[AG-EQ] question about trotting..

Denver Jones emfs1969 at gmail.com
Sat Nov 25 20:58:08 UTC 2023 

In my seven years of sitting on this list, I have never heard anyone talk about harness horses. It is nice to finally meet another blind person that knows of my pleasure. I was a harness horse trainer for 20 years in the commercial world. I now train my own horses privately with a lead trainer of record.  If you watch the Meadowlands simulcast frequently, you may note it is called breaking stride. Though I’m not sure it is excitement, it typically occurs when there is something wrong with the horse or something has hit the horse, or they are in fear of something hitting them. Typically we can train that out of a horse. However, there is always that occasional freak incident.


Denver A. Jones, D.D.

> On Nov 25, 2023, at 13:56, Tracy Carcione via AG-EQ <ag-eq at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> No, I love hearing about horses!
> I know a bit about harness racing, which is what standard-breds do.  They
> have trot races and pace races, so they use both kinds, trotters and pacers.
> And, if a horse gets too excited and starts going in a different gait, his
> driver has to slow him down and get him back into the right gait, which
> usually takes him out of the running. 
> The Meadowlands broadcast always includes the horses speeding up in the
> rolling gate before they open the gate and set them off, or however they do
> it, so you hear all the horses trotting before the race starts.  It sounds
> very cool.
> Tracy
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: AG-EQ <ag-eq-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Nella Foster via AG-EQ
> Sent: Saturday, November 25, 2023 1:45 PM
> To: 'Agricultural and Equestrean Division List' <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: jellybeanfarm at gmail.com
> Subject: Re: [AG-EQ] question about trotting..
> 
> 
> Tracy:
> 
> You're correct, a trot is a 2 beat diagonal gait.  There is a short moment
> when all 4 feet are off the ground.  A fox trot is considered a broken
> diagonal gait since the horse is always in contact with the ground.
> 
> Yes, there is a Tennessee Walking Horse.  There movements look like the walk
> but at different speeds.  They can do the usual walk and a running walk,
> which is just a very fast walk.  There stride tends to be quite long.  They
> are usually tall, with long legs.  They can also do a canter.
> 
> The Missouri Fox Trotter tends to have a shorter stride; they can walk, fox
> trot and canter.  
> 
> Not all gaited horses gait well, some of them trot and pace which isn't
> desirable.  A pace is a 2 beat lateral gait.  I think it is what the sulky
> racing horses do.  It is not comfortable to sit.  I think those are called
> Standard Breds, but not sure.
> 
> Well, that is probably more information than you ever wanted.
> 
> Nella
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: AG-EQ <ag-eq-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Tracy Carcione via AG-EQ
> Sent: Saturday, November 25, 2023 11:20 AM
> To: 'Agricultural and Equestrean Division List' <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: carcione at access.net
> Subject: Re: [AG-EQ] question about trotting..
> 
> I can't even picture that.  I thought trotting had to do with how they move
> their legs in concert with each other, but I guess not. 
> Isn't there another smooth-gaited horse called a Tennessee walker, or
> something like that?
> Tracy
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: AG-EQ <ag-eq-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Nella Foster via AG-EQ
> Sent: Saturday, November 25, 2023 11:22 AM
> To: 'Agricultural and Equestrean Division List' <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: jellybeanfarm at gmail.com
> Subject: Re: [AG-EQ] question about trotting..
> 
> 
> Tracy: I have a Missouri Fox Trotter, but they do not do a classic trot.  He
> does what is called a fox trot, which looks like he is walking with the
> front legs and trotting with the back legs.  It is very comfortable.
> 
> Nella
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: AG-EQ <ag-eq-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Tracy Carcione via AG-EQ
> Sent: Saturday, November 25, 2023 9:30 AM
> To: 'Agricultural and Equestrean Division List' <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: carcione at access.net
> Subject: Re: [AG-EQ] question about trotting..
> 
> Hi Nella.
> I didn't know this list still existed, either!
> 
> Don't or didn't you have a kind of horse bred for a smooth trot?  A Misouri
> something-or-other?  Sounded very nice when you described it.
> Tracy
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: AG-EQ <ag-eq-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Nella Foster via AG-EQ
> Sent: Saturday, November 25, 2023 9:57 AM
> To: 'Agricultural and Equestrean Division List' <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: jellybeanfarm at gmail.com
> Subject: Re: [AG-EQ] question about trotting..
> 
> 
> Madison:
> 
> I didn't even know this list was still operating.
> 
> I don't think the height of the horse has anything to do with how smooth the
> trot feels.  I've ridden short horses that had very nice trots and some that
> were very rough.  The same thing goes with tall horses.
> 
> Do you know the breed of the horse, I think that can make a difference.  The
> horses that I've ridden that were trained for western pleasure were very
> smooth and they were quarter horses.  I've ridden a couple of thoroughbreds
> and one was smoother than the other.
> 
> Maybe you could build confidence by riding a horse that you know you can
> stop quickly.  Try trotting just a few steps at a time and slowly build up
> your confidence.  Practice transitioning between the walk and trot; if you
> can control the speed you will have less fear.
> 
> Good luck.
> 
> Nella
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: AG-EQ <ag-eq-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Madison Martin via AG-EQ
> Sent: Friday, November 24, 2023 10:38 PM
> To: ag-eq at nfbnet.org
> Cc: Madison Martin <madison.martin2000 at outlook.com>
> Subject: [AG-EQ] question about trotting..
> 
> Hi all,
> I've been riding for 11-12 years but trotting still really scares me (I
> think it stems from when I fell off of the first pony I ever took lessons on
> because he took off and I couldn't get him to halt and whenever there's an
> increase in speed I expect something bad to happen even when my instructor
> is holding the horse). I've mostly ridden horses that were pretty much
> ponies or actual ponies; one taller horse I rode I only rode twice because
> he developed some nerve issue and the other taller one I rode was so
> stubborn that I don't even remember what her trot felt like because I was so
> focused on keeping her going that I don't remember what it felt like. So do
> taller horses have a smoother trot or do the words trot and smooth just not
> go together? If taller horses are smoother then do you think  riding a
> taller horse might help me get over my fear? My instructor and I have talked
> about me doing dressage but in order to do that I'd have to get over my fear
> of trotting. Please be 100% honest  I really hope you do as I look forward
> to reading what anyone has to say. 
> Madison
> Hi,
> I know we don't know each other but because you're an English coach I want
> your thoughts on something. I'm totally blind and I've been riding for 11-12
> years but trotting still really scares me (I think it stems from when I fell
> off of the first pony I ever took lessons on because he took off and I
> couldn't get him to halt and whenever there's an increase in speed I expect
> something bad to happen even when my instructor is holding the horse). I've
> mostly ridden horses that were pretty much ponies or actual ponies; one
> taller horse I rode I only rode twice because he developed some nerve issue
> and the other taller one I rode was so stubborn that I don't even remember
> what her trot felt like because I was so focused on keeping her going that I
> don't remember what it felt like. So do taller horses have a smoother trot
> or do the words trot and smooth just not go together? If taller horses are
> smoother then do you think  riding a taller horse might help me get over my
> fear? My instructor and I have talked about me doing dressage but in order
> to do that I'd have to get over my fear of trotting.
> Please be 100% honest.  I look forward to reading what you have to say. 
> Madison 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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