Question: This is a wonderful 2-year old colt sired by a foundation
quarter
horse and out of a Standardbred pacing mare. The mare does rack. When
the
foal was first born, he would gait out in the pasture. Now that he
is being
saddle broken, his trainer says he will not gait at all. He has the
relaxed,
easy gait of a quarter horse. Is there any way to encourage this horse
to
gait, or would it be a lot of trouble with special shoeing, etc. ?
I want to
keep him because he has a fantastic dispostion, but I would like him
to gait
too.
From Panelist Nancy
.If this colt was gaiting out in pasture, he is able to gait. Seems
like your trainer does not know how to get it. Does he ever hit an ambly
walk? If he does, tell your trainer to develop the gait from that. If he
doesn't ever do an ambly walk, then the trainer must work to develop it. At
this time, he should not allow him to jog or trot, but should concentrate on
developing the gait. It might take quite a bit of patient and dedicated
work, all the while insisting on the walk and what can be derived from it.
Don't go to any fancy shoeing. Remember, he didn't need it out in pasture.
Nancy
From Panelists Lee
You are fighting genetics here -- this horse may not be born to
rack. Babies frequently do rack -- even those of non gaited breeds
-- and
lose the ability as they mature. Of course, at 2 this colt is
hardly mature
... but that is another question entirely.
I think to rack him, if he has the ability at all, a different bit might
be
indicated ... I am assuming the bit you are using is a normal snaffle
without shanks. Since this horse needs to raise his head and
tighten his
back to rack, that bit is not the best choice. A regular curb
(for which he
is not ready at this age) or even a wonder bit might work better.
Better
would be to leave him alone to mature for a year, do the basics (right,
left, stop) and then teach him to gait if he can learn as a 3 year
old.
Good luck.
Lee Ziegler
