Training the Gaited Horse that Trots and Paces - before and after

These four horses both trot and pace. You can see before and after how easy it is to start getting them to smooth out. This is a preview of the next gaited DVD which will feature these horses, exercises that I used on them, and more beneficial exercises for both trotty and pacey horses.
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[@reneekh3599]

One thing that is often so overlooked with all gaited breeds is that you really need to develop a solid & strong regular walk before you can develop the secondary gait. Regardless of the breed, a good regular walk is the foundation for ALL horses - both gaited or trotting horses. You must encourage a rhythmic, evenly timed, 4-beat walk where a horse marches along with purpose, while nicely tracking up under himself, and swinging through the back & the neck. This helps develop the necessary muscles for gaiting, while still allowing for the range of motion needed in the hips, back, & neck. It encourages the relaxation you need - that I see you so often encourage, Ivy ;) Nice work!

[@mariahwilson6521]

All of the horses I know came out gaited 😂 mostly the pasos cause those are the ones we have most of

[@LiMaking]

Beautiful, I feel like I will be able to do this myself once I can buy a rocky. All thanks to you :)

[@susancountauthor4155]

Yes, you encourage me to keep learning. I know there is a good gait in my Rocky... and its up to me to learn the right cues.

[@LittleItaly75]

I have a Tennessee walker that tends to pace a little too. He has a very nice gait, but am working on him and he does very well. I recently ordered a rocking s raised snaffle which I think will make him much more comfortable. Thanks for these videos!!

[@IvyS]

Sounds great!

[@anonymousjet]

Your videos really give me hope that I can train my pacey TWH!

[@kathrindettmann8829]

Same here... Not many gaited horses where I live. My TWH pacey gait doesn't feel smooth. But people's perception here I s that gaited horses automatically have a smooth gait.

[@mariahwilson6521]

The TWH I ride trots instead of gaiting and its terrible 😂 I can post but it's super awkward on him

[@bellestarr8515]

@@mariahwilson6521 get a pro TWH trainer you don't want your Walker to trot, try a weighted shoe on the back feet drive the horse into the bridle with a Walking horse bit 8" shank n don't let them get all stung out ..pull it together

[@KadieJoy]

❤ great education

[@constructioncenter]

Great video! I'm trying to get my SSH to stop pacing and trotting

[@Johnnyfreitas1]

What would type of saddle would you recommend for a gaited horse? I have my first gaited horse and want to make certain she has the appropriate saddle. Thank you.

[@aureski79]

I have a Tennessee walker mare she's been pacing all her life i heard from my grandma my great grandma owned her but gave her to me I rode her, trained her, i trained her to canter with me on her and it's gone well she canter with me on her an March 23rd 2017 after that she started to pace pace pace, i stopped her get going all it was, was a pace she troted a few steps then paced she always tripped when she troted, I've never realised about the head when she paced she was going fast head was high, but when she troted slow, head was slow but I want to train her to trot and train myself to know when she's trotting or pacing so I can stop her right away and work on the trot

[@thegoatkid5388]

It's not about the head. You should do a lots of sidewords and dressage work with a pacy horse. Also canter solves a lot of problems with pacey horses. The problem with them is that they have too much tension and you need to loosen them up a bit and get them to relax. Simply pulling on the reins doens't work out. Even if the horse then starts to do a nice 4 Beat rack it often doesn't feel comfortable. I ride a five gaited gelding who also does the flying pace and in the beginning he had severe problems doing the trot. I did a lot of canter with him and also always paced him on circles and went sidewords with him so he started to relax his muscles and either did a trot or in the beginning a swingy pace and then an almost 4 beated gait. He's still learning but it gets better every ride. With trotty horses I would recommend creating tension by changing your seat and riding the horse on a straight track. This helps in most cases. The horses in your video were super trotty, I've never seen that in a gaited horse except fox trotters before. But still I'd recommend creating a little more collection and tension.

[@IvyS]

Lateral work is awesome for gaited horses, but many trail riders don't have a dressage background and the best thing and easiest thing for them to get started on is getting head down and relaxation... and it works! Lateral work may work faster, but both work! Cantering is good for gaited horses, but only if done in relaxation and if the rider is not tense. A lot of trail riders have a fear of cantering their gaited horse because many gaited horses are not good at it. That will come with time. I try to keep to easy exercises for most riders, but watch for more advanced work and lateral work to come soon!

[@thegoatkid5388]

Okay, cool, I'll stay tuned. That many gaited horse riders don't have a dressage background is exactly where I see the problem. Basic dressage is necessary to ride every horse correctly - that's what it was invented for. Not to look fancy. I ride in a only gaited horse barn and the riding stundents here first learn how to get a good seat, to be relaxed and to do basic dressage on horses that are stable in every gait. If they already know how to properly ride the three basic gaits and know a little bit of collection and are able to ride basic lateral work they are introduced to the rack. That is because only if they are able to do that they can ride the extra gaits without problems. If they are even more advanced they get introduced to the flying pace. It's sad that trail riders don't canter their horses. Canter is such a joy and often helps the horses. A good trainer will show them how to canter their gaited horses.

[@IvyS]

I totally agree about dressage. I tell riders who come from a dressage background that they will have no trouble with a gaited horse, but many trail riders who have gaited horses just want to pleasure ride. I want to help them and their horses as much as possible and that often starts just by an understanding of relaxation and head down and knowledge of the gait. Baby steps!

[@thegoatkid5388]

That is the right thing to do. Many people say that they don't have a riding place, just tracks and that they don't do dressage work because of that. But you can do great dressage work on a track too! Relaxation is a great thing to achieve a four beat gait.

[@109367]

I don't see a lot of McCurdy's, that was nice

[@bkdascenzo]

109367 Agreed, but I wonder if the snaffle bit contributes to the problem. It seems to throw the horse off balance.

[@buster4451]

I go to the McCurdy plantation ride every year in Selma, Al

[@109367]

@@bkdascenzo most gaited breeds I've seen are ridden in obnoxiously huge shank bits, I was pleasantly surprised to see a snaffle bit, I don't know what "problem" you're referring to, though.

[@TheHomesteadingStitcher]

I just need to send you my horse.

[@shelleyzoe8254]

what kinds of bits are you using on these horses please?

[@pinkorganichorse]

What's the smoothest, easiest breed you've ridden?

[@mikegarland4569]

Need some help with a bit for a SS horse. Got him 2 mons. Ago. Takes bit well. Releasing bit throws his head. He has had a bad experience Somewhere along the line. His bit is a typical gaited bit med. Port with 4" shank and rubber cheek guards. Riding him now with a bitless halter in the pen and pasture but dont know that i would trust him on trail. Any help would be appreciated! Mike

[@Firewolves16]

I have a horse that was cowboyed bad and i want her to learn to gait again, she moves like a non-gaited horse. How do i train her to gait again?

[@Marcy6722]

What kind of bit are you using to teach them to gait? My MFT paces bad. Thanks

[@IvyS]

M Brink , I use a couple different bits, bit it isn't the bit that gets then gaiting. You need to train them to relax, drop their head, and praise then when gait, even for a few steps.

[@rushellealexandra5243]

i recently got a saddlebred but never had a gaited horse before ... so dont know how to ask for the special gaits or know if he remembers doing them.....

[@IvyS]

If you don't plan to show, you may just want to ask for a smooth gait. Take a look at a few of my videos as they describe the different gaits.

[@rushellealexandra5243]

well i do wabnt to show but not breed showing just local shows the only time ill probly try gaiting even is on the trail.....idk if he even knows or remembers doing so or how to cue special gaits

[@jordanwhite5470]

Interesting. My trainer always has me get the head Down to break up a pace back into a gait.

[@IvyS]

You do want head down for the pace and head up for the trot.

[@HappyLandFarms]

I see that this video is a few years old, but I have a question. WHY do you lift the head up when the horse goes into a trot? You never explain why you do this, only that you do it to encourage the horse to gait. So when a horse is trotting, if you lift the head, does it make them uncomfortable?? Could someone please explain??

[@hisshersexotics8303]

i need help with my two twhs... im in southern California we are fb friends

[@IvyS]

+Alexis Cole How can I help you? Feel free to email me. [e-mail]

[@brendajohnson9390]

what angle do you put on a tennessee walking horse on

[@Maryse928]

How do you prevent the head and neck to go too high?

[@IvyS]

linktr.ee/headdown

[@jordangipson9974]

Got a very trotty horse home any tips ?

[@IvyS]

Basically do what this video shows. Very important to ride in a snaffle bit for this.

[@bellestarr8515]

@@IvyS Walking horse bit 8" swivel bit low port ...NO SNAFFLE

[@imwuz]

How far apart do you put your poles and how many?

[@IvyS]

10-12 feet.

[@IvyS]

I usually put the poles 10-12 feet apart and I often use just one or two poles.

[@imwuz]

Thank you for all the information on your videos

[@hayleechilcott1626]

and you need to rise that will help them

[@angelmatagi7776]

Why didnt you just rise to the trot so its not so bouncy

[@IvyS]

The goal is to get them to gait and not trot.

[@quickscopegirl1204]

what if you want your horse to trot.

[@hayleechilcott1626]

you dont put your hands up you take them down

[@stacyyoung8713]

Set there head and push the horse up into the bridal. Ive shown Walking Horses for 40 years. My mother trained Walking Horses.

[@georgiamills603]

when I try to get my TWH to trot instead of gait, he will do it but he does a SPEEDY trot! I want him to do a collected trot but not a gait, however, when I ask for a half halt or try to slow him down, he just goes straight back into a gait. Do you have any tips or advice?