>>>>> Definitely lots of those - riding serpentines and circles etc. Also >>>>> plenty of hill work if possible, preferably on a loose rein. A mare I >>>>> have who is hard wired for pace and does nothing else in the field or >>>>> under saddle will actually trot in sea water about 18" deep if you drop >>>>> the reins and sit very still.
>>Sounds much nicer than boring old trot poles. Trot poles and cavaletti are good to use though, especially in some situations. They were part of the program the acupressurist /massage person recommended for Loftur's back problem. He said to trot him over the trot poles and to walk him over the caveletti, in his case, as groundwork. Ironically, Loftur isn't as pacey as we first thought either. It turned out that he was very stiff from the old injuries and once we got him loosened up, he actually trots (occasionally) in the field. I think it's ok to try taking the pacey horse over trot poles and/or caveletti. If however, the horse remains pacey and simply can't break up the pace easily, I sure hate to keep trying to make them do something they just weren't meant to do. I think it's just as bad to try to force a pacey-built horse to trot as it is to force a three-gaited horse to "tolt." Paceyness has so many causes. Sometimes it's just conformational and you can't do much about it. Sometimes it indicates pain - Loftur's gaits sure became less lateral as we addressed his pain. Even Skjoni, poster child for an ideally gaited horse, started getting pacey when he outgrew his saddle - that happened with Sina with many saddles. And my multigaited horses can get a little pacey when they get distracted or tense - if, for instance, there's an altercation back in their pasture, or if they want to go the same direction as their friends. Karen Thomas, NC No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.10/1240 - Release Date: 1/23/2008 5:47 PM
