# TWH for Endurance Won't Gait ? BOA Boots?



## Freemare (Jun 2, 2012)

You can to be consistent in what you do every day. When you change from one thing to something else on a young horse it can mess them up. Such as putting studs on his boots. This makes his feet feel different when he walks, so he wants to do what feels better. Take them off, start from scratch. Make sure he understands what you are looking for. Once he gets it he should gait most of he time. He is still young so dont ask to much of him.


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## Brighteyes (Mar 8, 2009)

It could be the boots. Boots make my gaited trot as well. Are you wearing boots all around? Mine was less trotty when she had boots on all four versus just the front. 

As far as just saying, "Screw it, let's trot." That's what I did with my gaited to an extent. After 30-odd miles, she want always wanted to slip into a trot or pace. To use different muscles, I suppose. Do I developed a cue to give her permission to trot. Having different gaits to use seems to help her.


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## pasturepony (Jul 16, 2013)

Thanks Freemare, I'll try to go back to barefoot for a bit. She was gaiting when I asked consistently but only for 30 -100 feet. My next step was going to be maintaining gait which is hard to do on the trails barefoot or in the mud.

Brighteyes, what ques do you use for a gait, and what do you use for a trot? Thats a great idea! I'll also try putting back boots on, I normally only do front.


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## Brighteyes (Mar 8, 2009)

I have three cues for three different gaits: trot, pace, and rack. 

Pace is her default. She will pace if I'm not asking for anything particular. She paces in the pasture at liberty; it's the gait most natural and comfortable for her. It's also the gait were her heart rate stays the lowest during exercise. I always start out at a pace and ask for transitions from a pace to a different gait. Your horse probably has a different default. It's good to establish one before you teach your horse to which gears.

From a pace, here's how I get to a trot:

Start posting. Squeeze with legs every time you go up. Half halt, to send balance the hindquarters under the horse and round the back. At that point, my horse starts trotting.

Teaching them this is... Harder. First, when does your horse trot? Up hils? Over tough terrain? I first got mine to trot over poles. 

Here's how you get from a pace to a rack:

(Firstly, I don't use my rack very often in competition. It isn't very energy efficient.)

Sit deep in the saddle. Put yourself into a chair set. Using a light see-saw of the reins, ask horse to put her head down (not just her head, mind you; her whole neck goes pole level.) Squeeze legs. Lay on the gas, because racking is easier when it's fast. :wink: Bring horse's nose in just in front of the vertical and your hands up to waist height. Add more gas. Rack like crazy.


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## pasturepony (Jul 16, 2013)

I will try that barefooted tomorow. Roxy goes into a trot as her go-to gait. She's never gaited on her own unless I repeatedly stop her and ask again and again. and only a slow gait..never a rack, and never for longer than 100 feet without going back to a walk and having to ask again. What's your technique for asking for the pace?

But she's a fast learner (me, not so much! lol)! She learned to canter in one session after months of not cantering unless she couldn't keep up with a galluping horse in front of her. As soon as she gets what I'm asking of her (and I praise her a bunch) she has it pretty down. I think I'm getting lost in translation though being new to gaits...

She's a 9 y/o registered TWH but she does not act like one...hangs her head low like a quarter horse, is slow, steady, mellow, only trots or goes when asked. She wants to please though. Just put to saddle this year after being a pet her whole life.


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## Brighteyes (Mar 8, 2009)

If your default is a trot, you can ask for a pace in a similar way as asking for a rack. Just with less speed and a higher head. :wink: Bring your hands up to waist height, raise your horse's head (this doesn't sound like something she is naturally inclined to do, so it may take a little work), and chair seat. You may need to chair seat pretty extremely to start; feet on the dash board, all your weight in your butt. Squeeze her slowly into the next gait; don't make an quick transition. 

That works for some horses. Horses are more inclined to pace down gentle inclines and on hard ground. Be careful though. Don't run her down a huge hill or move out over pavement. Find a shallow, safe hill.

Remember: the pace is the opposite of a trot. A trot requires a rounded back; a pace requires a hollow back. All the other gaits fall in between. Gaits aren't about legs; they're about your horse's back and its level of roundness. All the ways I'm saying you can manipulate the gaits are based on manipulating the horse's back. The head and neck positions often influence the back's position and roundness. The head is like a leaver -- by raising or lowering it, you can raise or lower the back muscles. But sometimes your horse can be round or hollow in spite of head and neck position. 

I sometimes train extremely trotty horses to gait my getting them to pace and slowly working that pace until it's more diagonal. *shrug* All in all, it's a lot of experimentation.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

your asking to much too soon. She doesn thave the muscle conditioning yet. That fast walk head bob is you runwalk Stick with that collect her down into that pace and hold it. That next gear you are feeling is probably something akin to a fox trot. with the next gear a rack. My guy gets tired he'll drop to a trot. Your girl just needs lots of long slow distance conditioning.


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## pasturepony (Jul 16, 2013)

Got it! So walk less and trot less but fast walk more. 

We've been working our way up and just started working on going faster, which is why she just learned to canter and gait work began. Prior we did me running and walking next to her on the 10 mile loop, then me riding it, then doing it 2 times a week, then adding some occasional speed, And now speed (slow gait or trot) stop, speed, etc. She seems to enjoy it. Not saying its the right way but she's doing really well. . I was hoping to start adding a few more miles at the walk this month.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

yeh make that fast walk headbob gait the default, slow to a walk if footing is dangerous. but get some miles in that gait. Especially on hills, hold the collected gaits up hills will build some muscle.


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## pasturepony (Jul 16, 2013)

It's the boots! She gaited barefoot most of the time. Only tried to trot 3 times in 5 miles. Poor thing was suffering on parts of the trail that had gravel.

So what do I do? Friday ill try all 4 feet booted. I'm at a loss, though, I don't really want to pay $160 to shoe all four when I only need all four for the competitions. 

Thanks for all the help everyone on the gaits! I used your advice and it definitely helped when I over exaggerated the chair seat position.


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## TheOtherHorse (Aug 5, 2012)

Have you tried a slimmer, lighter, lower profile boot with a better breakover? I used Boas for a short time years ago, and not only did they rub my horse's pasterns, but they did change her movement (shortened stride, a bit stumbly). Same horse goes all day at all gaits in Renegades with no problem. Their new design, Vipers, is even lighter weight and slimmer profile...


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Rather than boot, dismount and walk with her on the gravel. This will help toughen her soles. She will have an easier time of it without carrying your weight.


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

Chair seat is putting your weight over weakest area of back, and is unsightly and unnecessary as well. And makes it harder for horse to use themselves while saving energy.

And are you sure she is TWH, or could she be ASB? Or mix?

At any rate.

When asking for trot, bring your calves on side, at same time as you bring hands up and close together. Using this will tell horse what you are wanting.

For rack cue, open legs off sides and bring hands down and wide apart. 

It may be what you are thinking is a rack, is actually a running walk too.

And never shake a horse's head in curb bit for that matter. And even snaffle may not be enough cue if horse is hard to get into gait.

But the boots/studs are messing your horse up more than likely.

Best to get your gaits done in arena or open field where you don't have to use those.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

If you want her to gait, and she won't gait in boots, you probably need shoes. You can't get her in shape without riding her and you can't ride the feet off of her. Have you tried booting all four feet?


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## pasturepony (Jul 16, 2013)

She's a registered TWH. Roc Solid. I have her in an unbroken pellum...it's what the gaited trainer I had her at for 30 days said to use. I'll try four boots tomorow then if that doesn't work, shoes. I've thought about renegades but don't want to spend the money if I'm going to have the same problem.


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