"Pony-Gaited" horses help- ideas on how to lengthen stride?

[ihearttbs]

Hi,

I just adopted a 4 year old OTTB who’s been off the track for a year. He’s very athletic and is totally sound/has no soreness, but he doesn’t really step fully through with his hind end even when at liberty. It takes a lot of work to get him to track up at the trot and it seems like the only way he will track up is if he’s in an unbalanced, too forward trot. Has anybody had horses like this? Is it possible with consistent work to improve their movement?

Any suggestions on exercises to do?

Also what about shoeing, right now he only has front shoes, do you think hind shoes could help him?

[netg]

[QUOTE=ihearttbs;7865384]

Also what about shoeing, right now he only has front shoes, do you think hind shoes could help him?[/QUOTE]

Well, do his feet hurt? I mean are they uncomfortable at all, ever?

I don’t shoe my horses, but very strongly believe in hoof protection when working regardless of what type, if there’s even a question to ensure the horse is comfortable. I ride my TB in EasyBoot Gloves, and if we go to a show we do glue-ons.

As for the rest - yes, there’s hope. Teach the horse to relax and swing its back, and he will get there. It takes time, patience, and a belief in the gymnasticization of a horse with dressage. Many people are too impatient to do it, but it will definitely help your horse and improve his gaits.

My OTTB took about two years to figure out any kind of lengthening, and he can only do it if he’s very strong as it’s not natural for him - but when he is strong, he has huge lengthenings. I’d say work on it only as long as your horse can keep his balance, and don’t push for more than that. Learning to shorten the stride and doing many transitions will help him learn to lengthen the stride and build correct muscling to support it.

[MysticOakRanch]

I agree, start by making sure his feet are comfortable. Then - leg yield, ground poles, and lots of transitions, trot/canter/trot. It can take a while to get a Tbred’s back loose enough to open up the strides.

[Crash_Helmet]

In my experience, the key to breaking through the “pony gaits” is getting the back up via lots of bending. I focus on getting the horse over the back and supple laterally. This means lots of leg yield with the shoulders really leading–not the classical LY with a straight body but a schooling LY with the horse bent from nose to tail, really yielding to my inside leg. Lots of enlarging the circle - first in the walk and, once the horse understands, in the trot and canter. I even overyield/overbend my horse to get the hind leg stepping under my seat. I use the bend in counter position too.

Transitions, as noted above, are your friend. I focus on doing the transitions in shoulder fore position. You need to do them quickly so that, once you get the back up, it stays up through the transitions. When the horse starts releasing the back, the gaits will start to show the volume you’re looking for.

[Janet]

Horses with short strides usually ALSO have a quick rhythm.
In that case I would focus first on SLOOOWING down the rhythm.

[joiedevie99]

I would look at his SI. I spent years working on something similar with an OTTB. I wish someone would have told me then what an incredible difference an SI injection would have made, and how many OTTBs have issues in that area.

[FineAlready]

Pretty much exactly this.

You basically have to get the horse very supple, over a period of years, not weeks or months. But it does work. The horse probably won’t ever be a “big” mover, but can likely be improved substantially.

[QUOTE=netg;7865849]
Well, do his feet hurt? I mean are they uncomfortable at all, ever?

I don’t shoe my horses, but very strongly believe in hoof protection when working regardless of what type, if there’s even a question to ensure the horse is comfortable. I ride my TB in EasyBoot Gloves, and if we go to a show we do glue-ons.

As for the rest - yes, there’s hope. Teach the horse to relax and swing its back, and he will get there. It takes time, patience, and a belief in the gymnasticization of a horse with dressage. Many people are too impatient to do it, but it will definitely help your horse and improve his gaits.

My OTTB took about two years to figure out any kind of lengthening, and he can only do it if he’s very strong as it’s not natural for him - but when he is strong, he has huge lengthenings. I’d say work on it only as long as your horse can keep his balance, and don’t push for more than that. Learning to shorten the stride and doing many transitions will help him learn to lengthen the stride and build correct muscling to support it.[/QUOTE]

[ihearttbs]

Thanks everybody! That was helpful and encouraging. I never expected him to be an upper level dressage prospect, but I’m hoping with work his movement will improve since I’d like to event him when he’s ready. He does not show any signs o his feet hurting. He also doesn’t show any signs of overt back pain like my other horse, except that he does not like to stand for the mounting block. I might get him a massage, but I don’t want to start on SI injections. He’s only 4! Maybe robin would help him?

[ihearttbs]

*robaxin

[teacherlady]

My horse’s former owner told me that she helped him develop his longer stride by trotting him up lots of hills. He’s only 15h, but people often comment on his “big boy” trot.

[czdressage]

I like to use trot poles. I like to use this method because it helps develop the muscles you need under saddle without the added weight of the rider.

Start by lunging the horse over them. This teaches them to lift higher by flexing their joints more. You need the increased engagement to help them to step under further. Gradually increase the distance between the poles to teach the horse to lengthen his stride. When the horse is comfortable doing this, you can ride the horse over the poles. I agree that short strided horses are often too quick, so it is important to keep the tempo slow when going over the poles.