>>>> She's raising her hind leg a little higher than normal, so maybe it's because of the height of the grass, which may be throwing off the impression that the picture gives us, but it's pretty close to a fox trot in these comparison pictures.
When I was talking about not worrying about knowing all the fine distinctions between gaits yesterday, this is what I was talking about. I see the sight break in this trot, but a single photo can't tell us everything. I'd say if we can all start to see that first) this is a diagonal gait, and second) the pair may not be in perfect synchrony, we're onto a good start. BTW, Denise, that sort of minor off-timing may not mean much because as the foals mature, they go through some odd grow phases and their gaits show it. BUT, I think even that slightly off-timing can be important to note. When I first got Melnir, my eyes were trained enough, and all I saw him doing was trotting. I took oodles of still photos though, and was very surprised to see loads of broken trot pictures, some even more broken than this one. My untrained eyes just didn't see it then...and I wouldn't swear that I could always see it in other horses even now. Too many people (not anyone in particular I can think of on this list) seem to think that horses can magically just trot in the pasture then miraculously "tolt" under saddle. But, we know that some horses do appear trotty, but are quite naturally gaited when ridden, even the first time - while some horses simply can't gait easily and will always be 3-gaited. I was absolutely dumbfounded to find out how easy Melnir, the guy I first thought trotty, could gait under saddle from the very first, no odd riding, no heavy contact, saddle in a normal position...Since we started Melnir here, I KNOW he was never forced to gait, and it's all his. Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED]
