Training the Gaited Trail Horse: Developing the Gear Box

Ever ask yourself what is the difference between a gaited horse breed, and non-gaited horse breed? Several good books have been written on this subject, but there still remains an extreme amount of confusion regarding the difference. The best way to remember the difference is the gaited horse has the ability to add speed to the walk. When you ride a nice western pleasure quarter horse, and add to speed to the walk, nine times out of ten you will go into a trot. Keep adding speed to the trot, more than likely, you'll get a canter. This horse does not have the ability to add gaited speed to the walk. When you go to race track and watch the pacing horses add speed to the walk, nine times out of ten, you will get a pace. Keep adding speed, more than likely, you will pace the horse into a canter. Again, this horse does not have ability to add gaited speed to the walk. In the equine world there are two types of horses. At one end of the scale is a diagonal horse, and the other end of the scale is the lateral horse. So it would be fair to say, horses born into this world are pre-programmed, depending on their genetics, to trot or pace. Using the same scale, our gaited horses fall between the trot and the pace. Thus, we identify them as the middle gaits. The flat foot walk is found in the middle gait along with the foxtrot, running walk and rack.

Now here is where the confusion hits us head on. Your gaited horse is multi- gaited, meaning he can perform all the aforementioned gaits in less than ten strides. To make matters even more confusing, he can add speed with variations of footfall. Deep inside your gaited horse's mind is a gene that allows him this wonderful ability. When your gaited horse is born his gait is pure in movement. These pure movements are easy to observe, and will stay for approximately six months then the footfall patterns will move into gait scale of mixing and matching. Now all of this sounds technical, but it's not. When I use the term gaited speed I'm referring to the horse's ability to add speed to the walk and separate his feet into a four beat evenly timed gait. (See Gait Scale Chart in images)

Developing a gearbox in the flat foot walk is the key to keep confusion out of the gait. A gearbox on your tractor or truck allows you to add speed in whichever gear you select. The gearbox selected will not break into a faster gear. To better understand this, drive your car in low gear. Notice you can add a variety of speeds without the vehicle changing into faster gears. What the gearbox allows for the trail horse is the opportunity to develop his natural gait, adding speed to the walk without shifting into a pace or trot. With non-gaited horses you can cruise with an automatic transmission. Just add speed from the walk you'll get a trot or pace depending on what you're riding. With the gaited horse we want an automatic transmission that ranges from a dog walk to a flat walk by adding speed slowly, giving the horse time to separate his feet. Teaching your horse to walk out fast, believe it or not, is done slowly. It should be noted that all horses do an ordinary walk. So, no matter what gaited horse you choose to ride, you can develop a good flat walk that makes a great trail horse.

To get started you will need a snaffle bit, four ground poles, and the art of slow. Teaching your horse to do an ordinary walk or dog walk is the first priority. Let the horse walk on a loose rein, no contact, just a relaxed easy four steps going forward. He will, in time, learn to drop his head stretch out to the bit. If his head remains high, and his back hollow, here is where we use the cavalletti to help achieve relaxation, and start dog walking. Place four cavalletti on the ground approximately 8 feet apart. You can use boots for protection on young horses if you desire. Take a few minutes to lead the horse over the ground poles from the ground to get him used to the footing. Under saddle start the horse walking over the first cavalletti. You may find some hesitance, just keep urging the horse forward free and on a loose rein. It's been my experience, after the second attempt, the horse will start walking on his own account and will need little coaching from you. Look for the horse to drop his head and feel for his back to rise. When he lowers his head, and raises his back, you are now separating his feet in the art of slow.

Now don't despair, you will not create high hock action. Just keep working with the horse, and feeling the horse separate his feet. Use this pattern two or three times a week. Gradually build up to about 15- or 20-minute sessions. In a couple of weeks you will have the dog walking muscle memory carved in stone. Take some contact with the bit, low hand set, and squeeze with your legs and just ride a notch faster then the dog walk.

You're now on your way to flat foot walking. Going back and forth riding slowly between in the dog walk and the flat walk is a good transition for developing a great gearbox for fun trail riding.
_______________________________________

About Gary Lane
Gary currently works as a detective with the Kentucky State Police, and has served in the National Guard for 20 years, teaching leadership skills at the Kentucky Officers Candidate Academy , as well as serving in Desert Storm. His passion, however, is training the gaited horse, and teaching people to train their own horses.

Gary has shown walking horses extensively over the years, winning several championships. He is also the recipient of the Phoenix Award given by the National Walking Horse Association in recognition of sound training practices, and rehabilitation of abused walking horses.

Gary is certified as a Natural Horsemanship Clinician, and adapts that training, as well as dressage exercises, to enhance the gaits of the walking horse. Gary believes that something can be learned from all horse disciplines. Visit www.windsweptstables.net to learn more.