>>>> We started off, and by the end of the driveway I knew I was in for it. >>>> That little mare was SO rough even at a walk, that I didn't know if I >>>> would survive the whole ride. I did survive amazingly. AND I certainly >>>> gave Hreggur a hug when I got home. Even at a walk he was 10 times >>>> smoother than that little mare.
If a horse is rough at a walk, then maybe something is up - a walk is a walk. But, regarding the other gaits: about 3-4 months after I bought Mac I was like, ok, NOW what? There was nothing appreciable to learn about riding from a horse that gaits and gaits and gaits and nothing else. He was too strongly lateral to even think about jumping, and dressage is a three-gaited sport. He couldn't even canter well, so forget about learning about leads, and of course, there was nothing to post to...and flying leads? No chance! I got Holly and Sundance, and occasionally rode Emily's Arab, Thunder...and then I started learning how to ride. I think it would have been a mistake for Emily to start riding on one of the walkers. By learning on Thunder with his "thunder-trot" she immediately learned to achieve a "Velcro butt." Seriously, I think kids SHOULD learn to ride on 3-gaited horses if at all possible, or at least on horses with non-soft gaits. .IF I ever get a grandkid, I'll be looking for a three-gaited Icelandic, or at least one with a very strong inclination to trot. :) BTW, Sundance did a jog that was smooth as silk to ride. He could also trot, but if I didn't want to post, I just said, "jog" and he did. His walk...well, it was just a plain old regular old walk. Karen Thomas, NC No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.1/1220 - Release Date: 1/11/2008 6:09 PM
