On 11/26/07, Karen Thomas <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >>>> mainly because i think discouraging gait is about as bad as discouraging > >>>> non-gait, that you should let a horse gait the way it does naturally and > >>>> enjoy it which most people do, like Raven etc. > > > Good point, Janice. There are Icelandic's who can't trot easily and > Icelandic's who can't gait easily, as well as plenty in the middle, those who > go out alone freely and those who don't. How did Anna phrase it...? "...but > I'm having fun with my horses and isn't that really all its about. I'll take > things as they come." I really liked that quote.
yes! all that is so true. but then you have to remember the horses like fox, who gait smooth ( a saddlerack) when tense and afraid, but do a different relaxed smooth gait (runningwalk) when feeling safe. So which is a smooth natural gait in this case? A runningwalk I think. because in order to saddlerack he has to stiffen himself and be rigid with fear/tension. it would be terrible to ask him to be that way every time. and like lee z told me one time about stonewall, a nervous high headed tense horse is not going to relax if in a bit or contrived headset that wont let him lower the head. So there are other things can make a horse tense. a bit that makes him hold his head high and keep his neck rigid will make a horse nervous, tense, fearful also. janice-- yipie tie yie yo
