several dozen Walers doing their stuff! Walers are Australia's national War Horse and mostly they only have three gaits, walk, trot and gallop, as you can see in this clip... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-BEv999K5Lr0.html There are some horses cantering in the background, but mostly, yep, they go from walk, to trot, to gallop.
Great info. However, I've given lessons a good portion of my life & I have found in south Texas (where I am) that many owners do not want to address most of what you talk about 😑
My horse is not afraid of well behaved dogs, he is however afraid of attacking dogs. I have a dog at home, how do I train him for aggressive dogs? I can’t make my dog aggressive. Do you take them somewhere where the dogs go crazy. I’m at a loss. I heard you say it’s my responsibility to train. Lead me in the right direction please
Do you have recommendations for exercises that can be done on the ground to help improve a horses strength to condition them to start working on gait training?
Love this kind of series，I just adopted my first horse，she is 25 exracer standardbred，I want to build a relationship with her like Jessica said， she loves human but I want to build a tight bond with her，want her trust me with everything， I already trust her so much， she love being groom as well and scratches. Jessica made me realize I just need to spend more time in her paddock.
I will be riding my 19 yr. old Haflinger bitless as he gives every indication that he was abused with bits because had a tendency to run off . I started him ground driving with a bitless bridle to help him understand what I am asking of him. For the 1st. couple of times he has been like a drunken sailor over responding to the pressure to turn etc. He is very smart , so should pick up on what it's all about pretty quickly. Thank you for your video.
@@IvyS I’m perplexed because there really haven’t been any changes (that I’m aware of) to his daily routine or our riding routine. We’ve done more work in the arena lately (which is right next to the barn) due to flooding on the trails, but he normally really looks forward to trail rides. Now, I can’t even get him to go down a small path which leads to the trailhead. It’s really very strange considering we have gone out on the trail alone many, many times with no issues.
THANK YOU! I have been around horses for pretty much my whole life. Working with them, doing some training, etc. I got my first horse when we were both 15 years old and she was a beautiful QH. She just passed at 30 years old. So basically my whole life I’ve known QH. But I just found a beautiful TWH that brought new life into me after losing my girl. He’s perfect and I’m so in love. I want to be sure I work with him how he needs so these videos are absolutely amazing. Thank you ❤
Ok, so. What do you do if you're not sure if your horse is gaited or not? A year ago, I bought a neglected Arabian cross at an auction. I have no history on him. I had to spend several months rehabbing him. I did start to ride him in mid-September and almost immediately when trotting, he would start doing this other thing. It wasn't a trot and it wasn't a walk. Smooth, like floating. I've ridden horses most of my life but never a gaited horse. He would do it all the time and the more I rode him the more he would go into it. Winter came and I didn't ride for about 3 months. Now we are ridding and its back. The thing that confuses me is that it seems slow compared to the horse in the vidoes, however he is rather unfit. Is there a way I can tell if this is gait or something he was taught in his previous life? I suspect based on his confirmation that he is an arabian saddlebred cross. He long legged, with that arched swan looking neck. Beautiful boy.
Best thing to do is to try to get video of it. Just put your phone somewhere and video. Feel free to send me the video and I'll take a look. It could very well be a broken trot.
Great video! I learned it’s much more complicated than just head position, it’s about the horses overall posture and which muscles are engaged. Thanks for sharing, this is such an important topic for gaited horse owners to understand to keep their horses sound and comfortable for years to come. ❤❤❤
Not recommended, unless you have borium studs. It's too slippery to be safe on paved roads and it is hard in their body. If the road is dirt or gravel, you should be okay.
@@IvyS yes it is a very heavy bit. I have a Robarts I bought for my MFT with a low palate. She hates it so it's on a peg in the tack room. I've used it with the reins in the direct reining position and she's still hated it. I use a grazing bit on her now with a low port.
Ivy, LOVE your training tips and videos! I came across you when I was researching challenges with a barrel horse I purchased who was not well disciplined/hot outside the arena (great advice on your video re: bits). I'm only jumping in on this conversation because of the comments about cutting saddle horns off a saddles. Never, a good idea to be on a horse when one is apprehensive/fearful about the situation, horse or equipment. Definitely don't want a saddle horn when riding English for sure, but each class should respect the other's preference. I grew up riding as a necessity on a ranch. There is a reason for having a saddle horn when you're living the ranch life. I can't compare what it's like to ride English (just don't have the interest). I love my Western riding. English is absolutely beautiful - poerty in motion, I myself never had the desire. I enjoy riding as I always have from the time I was three. There is definitely merit to the dangers of a saddle horn, however, the moment one is on a horse's back, there are no guarantees each ride will be predictable. Proper equipment for the discipline, boots, vests, helmets can mitigate injury, but being educated understanding of and endeavoring to avoid potential risks, are significantly important as well.
