[Ag-eq] Welcome

Fri Jan 24 03:48:01 UTC 2014

Hi Jewel:

I'll try and explain the fox trot; I still can't really get a mental picture of
it!

In a correct fox trot it looks as if the horses hind legs are trotting while the
front legs are doing an extended walk.  Cruiser's fox trot is extremely smooth;
I'm told that he has a text book fox trot.  It feels as if you are gliding; the
horses back should stay quite level while in the fox trot.

Cruiser can do a slow walk, which we refer to as the dog walk.  He can do a flat
walk, which is an extended walk; it was developed to cover more ground.  He can
do a fox trot, which I've already described.  He also has a beautiful rocking
horse canter, which is also very smooth.

People with gaited horses do not want them to do the traditional trot.  The
ability to gait well is a combination of genetics, training and the riders
ability.  Cruiser is genetically hard wired to gait; I can't take any of the
credit.  To the best of my knowledge he has never done a traditional trot.

Most people with gaited horses do not want them to pace either.  A pace is a 2
beat lateral movement and can be quite jarring.  Although, I'm told that it is
comfortable on some horses.  I believe the pace was developed for carriage
horses.

I used to ride a friends Tennessee Walker who would sometimes pace.  I found it
to be very uncomfortable.  He had a very nice flat walk and a nice running
walk.  A running walk is basically the same as a flat walk, just faster.  This
particular horse had to have a lot of training before he gaited well.  If I
ever got sloppy with my riding he would start pacing.  I would then have to
adjust my seat and reins to get him to gait again.

Sometimes when I get sloppy with Cruiser his fox trot won't be quite as smooth.
As I said before he has never trotted and I don't think he's ever paced either.

There is so much to know about gaited horses and I'm still learning all the
time.

Quoting Jewel <jewelblanch at kinect.co.nz>:

> I read a book many years ago, about American show horses, called "Riding
> High" and it spoke of the
> 5-gaited American horse and explained the action of the foxtrot, but it was
> so long ago that I have
> forgotten.
> I think that it said the forelegs were in a trot while the hindlegs were in a
> canter;  I just could
> not picture  it,:  after all:  just how many different gaits can you get out
> of 4 legs?
> I do not move in horse circles:  not actual ones you understand:  any more,
> and, no doubt, some of
> our Kiwi western riders may teach the foxtrot, but, Nella, could you draw a
> verbal picture of the
> gait?.
> One awful practice that was common in those days amongst those who showed
> horses was to break the
> dock and  strap it upright, so that when the fracture knit that was its
> permanent position!
> I hope that practice has been outlawed, but in a country where dog's ears are
> cropped and made to be
> pricked when dropped ears is the norm for the breed, who knows?
> Twice in my riding life, I had horses who could do a fantastic gait. like a
> very slow trot that I
> could sit to without the merest suggestion of a bump, and without having to
> keep my knees clamped to
> the horse's sides.
>   one was a pacer and the other was Boss, the thoroughbred that I wrote of in
> a post of a couple of
> months back.
>
> I never thought of asking what the configuration of the horse's legs was when
> it was doing this
> trot?  As one of the horses was a pacer, could it have been a pace?  but it
> would have been
> surprising if the thoroughbred could do it without hobbles, but he could!  It
> was the smoothest and
> most relaxing gait/pace  to ride to!
>
>         Jewel
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: <nfoster at extremezone.com>
> Sent: Friday, January 24, 2014 2:13 PM
> To: "Agricultural and Equestrean Division List" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] Welcome
>
> Hi Jody:
>
> it sounds as if Florida is much cooler than Arizona.
>
> I'm hoping we will get a couple of freezes so the insect population won't be
> so
> bad this summer.
>
> How are your young horses and what have you been doing with them?
>
> Have you been riding the older horse any?
>
> I've been getting some great rides in.  Cruiser and I seem to be a better
> team
> each time I ride.  I've been working on his transission from fox trot to
> canter.  I'm also working with him on keeping a consistant speed in both the
> fox trot and canter.  I've also been trying to get him to extend his flat
> walk,
> but he tends to go into the fox trot instead of lengthebing his stride.  I
> may
> have to get a trainer to help me with that one.
>
> Please write and update us on the horses.
>
> Nella
>
>
>
>
> Quoting Jody W Ianuzzi <jody at thewhitehats.com>:
>
> > Welcome to the new members to the list.I am Jody with husband Tom and owner
> > trained guide dog Walker
> >
> > We live on a 5 acre farm in central Florida with three horses and three
> > chickens.  We have a large garden which is a source of frustration with
> > weather, rabbits and horses who are determined that everything I grow never
> > reaches the table.  This is the usual beginning of our growing season but
> > northern temperatures have everything on hold.  We actually take the summer
> > off for growing because it is too hot.
> >
> > We used to live in New Hampshire and I am more familiar with northing
> growing
> > methods so growing a garden here is a new learning experience.  We have a
> > great Cooperative Extension and they are very helpful.  We just attended a
> > seminar on Florida gardening which was great.
> >
> > Stay warm everyone except Jewel who is in the middle of summer in New
> > Zealand.  How is your garden this summer Jewel?
> >
> >
> > JODY
> >
> > "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance!" Thomas Jefferson
> >
> > On Jan 23, 2014, at 10:21 AM, nfoster at extremezone.com wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > Tracy:
> > >
> > > It is suppose to be 75 here today.
> > >
> > > Yesterday reached 77.
> > >
> > > We are having an unusually warm winter even for Phoenix.
> > >
> > > Nella
> > >
> > > Quoting Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net>:
> > >
> > >> Well Nella and Jody, the thermometer said 5.5 degrees when I got up this
> > >> morning. Brrr!  Yesterday when I went to the gym, I made my Seeing Eye
> dog
> > >> wear his sweater and boots.  He wasn't too happy about it, but he was
> warm
> > >> and dry.
> > >> I really wish I'd done more to protect my tender perennials.  It doesn't
> > >> usually stay cold for long here, but this winter has been really nippy.
> > >> Tracy
> > >>
> > >>
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