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>I have puzzled for many years about what
Remington is doing on the trail. I've always thought he was trotting but
wondered why other people with Icelandics talk about how rough their trots
are while
my horses were so smooth.<
My Soley's trot is to die for -- VERY smooth, but not very animated (i.e.
possessing a lot of lift). I've always joked that I could turn around
backwards and do my nails if I wanted while she trots. Eitill meanwhile,
has a BIG, bouncy-flouncy trot. I honestly had to learn how to stay on
him initially when he trotted, then eventually, to sit it! I felt like a
complete beginner in the saddle again when he trotted. Now, in time, I
don't know if Eitill got smoother or I just got used to his trot, but it
didn't seem so bouncy. Smoothness of the trot seems to be a horse by
horse thing, although I think more Icelandics tend to be relatively smooth
in the gait.
> . . . other Icelandics behind me . .. they would say that Remington was
tolting or "shuffling" (especially when going downhill quickly) when I
thought he was trotting. Experienced endurance riders would ride behind us
and ask what gait he was doing. I would say trot and they would say they
didn't think so.<
You know John, I think it's a matter of what is the familiar to whoever is
describing the gait they see. So many Icelandic horse folks have only had
Icelandics as their gaited horse "default", so-to-speak, so whenever they
see any type of soft gait, it's automatically deemed a tolt, or some form
there-of. It just kills me when I hear of someone having a naturally
foxtrotting Icelandic (or an Icelandic with a running walk) that they think
they have to "fix" for possessing this "faulty tolt". I mean, if you're
not destined for the Icelandic show ring. . . Hello???? : )
I would be willing to bet Remington foxtrots. If you feel he is
trotting -- after all your hours in the saddle and knowing this horse
backwards, upside down, and sideways - he probably IS doing some kind of
trot, such as the foxtrot! Plus, if the other endurance riders aren't
recognizing it as a true trot, well, there you go. . . : )
When I was in Iceland 5 years ago, a friend took me riding on a horse
borrowed from their neighbor. Prior to this vacation, my gaited horse
background was riding TWH's who racked on vacation once and Icelandics.
Well, this little borrowed mare was soooo smooth, with good speed, but she
definitely didn't seem to be tolting to me. My impression was she was
trotting with no bounce. I kept asking my companions, "What IS she
doing?!? Is she tolting? It doesn't feel like a tolt, but it's smoother
than any trot I've ever ridden." My American friend (also with Icelandics)
though she was trotting, but not "exactly". My friend who had borrowed the
horse simply told me she was trotting. What I wouldn't have given for a
big mirror out to the side so I could have seen just what she was doing!
ha ha. Now, I think, in retrospect with a little bit more education about
the soft gaits (yes, Lee's book is great!), she was foxtrotting. Whatever
it was, I LOVED it. I could have ridden that gait/ mare all day long.
And I think she could have done that gait all day long. It was her gait of
choice and she just seemed to perform it effortlessly. I hope to ride a
foxtrotter this year on planned vacation to a "dude ranch" in Missouri so
maybe I can know for sure by comparison.
-- Renee M.
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