--- In [email protected], "Karen Thomas" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > I think Dawn brought up a good point. I'd never heard the "stiffness" trait > so strongly associated with pace until I got Icelandics. How true is this? > I guess my gut tells me that a lot of gaited horses get pacey when they are > stiff (or sore, uncomfortable, whatever) but I also see some horses trot > very stiffly - all breeds including Icelandics.
I'm not sure of the "why", but thinking back, I can think of quite a few stiff Icelandics. I was told that horses who tend towards pace can get stiff, I'm not totally sure if it happens this way, or the other way around, maybe from riding style, tight saddles, etc. Maybe it depends on the situation. I can think of a very pacey horse I was shown on video, pace at liberty, and he did look stiff, he was unbroken, unridden. I don't know. Kim
