Yeah, the recent Arab was Crabbet. A real sweetie, I should have cloned her. Can’t say I go in much for the mini-muzzled snake-necked sort of Arabian. They kinda look like aliens.
Anyway, I really appreciate all the input. I agree that temperament is of greater importance than gaited/not, but I was curious what Cothers might tell a rookie about the gaited thing.
I have a bad back and some health issues, so I bought a MFT mare (I later bought a mustang, not really sure where my brain went) to be my riding horse.
She was a broodmare and greenbroke, but she’s been one of the best horses I’ve ever had. She lacks a lot of confidence when alone but with patience and a firm hand, she will do whatever I ask and her spooks are mostly jumping in place.
She is smooth as silk when walking or gaiting. I can take her down a road, or up and through some rough terrain. She canters like a drunk camel though.
I bought her with a vet check that stated she was “open”…had a colt the following year. Whoops. He was an excellent little colt with a really nice MFT sire - kept him and put his first rides on him, then sold him because I knew I didn’t have time to start another horse, especially with this mustang needing more riding time.
I can think of several people who went to gaited horses for foxhunting, to avoid back pain and other issues of aging. My own non-horsey husband recently made noises that if we ‘had’ a gaited horse and he didn’t have to post the trot, he might be more inclined to ride more than once every 20 years or so. Based on my own experience, albeit limited, I think I would tend toward a TWH. But if I were to pursue such a thing, I agree, it would be important to road test a lot of different models before deciding.
You might be happy with a Rocky Mtn as they can flat walk as well as gait. There are some TWH that can’t walk to save their life and some have such a huge over stride behind that it’s uncomfortable for them to flat walk. Also, when you decide, you might want to invest in a saddle for gaited horses. A friend has a MFT and she battled saddle fit for a couple of years. Then she tried my DH’s Imus and it was like night and day. She ordered one the next day.
I have a half Arabian and a foxtrotter. My foxtrotter is an awesome trail horse and indeed his gaits are smooth as silk. His diagonal “normal” trot is a moon shot though.
Either way, he moves beautifully. Like others say, ride as many gaited horses as you can and see what you like to move with.
Or go find yourself a laid back Arabian if that is what you love!
Sorry for your loss.
[QUOTE=Epona142;7641909]
She canters like a drunk camel though.[/QUOTE]
Ha! So did my recent Arabian. Perfect description.
I’ve been on a Spotted Saddle Horse and a Missouri Foxtrotter. Enjoyed them both. I say go try a few 
No, get a hot OTTB mare and blast through your life with fun and speed. Fast horses, fast cars, fast men are the way for “mature” women to go through life!
Hi, do you realize that many Arabs can be gaited? All I’ve gotten out of mine was a fox-trot, but it was there and they produced it within the first three times I asked for it. The Kellogg ranch even managed to make *Raseyn (Crabbet) into a five gaited horse.
So if you fall in love with an Arab on your search do not give up hope for gaited riding comfort. I would look for a rectangular Arab (short legs) with a good over-stepping walk, at least this was the type of Arab that I succeeded in gaiting.
[QUOTE=The Crone of Cottonmouth County;7641485]
I recently had to put down my favorite little Arabian, and although it is a sad business I need to fill the vacancy so my herd functions properly. So I says to my sister I says, let’s go Arabian shopping! And she says back, “are you CRAZY, you’re 55 years old and a lousy rider and with your crappy bone density you’re just about one little snort-and-blow away from a broken hip.”
And she sent me this link as a joke. [If you don’t feel like clicking, it’s quite a handsome buckskin Missouri Foxtrotter who is dead broke and trick trained and has done time at Clinton Anderson’s. The video is pretty swanky and the NH dude riding the horse isn’t even a douche. They want every bit of $28,500 for this unshown 9-year-old gelding.] I laughed and laughed.
But it got me to thinkin’. At this point in my life I’m mostly just trail riding around the farm anyway. I have no real reason to buy another hot, exciting horse just because that’s what’s always been in that stall. Maybe my sister’s right. Maybe I do need a smooth, sure-footed, Western-y gaited packer (perhaps a slightly less expensive one than the buckskin) to tote my ass in comparative safety up to the mailbox and back.
But I know jack about gaited horses generally and even less than jack about the various breeds individually. As Bluey mentioned in another thread, they usually kind of look slightly crippled to me, but I could totally get over that if it meant my skeleton wouldn’t be rattling. Anyone got any suggestions? Can a crone transition to gaited at this late date? Where do I even start looking for one? Or should I just forget about it and take one of the free horses everyone and their dog is suddenly trying to give me?[/QUOTE]
Put it this way . . . 
I’m a former foxhunter, mad-dog Eventer and French-school dressage rider who formerly had Riding Gaited on the same list as galloping racehorses and winning the Tevis Cup–as in “things We Shall Never Get To Do.”
Friend dumped off a skinny old beast at my house for rehab; rehab went well, skinny old beast turned out to be a useful conveyance for trail-checking . . . and then one day, HOLY COW the trees are going by 9 mph and we’re still WALKING!! Wrote the check and the dear old boy lived out his life with me–and got me hooked.
And I have been in love with these beautiful, biddable, often quite flashy, useful and comfortable guys ever since! The first one is gone now, but I’ve got a young one I ride nearly every day and his “baby sister” being raised for me down South.
We were gaiting around a big open field yesterday, with the wild turkeys popping in and out of the mown-hay edge, and I started to giggle “Who EVER knew “Walking” was so much FUN?” If my eventing and dressage world peeps could see this now!
I’d go sit on a few and see how you like it! :yes:
[QUOTE=Tiger Horse;7641567]
Love the gaited breeds! The only thing to keep in mind, from my experience, if you ride with others on non-gaited horses - they will have a hard time keeping up with you! My trainer went out with me once - I was on my 14.3 gaited mare - she was on her 16.2 TB - the TB had to trot to keep up with our walk. And it was her flat walk! The other issue to be aware of is DSLD in some gaited breeds. Do your research before you buy. PS Sorry for your loss.[/QUOTE]
This. My 14.3 hander has made 2 extremely large and fit Hanoverians cry in their lathered lager on long trail rides. :winkgrin: You may EASILY find you’re running out of country before you run out of horse–happens to me pretty frequently these days.
This is a great discussion! I think gaited horses are great, especially if you are going to bum around and trail ride mostly. If you are really big into showing jumpers, western pleasure, dressage, etc. obviously, you want a horse well suited to that discipline (not that TWH or others can’t do those same things cuz they can!).
Gaited horses were actually bred for comfort on long distance rides, like trails, so they do excel at that. Their comfort and amazing demeanor make them well suited for trails. And their flashiness makes them good show mounts too.
Each person needs to decide what is right for them in the end. A horse is partner so take your time to find the right one. It’s just great to see so much openness to gaited breeds. My very classical dressage riding instructor is happy to work with me and my TWH (hopefully soon to be two!) and she has a MFT in training with her. No matter what breed or discipline, good riding is good riding, and bad riding is bad riding. The horse is only as good as the person riding it. Be cautious when buying gaited though- some gaited breeds trot or pace and do not gait properly. If you buy a gaited horse, you may as well make sure he/she gaits appropriately for the breed.
Please keep us posted on what you do!
If mine’s on the buckle, he dog walks…very easy for others to keep up, heck we ride in the back, middle or front all the time. The very adjustable ones are out there…and they’re fun 
I second the Mountain breeds as an option. I have a Kentucky Mountain Horse and all of his gaits are smooth as glass; he even has a nice trot. I like to change up between all of them. But the one thing he is NOT is fast… so if you’re looking for more of an ambling horse for going down the trail that won’t out-walk your friends, check out the Kentucky Mountains or Rocky Mountains; they won’t all amble but plenty do.
Also since you’re in Texas you might check out McCurdy Plantation Walking Horses; which are an offshoot of Tennessee Walkers, originally bred in Alabama. There’s a breeder in Athens, TX. I got to ride one of hers when I lived in Texas and like it very much. The ones I rode and have seen since have tended to be smaller than TWHs typically are and built a little more stocky like QHs.
Anyway have fun trying whatever you find. And do try lots, there’s much variation among and between the breeds.
I love my SSH gelding who has a ground eating walk that keeps me in the front on group rides and yet his gait is not super fast. He also canters nicely, so I’ve got the best of all worlds. His temperment is wonderful, easy keeper, gets along with other horses, is barefoot and rides in a short shank snaffle. I’ve had him almost 7 years and plan on keeping him til the end (he’s 12). I also have some back issues, but it never bothers me riding. (picking up poop sure does though)
I agree with the posters who say try a variety of breeds to see which horse works best for you. good luck and I hope you find a great one.
I recently heard of a the Marchador. (Brazil?). sort of an Andalusian but with a much smoother gait. Has anybody seen one?
[QUOTE=La Gringa;7642331]
I recently heard of a the Marchador. (Brazil?). sort of an Andalusian but with a much smoother gait. Has anybody seen one?[/QUOTE]
I’ve seen a few! 
We’ve owned and bred the Marchador horse since 1999. They can have three ways of going: the marcha batida, a broken trot; the marcha picada, a broken pace; and the marcha de centro, analogous the the running walk of a 1930s era TWH. The picada is the smoothest, the batida best for sport horse or very athletic disciplines, and the center march the ideal for a wide variety of activities.
A small percentage of Marchadors can perform all three gaits.
They do have a very Iberian “presence” but without some of the “fire” associated with the Paso Fino. They are slightly larger, running 14.2-15.2 in size. They are also somewhat heavier boned and of “stouter” build.
The picada type Marchador would be a good choice for anyone with back issues, knee issues, etc.
G.
I will second the “look for a horse you like and fits you”.
Breed, way of going, all that is personal.
I have ridden some gaited horses that were rougher than trotters and some trotters that were gliding along without being gaited at all, like our old paint.
Go try “horses”, of any kind or gait or size, until you find one you click with.
That makes the most sense, if you are not determined to get any one special type horse for a specific task.
I say go gaited!!! I am a 50+ yo former eventer/dressage rider with a bad back; these days I do foxhunting and trail riding. Used to think gaited horses were weird and NEVER thought I would own one. 6 months ago, after 2 years of looking for a new foxhunter, I took the plunge and bought a TWH/SSH who was formerly a bird dog field trials mount. This guy is BTDT and I LOVE him. Guess what - my back isn’t sore after 3-4 hours in the hunt field! Sure I get some strange looks but I don’t care. (“Is that a - gasp- gaited horse???”) I wish I had done this years ago.
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