>>> If we get back to the subject line of this thread, what the head does as the horse gaits is vitally important, and can be a sign of big problems, just as it can be a sign of a happy, comfortable horse. At that point, it's not simply "gait trivia" - it's a method for understanding the physical and emotional state of the horse. That should be important to all of us.
I wanted to add a personal detail here. Some of you will remember last summer, when Skjoni developed the SLIGHTLY stiff way of moving his head, shoulders and withers while being ridden. I wrote this up, telling about Cary trying the Sensation saddle, even though the FnE didn't appear to be a bad fit, and the change was instantaneous and it lasted. Skjoni's normal saddle rack was inching towards step pace too - NOT a good thing for a horse, especially one carrying a big rider. Cary is not going to become interested in the small differences between saddle rack, running walk and foxtrot. Those details simply aren't on his radar screen...and that's fine. He is, however, terribly interested in keeping Skjoni happy and healthy, and he is now keenly aware of the subtle symptoms his horse showed when the saddle became uncomfortable. While he isn't interested in learning to describe the different feel of running walk versus saddle rack, he can and does recognize when the horse's head and neck carriage change. I think that's easy enough for most riders to understand and learn. As long as Cary knows that the gait Skjoni is doing is almost perfectly smooth (in other words, hasn't moved to step-pace), and he can see that Skjoni's head is relaxed and free to move, I don't care if Cary never learns any more about gait definitions. Why? Because Cary has worked on becoming a balanced rider. He DOES place the saddle in a normal position, not on the horse's loins. He monitors the health of Skjoni's back regularly. He rides in a halter-bridle-sidepull combo, not with a tight noseband. He never uses heavy rein contact - Skjoni can use his head as he sees fit. He does keep in mind the physical condition that Skjoni is in at the moment. AND, he walks a good portion of each ride, only tolting (saddle-racking to be specific) when the footing is known to be suitable. Cary can recognize pace, and he can recognize trot, but in between, I'm not sure he'll ever be interested enough to learn the details. I'd say, and this is JMO, if you don't want to learn the differences in the soft gait, so be it...but if you are concerned about the long-term health and soundness of your gaited horse, you should find alternate ways of judging the horse's stiffness and comfort in the gaits he/she does. Karen Thomas, NC -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.7/711 - Release Date: 3/5/2007 9:41 AM "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/
