[AG-EQ] question about trotting..

[David Andrews]

I grew up in New Jersey, and used to hear the 
Harness Race results on the radio. I have never 
heard them anywhere else. Don't know if this is 
because they aren't broadcast, or harness racing is only in the New York area?

Dave

At 04:08 PM 11/25/2023, you wrote:
>Nella,      I am a 54-year-old man. Widowed 
>three years now. I grew up around harness horses 
>and the horse racing industry. At the age of 
>five, I was jogging my own horses by age 13 I 
>was able to obtain my county fair and matinee 
>license as a driver. A driver by the way sits 
>behind the horse on a sulky. By age 15 I had my 
>class L trainers license and by age 16 I had my 
>class G trainers license. A class L License 
>allowed me to train horses that were registered 
>in my name only.  a class G trainers license on 
>the other hand is a general class license, 
>enabling me to train anybody’s horse. My first 
>real job on my own, I trained a mayor by the 
>name of green with envy. She said a track record 
>at the Meadowlands that was unbroken for 25 
>years.  Not my horse, of course but I enjoyed 
>the privilege of being listed as her trainer. It 
>was an amazing accomplishment for a young man 
>like me. As I said, I’ve trained for more than 
>20 years before losing my vision. Since losing 
>my vision 11 years ago I have only been able to 
>train my own horses. Not because I’m not 
>capable , but because I can only hold a class L 
>License now once again. Denver A. Jones, D.D. > 
>On Nov 25, 2023, at 16:19, Nella Foster via 
>AG-EQ <ag-eq at nfbnet.org> wrote: > >  > I'm so 
>excited that this list is still alive.  I don't 
>know what happened to the people that use to be 
>here. > > Denver I hope you will tell us more 
>about yourself and harness racing. > > Nella > > 
>-----Original Message----- > From: AG-EQ 
><ag-eq-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Denver 
>Jones via AG-EQ > Sent: Saturday, November 25, 
>2023 2:58 PM > To: Agricultural and Equestrean 
>Division List <ag-eq at nfbnet.org> > Cc: Denver 
>Jones <emfs1969 at gmail.com> > Subject: Re: 
>[AG-EQ] question about trotting.. > > 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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