Question: Are there different techniques for basic ground training of
a gaited horse? I am asking this for a friend of mine that has a 5 year
old Tenesse Walker that is only halter, tie and farrier broke.
Thanks for helping a friend help a friend, :-)
From Panelists Lee
The only difference in ground training for a gaited horse and a non-gaited
one are the easy gaits themselves. These are sometimes
difficult for a
horse to do in a small circle, and so do not always lend themselves
to longe
line or round pen work. However, with care, a horse can work
quite well on a
longe in the flat walk and slow running walk, and can benefit from
cavalletti
work on the longe to overcome a pace problem if it exists.
I find longe
work very useful for gaited horses, but I work with them on the
longe mostly
at a flat walk and ordinary walk .
Round pen work, for behavior, works fine for gaited horses as well,
but it is
not as precise for dealing with gait. Most of them are not built
to do fast
roll backs or spins at the gallop, so avoid doing those things in the
round
pen.
Long line driving is excellent for gaited horses, as long as the
trainer can
keep up with the horse!
So, the short answer is that the only difference in techniques with
gaited
horses involves being aware of what is physically possible for the
horse (no
running walk in a small circle) and working with the gaits that are
easiest
for the horse to use.
Lee Ziegler
