>>>> I think a lot of Icelandic Horses fox trot as their intermediate gait. >>>> I think we have to do-away with the "four gaited" / "five gaited" >>>> labels. They just are not right.
I agree, but would also add that maybe we shouldn't be ashamed to say the horses are "gait-challenged", or "limited in gait ability", or even "three-gaited." As a breeder, I tried to breed for strong, easy gaits, but there are sports definitely sports were trot is an advantage. If the horse is to be used in one of those sports, then who really cares? Didn't someone (Judy?) even mention that it might not be out of line to breed a few Icelandic's specifically to be three-gaited? I'm not sure I'd go that far (certainly not as long as we have as many gait-challenged horses apparently by accident) but it's an interesting thought. Karen Thomas, NC
