Dear Gaits of Gold Friends,

Following are two message board posts that appeared on our web site a short while ago. The board member, Retta (aka: KYANGEL) recently sent me a follow up e-mail/progress report that really did my heart good, and she’s given me permission to share that here as well.

Brenda,

Please help me.  I'm between a rock and a hard place, (or maybe I should say hard pace!). I have worked with my mare Dancer for quite a while to get her to stop pacing and she had been doing great until I went on a ride last month. She was pulling at the bit really hard and every time I asked for gait she PACED. She was slinging her head and going sideways too. I checked her saddle. (I recently had to get her a bigger one as she outgrew hers.) It fit fine and wasn’t pinching. I checked for any soreness to explain her going sideways and she's rock solid and sound. What else should I check? I checked her bit. It was pinching so I added bit guards until I can order one of your bits later this month. I found out that my 13 yr. old son Kevin, who is starting to get more interested in riding, has been encouraging her to step pace and gallop as fast as possible. I don't want to get too harsh with him since I gave Dancer to him but I don't want her ruined either, since I love her so much and ride her a lot, too.

How can I straighten Dancer out and educate Kevin without hurting his feelings or discouraging him from riding?  Every time I see him letting her pace I correct him but as soon as he's out of sight BOOM! He starts flying on her. I'm tempted to get him a small QH or Standardbred to ride until his Pony Express phase is over but I don't have room for one. HELP!!!!!!!!!

The Desperate and Frustrated   KYANGEL

Thank You Brenda!

A while back I posted about my son allowing my mare to pace and the difficulties I was having with her. Your advice and the Gaits of Gold bit I bought have worked wonders. I sent Kevin back to basics on Disco (Dancer's mom). I made Kevin ride this old girl bareback and work on his cues and control over himself and his horse.  I took him to local auctions so he could see horses that had been damaged physically and mentally by inconsiderate riders and abuse. I then made him part of Dancer's retraining. Kevin and I worked with Dancer quite a bit together and he is now more aware that every time he rides he is in effect training the horse he rides.

Thanks to your advice, and the bit, I now have my wonderful responsive mare back and I have a more understanding and considerate son. I thank God that I asked you for help and that you responded to my post.

An added plus to this is the fact that Disco, who has arthritis in her hocks and hadn’t been able to gait consistently in about 6 years, is now racking again! Whether it was the extra attention to details while reschooling Kevin, or the extra exercise that strengthened her legs, she now gaits even with me! I quit riding her 6 years ago when the vet declared her "hopelessly crippled."  He said that she had about 2 yrs. left and only kids and small adults under 100 lbs. could ride her, and that she wouldn’t be able to gait again due to stiffness in her joints.

I guess our vet failed to ask the Lord for a second opinion, because Disco is back in action and is smoother than she used to be! We keep her rides short, and mainly let Kevin ride her since he is only 100 lbs. So hopefully if it's the Lord’s will, Disco will be around and enjoying time with us for a while longer.

Thank you again and I'm sorry this is so long I'm just so excited to have things back to normal.

Retta: KYANGEL

E-mail Reply/Aug. 12

Hi Retta,

This was an especially hectic week (season, actually), and I'd begun to wonder if all the effort of reform in the gaited horse world is worth the price. . .your message was a much needed confirmation that it is, and that I’m doing the work the Lord has chosen for me.

Would it be possible to use your letter (perhaps with the original posts) in our upcoming e-newsletter? It's important for people to know how much difference it makes to do things properly with these special animals with which we have been blessed.

Again, thank you so much for the feedback. It mattered.

Brenda