Question: Is pacing a gait? I'm suppose to ride an arab cross this sunday
for a racking test.
I've seen the mare walk,trot,pace and do what could possibly be another
gait.
I don't know enough about racking horses to determine if she's actually racking or if she's walking in front & trotting behind,Could you tell the footfalls in a true racking gait? Any help would much appreciated.
From Panelist Liz
Hi, Yes pacing is a gait just not one we really want to have a horse doing. It is very uncomfortable to ride and also can be very stressful to a horses body if allowed to do it to much.
If you are seeing something that gives the illusion of walking in front
and trotting behind this could actually be a fox trot. The rack is another
gait all together. In the rack you can see the legs on the same side lift
off the ground at the same time but they set down separately. It is and
even 4 beat gait . But the frame that the horse carries it's self is more
to a hollow back but not as hollow as the pace. Where the fox trot is more
to a slight rounded back.
I would like to recommend reading an article written by Lee Ziegler
that you can pull upon this Gaited Horses site called"Working
with Gaited Horses" How To Tell One Gait From the Other. This is a
wonderful article that goes into some simple to understand descriptions
of gait that will help you understand of the differences. Watching lots
of different gaited horse will also help to learn the differences.
Elizabeth
