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Gaits of Gold Gaited Horse Community Messageboard > Gaited Horse Breed Discussions > Discussion about gaited breeds by category > New to gaited horses - ground training a long yearling (RMH) |
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Gaits of Gold Gaited Horse Community Messageboard > Gaited Horse Breed Discussions > Discussion about gaited breeds by category > New to gaited horses - ground training a long yearling (RMH) |
| Moderated by: Brenda Im |
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| New to gaited horses - ground training a long yearling (RMH) | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Sun Nov 21st, 2010 03:05 pm |
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1st Post |
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Travelcat G.O.G Community Member 
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Just found this forum, hoping I can get better educated. Not quite sure where I should post this, as I have questions that may or may not be breed specific... Back in the spring of this year, I won a very nice Red Chocolate Rocky Mountain colt in a raffle (yea, I know). I put in for the raffle (something I don't usually do) because I was very impressed with his calm, friendly demeanor. I didn't actually expect to win him, but fortune smiled upon me and I did. For those who are interested in such things, here's his pedigree: http://www.rockymtnhorse.org/rmhPedigree.asp?reg=2009042906&level=6 Comments on his pedigree are welcome. Best thing to happen to me. I've worked "someone else's" horses all my life; I'm into my fourth decade now and Yankee is my first VERY OWN horse. And he's awesome. I know horses (I'd put myself intermediate in skill), but not gaited horses. I've spent quite a bit of time sifting through tradition and truth in training gaited horses. Yankee is being trimmed properly, for his structure, no "gaited trim" for him. I will not ride him until he is three, though he'll have been long-reined and be used to carrying a saddle by then. He is 17 months now, and though when we started light training on the lunge, he gaited (proper word?) most of the time. In the last month or so though, he's mostly trotted, both on the lunge and in hand, unless he really gets going. Is this something I should worry about? If so, how do I encourage him to gait, rather than trot, from the ground? Also, anyone else do "trail walking" with their young Rocky? He's so very calm and brave, I decided "why wait until he's under saddle?" Once a week we go out on the trails or the dirt road, me walking him, and we go find scary things - which is nearly impossible because almost nothing scares my boy. Even when he is frightened by something, he "scoots and stares" and ALWAYS stops when he hits pressure (ie, the lead rope). Someone put some very good initial training on him! We also will be working trail obstacles in the arena, but I have to get some first - so far it's just been the tarp, which was a total non-issue. Anyway, thanks for any replies. I want to do right by my boy, and of course we never do stop learning new things when it comes to training horses  
____________________ jmc |
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| Posted: Sun Nov 21st, 2010 03:55 pm |
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2nd Post |
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slipslider G.O.G Community Member 
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Hand walking through the trails is a terrific idea and one that will be very beneficial for you both! Do not worry about his gait on the ground, just keep doing what you are, you are doing right. Many of the gaited horses do not gait until someone is in the saddle and start collection and riding. The horse in my avatar, would sometimes gait and sometimes trot at liberty, but under saddle did a nice consistent gait. Keep following your instincts you are doing great and feel free to ask any and as many questions as you like.
____________________ LaVonne Summertime Stables, LLC |
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| Posted: Sun Nov 21st, 2010 09:58 pm |
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3rd Post |
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Lakota G.O.G Community Member 
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I have trained several colts and like to get a jump on things too. My current yearling has had a saddle on & gone for walks. I also have lunged him into and out of the pond to get him used to water. He absolutely refused the first time but he did go in backwards. Now he walks right in. He is out of two very well gaited racking horses but only trots. Never shows a lick of gait, but I know he will gait when I start riding him. So don't worry about your baby o.k. ? Just don't ever accept the trot when you start him & he'll know you don't want that gait.
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| Posted: Mon Nov 22nd, 2010 12:46 am |
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4th Post |
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TheBlaze G.O.G Community Member 
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I have two Rockies. I've never seen either of them gait out in the field, they always trot. They also trot in the roundpen or on the lunge line. But, both of them gait perfectly under saddle. Following the advice of Brenda's training articles worked wonders for me!
____________________ ~Tina Wishes are horses, and I fly! |
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| Posted: Mon Nov 22nd, 2010 08:04 pm |
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5th Post |
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GaitedToo G.O.G Community Member 
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Travelcat, what a cute colt!! Congratulations on your good fortune in getting him. I agree with everyone else. You're doing the right things and taking him on the trail in hand will pay back big benefits. It'll be fun hearing from you as he continues to grow and his training continues.
____________________ Hawk’s Rise Ranch |
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| Posted: Mon Nov 22nd, 2010 09:24 pm |
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6th Post |
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Travelcat G.O.G Community Member
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Thanks, all. I'm happy to have found a community of helpful folks! I have trained youngsters before but it's been a long time, and with an utterly different breed - Arabians. I'm finding that my Rocky needs a very different approach to training than, well, pretty much any of the horses I've trained before - he's the most laid-back dude I've ever handled! -- Bought a few 'trot poles' today to help encourage him to pick up his feet. Which made me wonder - can a horse gait over poles too? I would think so but with the different footfall it occurred to me to wonder.
____________________ jmc |
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| Posted: Tue Nov 23rd, 2010 12:37 pm |
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7th Post |
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Lakota G.O.G Community Member
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Most definately. I would really only go over them at the walk-- unless your horse turns out to be a pacey horse. (stepping pace or full pace) Gaiting over them will help to break up those lateral gaits. If your guy wants to trot on you, then poles will only make him worse. Now if he's racky in his gaits that's what you want, just don't allow him to fall out of it when he goes over poles. I will say that there are tons of other uses for them besides gait work & you're gonna teach him a lot. So, good luck and have fun.
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| Posted: Tue Dec 7th, 2010 11:58 am |
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8th Post |
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cclarsencc GOG V.I.P 
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We do almost all our work on young horses on a long lead (18 ft.) just keeping him slow and relaxed lots of walking over and around obsticals ect.slow walking circles around us on the lead and stopping on command and reversing we discourage fast work on the lead like this because we want to control the horses movements and and fast circle work is hard on a young horse. This is the age we get them use to being saddled. and things above them ect....laying over ther back. everything you can imagion to desenatize then . Teaching them to move there forhand and hind quarters . All this will give you the respect once you get in the saddle. you should also be working with him geting use to a snaffel bit. training him to give lateraly and vertically this can all be done from the ground.
____________________ Training starts every time you approach a horse and ends when you walk away. Horses can talk - We just need to listen See Whats New @ http://www.willbegaitin.com |
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| Posted: Tue Dec 7th, 2010 01:09 pm |
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9th Post |
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GaitedToo G.O.G Community Member
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Excellent advice!!
____________________ Hawk’s Rise Ranch |
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