my wife and i sell foxtrotting trail horses all over the united states and all our horses are ridden in a snaffel and are soft supple and light and thank you so much for tellin folks this info i have been screaming this very thing for a long time!!! thank you very much!!!
Thanks to both clinicians for making this video and for the respect you showed each other. I have never seen this kind of behavior before from trainers. It made my day and got me ready to begin a new chapter in my Kentucky Mountain mare's life. I have struggled for 4 years trying to help this mare gait without pacing, and learn to canter with a rider on her back, but to no avail. The many explanations from Larry Whitesell of things I never understood were presented in such a way that I could understand. I got help from two wonderful online trainers, but nothing seemed to work due to the fact that communication without a picture is sometimes difficult to interpret. Without having someone watch me ride, I would be clueless until something finally hit my brain that made sense, and cleared up the cloudiness, something that a good trainer would have observed and been able to explain to me in a way I could understand at the time it happened. Anyone who is interested in their horse getting the right foundation, i.e., being properly taught the basics for comfort and well being, should read this and practice it. However if you don't know why you are doing something, you might not do it right; a good example of this is why you only teach the behavior in a step or two, then work on the perfection of it in he next series of lessons, giving the horse time to think about the comfort and learn the process first,
Thank you for discussing and giving clarity to this. The first year I owned my first TWH, I got rid of her snaffle bit and we've been riding together bitless ever since. We ride bareback and bitless with an ease and understanding of one another. When were relaxed together she'll do almost anything! I love this mare and wish more people had gaited breeds. You are right Larry, that nice slow 4 beat gait is beautiful to ride! That's when you know youre horse is happy and proud!
Gaited horses can be so backwards! My gelding was a hot mess who didn't have first gear or brakes and had no idea what to do with his feet anymore. I traded the Walking Horse bit for a comfort snaffle and worked on flexion. He'll ride off of your legs and seat all day and basically do anything you ask if you'll just please stay out of his mouth. We walked and walked, and then one day he had the muscle memory to start letting his engine rev higher without breaking his gait, and eventually he started racking too. His gaits are fast but effortless, and he's smart enough to put his head where it needs to be for different gaits/speeds. It works out well for us, since I'm not one to micromanage, and I'm quite happy to ride along at a nice clip on a relaxed horse with a loose rein.
And I quote: “If you teach a horse balance, ‘n suppleness, ‘n lightness, he can gait in a halter.” So, as a fellow (admitted intermediate) trainer of both people and horses, why even use a snaffle? Two motto's I've always trained by are "the less equipment the better", and "ride the horse, not the equipment." Just curious Larry. Thanks. I gather many riders don't want to ever be seen riding in only a halter for who knows what reason. But why not just a basic Bosal/Hackamore setup with Mecate reins? That's close to a halter without officially being one. Functional [and fashionable] too. On that note of simplicity, those rope halters are nice, and can be made soft so as not to rub anywhere too much. As a matter of fact, _nothing_ in a horse's mouth has always been my preference, as I'll argue horse sensitivity has nothing to do with a bit, and everything to do with that foundation you speak of. Build a good one of those, and you can do almost anything with a horse thereafter. Just curious Larry, and thanks for including that line. It caught my attention right away (obviously).
My gaited horse was started with a sidepull/riding cavesson (bitless) by a classical dressage trainer. She had no experience with gaited horses but worked on suppleness. He never gaited as smoothly and squarely fourbeat as after his 3 month bootcamp with her. (he's now in a short-ish shank but that's because he's more relaxed with the indirect way it signals, through poll and chinstrap as well as the mouth. The weight of the rein is enough and I can ride him in a halter and get him gaited as well.)
Race horses have shoes with traction for the different track surfaces and to add stability to the hoof wall. Show horses don't usually need them. I rode hungter-jumper, then eventing, never once shoed a horse in 25 years. Healthy hoof, safe and thoughtful riding, and correct trimming/filing every week or so and there's no need.
Horses require shoeing for traction on slick surfaces, protection on rough surfaces, aid in correcting physical issues and for aid in balance and timeing. I'm not going further into this on a page where I see many advocating that you never even use a bit. Too many earth children here to bother further educating anyone.
Bot you guys negated something very, very important that is the ultimate foundation for EVERY horse - "gaited" or not..... Developing a proper regular walk before ever moving up in gait. I want to see this horse just WALK.
A single foot gait is a gait in certain horse's where only a single hoof is on the ground at any given time. At no point should all four hooves be off the ground at once during the single foot gait.
why dont u use an english hackamore ? i do and ,if a horse is brkoe a bitless is more natural way to go i dont even shoe them , but i do have epic glue boot always on hand if i need they . and i hardly do
My walkers are born naturally gaited but they sometimes i have one or two that wants to pace which is a two beat lateral gait, and with time they can be thought to four beat gait weather it be a rack or a running walk which is what there breed to do! A pace is just an easy lazy gait
Really, Mandy Marie? These are two highly respected legends in their field coming together to share knowledge with each other and with those of us who care for and about our horses. Maybe watch it again without such a jaundiced eye.
