My background is dressage with some hunter/jumper/combined training mixed in. I did always ride my dressage horses out on trail because I think it helps them to relax and also to use their hind ends.
I readily confess to owning my first three gaited horses: TWH for two years, Icelandics a few months. I would be pretty happy to call this horse round. In this photo, even though Stormur is moving in a very lateral way, he's stepping well under himself. In my experience, perfection is hard to come by. If Hunter, the TWH, ever EVER moved this way (even at liberty) I'd throw a party. Because he is primarily a racking horse, he is usually ventroflexed. Because of my dressage background, it always seems wrong to me. I breathe a sigh of relief when he drops his head and really steps up under himself at the flat walk. Nancy - still learning
