>>> Generally, but not always, it is easier for a 4-gaited horse to be a good jumper with a rider.
Yes, I think so, and then there are the ones who are sufficiently gait-challenged that even calling them "four-gaited" is a stretch. I'd MUCH rather see a three-gaited horse (like Reddi - Robyn and Christine sold him to us as 3-gaited) checked out for hunter pony potential than to see someone try to force him to tolt. One could look at a horse like Reddi as an "inferior" gaited horse...or you can choose to look at him as a wonderful marginally-to-non-gaited horse, with tons of other potential uses. I prefer to see Reddi as a wonderful virtually-three-gaited horse. Tivar too. And on the other hand, I think it's shameful for someone to take a strongly gaited horse and try to shape them into a hunter-pony mold, when that's not what they are cut out to be. With the variation of gaits found in this breed, there SHOULD be a horse with the suitable degree of gaitedness-vs-trottiness for about everyone. >>> Jumping well without a rider does not mean they can do the same with a rider. I'd even go so far as to say I think generally there is very little relationship. Horses generally jump very low fences in most show classes, at least compared to pasture fences or stall doors, and their motivation is much different. Also, many young horses are prone to jump tiny streams or tiny logs, simply because of inexperience - they don't have the perspective to know how much they need to jump. A horse that jumps in a ring or in shows will quickly develop perspective and won't waste any energy. Over-jumping in a class is faulty. Hunters should jump the height necessary to clear the obstacle, but no more. Eitill jumped out of a stall last summer, but I don't think he has the most potential as a "jumper" - it would be a shame to waste his gaitedness to concentrate on building a strong-enough trot and canter. I'll take Eitill just as he is...and if I want to jump one of my Icelandic's, well, Sina and Falki are right here. (Reddi and Tivar would have been on that list, but they moved on to new homes with greener pastures...) Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED] "The greatest enemy of the truth very often is not the lie- deliberate, contrived and dishonest -- but the myth -- persistent, persuasive and unrealistic." "All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." ~ Arthur Schopenhauer [] The video every Icelandic Horse owner should have: http://IceHorses.net/video.html [] Lee Ziegler http://leeziegler.com [] Liz Graves http://lizgraves.com [] Lee's Book Easy Gaited Horses http://tinyurl.com/7vyjo [] IceHorses Map http://www.frappr.com/IceHorses [] IceHorses ToolBar http://iceryder.ourtoolbar.com/ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IceHorses/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IceHorses/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
