Bringing back a rescue gaited horse

[RubySlippers]

So I have a rescue TW that I am pretty sure is full blooded but I have no proof. She was very skinny when she got to the rescue and had no muscle tone. Once she got to a healthy weight she still had no muscle but went back into work easy enough and seems to really love being worked, everything about her has improved. She now has muscle built up in her chest, neck and hips and her topline is still a little hollow but I’m finding it is because she hollows her back. She also paces and has yet to find her running walk. We have walked over hill and dale for months and taken things slowly and I have let her have her head and until the other night only rode in a hackamore.

Biggest question is getting her to use her back and cure the pace.
I have been told to do ground work and teach her to move off with her hind end first. I plan to do that and see where that gets me. I also plan to do a lot of pole work to get her out of the 2 beat pace and into a 4 beat walk.

Any other advice? Bear in mind that she is old and I don’t intend to show or have her do anything fancy. I just want her to find her rhythm so she can be more comfortable during her riding years.

[jdobbs64]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3k7rM1d7gQ

is a start.

The mare likely sorta does not know she has a hind end. Teaching them some lateral work can really help break up their feet. He has some other body control videos that may help.

[RPM]

Is there a good dressage trainer near you? One who is not prejudiced against gaited horses (one who doesn’t think gaited horses can’t “do” dressage)? I think that would help her learn to be forward, working from her hindquarters forward, and how to help you help her to carry herself.

Gaited horses can gait without hollowing their backs if they know how! I would imagine that with self-carriage and more topline muscle tone, she would be better able to find her four-beat lateral gait, whether it is a running walk, rack, amble, or whatever (you said you’re not positive she is a TWH).

[Palm_Beach]

I don’t know anything about gaiting, but I see no reason why you would not connect with her mouth. I find that horses come around much quicker when they are trained to respond correctly to the hands - it’s a form of communication and they are more relaxed and confident when you communicate with them and they understand how to respond.

A horse that is soft in the face will be soft in the body - it all starts with the mouth. A horse that braces in the mouth will brace in the body, and it will be hollow. I see that you’ve transitioned from the hackamore to a bit (I think) - what exercises are you doing so she responds correctly to the bit and stays relaxed and soft?

[Luseride]

You have to get her square and to do that you will need to make contact with her mouth. Gaited horses don’t really do well on a lose rein usually.

Uphill work is good for a horse that paces, engages the hind end. Downhill work is good for a trotty gaited horse.

She may just be bred to be pacey. Pacing is not that bad once you learn to ride it.

[walkinthewalk]

has she seen a chiropractor yet? I have had Walking Horses 26 years.

Except for the times one or two would mimic my Arab when trotting in the pasture, it has been my experience their skeletal system needed adjusted if they couldn’t hold their intermediate gait.

With the mare being a rescue, anything is possible. You have brought her a lonnnng way, please find a quality equine chiro and have her checked out:)

Beyond that, it is possible she isn’t a pure TWH. I once had an idiot neighbor who purposely bred her Arab mare to a beautiful registered TWH.

The colt was an equally beautiful Spotted horse that could have passed for a purebred TWH. The poor horse couldn’t gait to save his Soul and ended up getting sold. The new owner rode Walking Horses and did his own training on his trail horses. He couldn’t get the horse to gait either, and sold it to an endurance rider.

Best of luck with her:)

[CFFarm]

In order to use the topline (which includes the back) the horse has to be “through”. This means he completes the circle of energy from the hind leg, over the back, through the poll to the rider, back and around again. To be through the horse has to be “on the aids”.
That was a good video posted before but check out Jane Savoie’s videos as they are more “how to”. Enjoy the journey.

[RubySlippers]

I can get a dressage trainer out which I have thought about doing as well as a hunter trainer I have worked with who really helped me get my last horse to engage her back and hind end.

As for the bit I have been using a hackamore because I’m a softie and figured she may not need it. I have no idea what she was ridden with before bit the other night I put a simple copper d ring on her and she chewed the whole time and would lean her head and neck down pulling but not bad. She just acted like she hadnt had a bit in a long time. I was riding bareback so I could feel her back engage more so she was carrying herself differently for sure. I’m going to keep trying the bit but might switch to a French link and see if she likes that better than snaffle action.

We have been doing a lot of work on hilly trails and fields and that has helped a lot but because of the time change coming soon it gets dark so early that we have been stuck in the ring. For ring work I’m going to set up poles for walking over and work her that way so that she will be encouraged to walk not pace.

As for her breed it is obvious she has mostly Walker in her and the people that surrendered her said she was pure Walker. I have thought she might be crossed with something else simply because of her inability to do much besides pace and do other forms of weird “gaits” that aren’t quite right. We have only been working for about 3 almost 4 months though so I’m pretty take as much time as she needs.

I’ve just been told that pacing isn’t good for them and I know she needs to use her back more so I’m trying to find ways to help her stay sound and comfortable longer.

As for chiropractic work I’ve had massage done and she loved it and was going to bring the person out again soon. I just have to find a good chiropractic vet in the area.

[Guilherme]

If the horse’s “native gait” is to the lateral side (and most Walkers today pace to some extent vice “walk” because of generations of poor breeding practices) that is the “canvas” upon which you must work. You can’t change that. What you can do is work effectively with what you have.

First, ride the horse forward. This is contrary to what you’ll hear from most gaited horse folks as they have been taught to ride in a “chair seat” with the saddle towards the back of the normal range of positioning. This is done to “free up” the front end so that there is more “action.” That system does work, but the horse pays a price in their back and it impedes riding the horse “through.”

“Dressage” techniques can be questionable as Dressage riders don’t ride “forward” and that is what is required, here, to engage the back end. Don’t seek any sort of “collection.” You need to ride more like a fox hunter than a DQ. I recommend Common Sense Horsemanship by Vladimir Littauer. He has a very good and detailed program to bring a horse into the forward style of riding. It works with laterally gaited horse with only some minor “tweaking.”

If this is horse is a natural “pacer” (and it likely is) then you’re never going to get a true running walk. You can get a more centered gait that will easier on the horse. It will require more effort on the part of the rider.

Good luck going forward.

G.

[RubySlippers]

I also forgot to mention that she can trot all day long now that she is getting into shape. I haven’t really tried to canter her because I don’t want to push her into something wrong. She just recently started trying to trot under saddle and she actually has a fairly nice trot. I know that some TW can trot and have seen a few in the hunter ring who look great as wtc horses but those I’ve talked to about gaiting tell me to not let her trot at all.

[walkinthewalk]

From my perspective, if she is happier in a hackamore, leave her in it.

I bought my 22 yr old TWH when he was 2-1/2. The Seller said he was happiest in a hackamore. I tried everything, including a three ounce sweet bit.

He is still happiest in that mechanical hackamore; he consistently performs the champagne-smooth running walk people lust after. Meaning he was born to run walk and will do that, regardless of what is on his head:)

It sounds as if you are making every effort to do the right things with her. “G” offered up sound advice; he has had gaited horses more years than I have and has shown.

I am strictly a trail rider. FWIW, my heart TWH was a hard lateral pacer in the pasture. He never trotted. He performed a Stepping Pace, when being ridden, that was every bit as smooth as my horse that performs the run-walk.

[jeano]

You can ignore the people who tell you ‘don’t let her trot.’ There is much good information in Lee Zeigler’s book Easy Gaited Horses.
My very ‘trotty’ grade TWH took a couple of years before he was able to do a running walk. Before I got him someone had evidently invested some effort and dressage training in him. He is strictly a trail horse for me but when I first had him he’d do a very exaggerated chin tuck and collected trot when he was anxious. These days, he goes into a very pretty passage-like trot when he’s feeling pleased with himself. Otherwise, I get two trots out of him, a fast road trot that I can barely post, and a slower, very sittable trot that I can’t post at all, because the timing or something is off. It’s somewhere between a foxtrot and a foxwalk.

My grade racking mare has a bewildering range of gaits, many of them weird mixtures. She’s only paced under saddle a few times, rarely trots under saddle, but trots at liberty often. She can speed rack, saddle rack, and she can runwalk almost as fast as she can trot. She is bone lazy so preferred gait from her perspective is to mosey.

All of which is to concur that yes, gaits are hardwired. What I’ve found helpful for getting the best compromise of comfort for both me and my horses is to use a saddle they like and a bit they like and keep their hoofs trimmed religiously. (My horses are both barefoot. The gaiting isn’t nailed on. )

I really enjoy them. The walker cannot rack but he’s as forward and honest as the day is long. The racker doesn’t have an honest bone in her body, but she can fly.

[Rackonteur]

For ring work I’m going to set up poles for walking over and work her that way so that she will be encouraged to walk not pace.

How big is your arena? I once rode at a dressage barn that had a fairly small indoor, and some of the TWHs there had problems gaiting because of the turns. It wouldn’t be a problem in a huge arena; you need a long straightaway to work on their gait.

I second what the other person said about downhill work for trotting horses. Not down an actual hill, but a gradual down-slope, it helps them break up the trot into a four-beat gait. IME the four-beat would be the slow gait and rack, not a running walk, but four-beat is four-beat.

Some gaited horses have been ridden mostly in shanked bits and are trained to lean on the bit and take support from it, so your mare may have that experience. I’m not advocating a shanked bit, just saying what she may be used to. Gaited dressage horses gait perfectly well in snaffles, though, just like WTC dressage horses.

There’s always the traditional sit-back- put your feet in chair position method of encouraging a gait. It’s kind of the opposite of dressage training, but some gaited horses are used to it and do well with it.

But I also second the suggestion of working with a dressage trainer who believes gaited horses can do dressage. It is amazing how some dressage trainers don’t!

[RubySlippers]

If I could upload the video of her the other night I would. She is really heavy on the front end and light in the back. My friend walking behind us described it like she was walking in high heels so I think I’m going to get her adjuated. I also just had white line cut out of a hind hoof so that might help.

Her pace has been described as a stepping pace and depending on breeding that may be her gait. We only trail ride so I don’t need her to do much. I actually just got a lightweight Western saddle and will be trying that tomorrow. I think she has been ridden western most of her life so that may help. The English saddle fits her but at the same time I think it sits in the middle of her back and adds to the hollowness.

[RubySlippers]

If I could upload the video of her the other night I would. She is really heavy on the front end and light in the back. My friend walking behind us described it like she was walking in high heels so I think I’m going to get her adjuated. I also just had white line cut out of a hind hoof so that might help.

Her pace has been described as a stepping pace and depending on breeding that may be her gait. We only trail ride so I don’t need her to do much. I actually just got a lightweight Western saddle and will be trying that tomorrow. I think she has been ridden western most of her life so that may help. The English saddle fits her but at the same time I think it sits in the middle of her back and adds to the hollowness.

I also have the Lee Ziegler book and love it.

[jeano]

Is she shod? Asking because some farriers have it stuck in their heads that gaited horses ‘need’ long toes and worse. The only thing I’ve seen more of on gaited horses than long toes with broken angles is flank cinches with a foot of daylight between cinch and horse.

The high heels comment reminds me of a couple of things, firstly my mare who wants to grow a really tall hoof and starts looking like she’s got platform shoes, and my friend’s foxtrotter who ‘ropewalked’ in back when his feet were out of true…

[walkinthewalk]

[QUOTE=jeano;8912070]
Is she shod? Asking because some farriers have it stuck in their heads that gaited horses ‘need’ long toes and worse. The only thing I’ve seen more of on gaited horses than long toes with broken angles is flank cinches with a foot of daylight between cinch and horse.

The high heels comment reminds me of a couple of things, firstly my mare who wants to grow a really tall hoof and starts looking like she’s got platform shoes, and my friend’s foxtrotter who ‘ropewalked’ in back when his feet were out of true…[/QUOTE]

^^^Thats another good thought. I learned my lesson pretty fast with my first Walking Horse (about the long toes:(

Keep those hooves trimmed according to what they are asking for.

I didn’t use keg shoes either. I did a lot of hard trail riding across and down rocky rivers, in the rocks, shale, sand – everything.

My Step-pacer needed shoes and wore St.Croix Rim Shoes with half the nails being borium head nails.

My Running walk guy has hooves like a goat and only wore shoes a few times, when I wasn’t sure what we would be riding in ---- and his Generator-bred self has a Less-than-grade-1 club hoof.

I said all that to say definitely do NOT let anyone take you into some sort of “specialty shoe” to make the horse gait better. It’s a crock full of snake oil:).

---

If you have a decent sized pasture, watch the horse at liberty and video if possible. Sometimes that can tell a better story of what a horse can do.

My run-walk TWH does a rocking chair canter at liberty that would drop the jaw of any judge. He is stunning to watch but I don’t catch him at it too often.

[RubySlippers]

The horse is barefoot and comfortable that way so I have no plans of putting shoes on unless she needs them. I prefer a balanced hoof and don’t agree with the long toe crap that gaited trainers and farriers want.

[Guilherme]

[QUOTE=RubySlippers;8912633]
The horse is barefoot and comfortable that way so I have no plans of putting shoes on unless she needs them. I prefer a balanced hoof and don’t agree with the long toe crap that gaited trainers and farriers want.[/QUOTE]

It too me almost a year to train my farrier that MM horses don’t run “long and low.” He knew how to trim to anatomical correctness but assumed that I would want the “gaited horse trim” as I had gaited horses. It took him a while to trust that my words, in fact, represented my desires. He told me once, after he got to trust me, that more than one client said they wanted a “natural” foot but in fact wanted an “exaggerated gait.” He said it was nice to deal with someone who meant what they said!!!

His experience mirrors my own. I know a number of “sound horse advocates” who talk the talk but do not walk the walk. Fortunately the MM breed and show standards (real and written) pretty much track together so this is not an issue for us.

The search for “front end action” is ongoing as that means blue ribbons and that means higher stud fees and higher prices for foals that can deliver that action. In the Walker world breeding at the top levels produces horses that work well with devices vice horses that perform a correct running walk without them. A correct running walk is pretty comfortable but not particularly flashy. So if you want “splash and dash” like you get from ASBs or Park Horses you have to do what ASB and Park Horse trainers do. And maybe a lot more.

G.

[RubySlippers]

I have no desire for flashy moves and fancy feet. For me and this horse it’s all about having fun and enjoying ourselves. She will only ever be used for trails so I have no need to have a long toe and exaggerated movement. I just want to make sure she moves in a way that will keep her comfortable and happy. I’ve heard most people say that pacing isn’t good for their hind ends and back so I would prefer to work that away but I won’t pitch a fit if she can’t pick up a running walk.