Gaited vs Ungaited... Reality Check

[perform]

I read the Ivory Pal thread with some interest, but with my dial-up internet service there was no way I was going to sit around for 45 minutes while the video downloaded... therefore my official response to that is "no comment".

HOWEVER... it seems that a few of our "gaited friends" here could use a dose of reality when it comes to their horses... there's a difference between appreciating a breed or type of horse and idolizing it beyond what it deserves, and judging from some of the posts I've read, some of the "gaited" members of this BB are just not realistic when it comes to their "favorite breed".

As most of you know, I am a gaited horse aficiando... primarily because I TRAIL RIDE.
This is what these horses were bred to do and do well.... deliver a smooth ride to the plantation owners as they surveyed their property.

If I was not a trail rider though, and was into Reining (for example), I most certainly would NOT be riding a gaited horse.... I would be mounted on the breed which excels at that discipline.

I am a firm believer of selecting the correct horse for any given job or discipline... and the various breeds have been bred to excel in certain disciplines.

I would NEVER be so bold as to claim my gaited horses could perform dressage as well as a Warmblood, run barrels or perform reining manuevers as athletically as a Quarter Horse, pull a cart with the style of a Hackney, or run as fast as a Thoroughbred... yet some members here seem to think their gaited horse is "all that" and more.

Can gaited horses jump, run a cloverleaf pattern, or do dressage basics such as leg yields?
YES they can...
Does their conformation and way of going allow them to do these things as well as ungaited breeds developed specifically for those jobs?
The hard line answer is NO.

The gaited horses here at my farm all canter, neck rein, sidepass, and jump a little.
But just because they CAN DO this stuff does not mean they can hold their own performing these manuevers against horses bred specifically for these duties.

Let's get real people...
Gaited horses are tons of fun and very versatile... but their area of "expertise" is delivering an effortlessly smooth ride for pleasure or trail use... not mainstream competition against ungaited horses in disciplines they aren't suitable for by grace of their conformation and backgrounds.

AND in my opinion, by forcing them into disciplines unsuitable to their conformation and way of going, you not only end up producing a sub-par performer in those unsuitable disciplines, you also risk bastardizing their performance in their own area of excellence... the ability to allow the rider to sit comfortably and without fatigue as they effortlessly cover the miles.

No ungaited breed can match that claim... isn't that enough?

Just my opinion...

[walkonaire]

Originally Posted by perform

I would NEVER be so bold as to claim my gaited horses could perform dressage as well as a Warmblood, run barrels or perform reining manuevers as athletically as a Quarter Horse, pull a cart with the style of a Hackney, or run as fast as a Thoroughbred... yet some members here seem to think their gaited horse is "all that" and more.

I don't remember reading anyone's post who even begins to claim all that, Cindy. I certainly don't!

[YasminOaks]

Hi. I found Cindy's post very interesting. I grew up in Pony Club where we did mainly combined training. It was such a wonderful and educational experience. I showed in hunter classes, dressage classes, hunter paces, eventing, and sure did a lot of trail riding.

Well now I am old, plump, and have a messed up knee and back. I am a huge chicken now too. So I discovered gaited horses and really having the best time with my Pasos.

I am now no longer into showing. I certainly will never jump again. I love a really smooth ride where I can still enjoy my partnership with my horse.

I would never expect my Pasos to jump or do dressage. I mean of course they could know how to bend and move off of the leg and I guess if there was a log in the trail they could jump it. Gaited horses are bred to be trail horses and comfy and offer so much to riders who can no longer handle the movement of a non gaited horse. They have so much to offer and are fantastic the way they are meant to be.

Certain horses are bred to excel in different disciplines.

My Arabians are bred to be huge movers suitable for dressage. My Pasos are bred to be smooth and elegant. Two totally different worlds, but my two favorite breeds ever.

What an intellegent and well written thread. I enjoyed it.

Hugs,
Cathy

[ruuhzoo]

Breed alone and ability to gait or not gait does not determine a horse's ability to perform dressage, reining, roping, barrel racing, jumping, racing, or what ever. It is determined by the horse's physical conformation. Certain breeds do have particular conformation attributes, but to say a particular breed of horse should be limited to a particular disciplines only is like saying a bicycle should only be ridden a bicycle trail.

[ChillyPony]

The Missouri Fox Trotter was originally bred in the Ozarks for working cattle....not plantation work.

The cracker horse was prized for it's ability to amble through the heavy Florida brush working cattle as well BUT IMO Cindy is quite correct. The entire purpose of a gaited horse is to provide a comfortable ride. There's no reason a gaited horse can't push cows but let's face it...they aren't going to get down with the cow like a QH will.

I don't think she meant ALL gaited breeds were bred for plantation work but she was illustrating the point that the purpose is for the comfort of the rider.

[perform]

Thank You Chilly... I should have known there would be members who would want to nit-pick the details.

I HAVE ridden a MFT to round up cattle when I lived in Okeechobee back in the 1990's... he did a fabulous job, but could he sit back on his hocks and cut back and forth facing off a ducking, dodging cow?
Not as good as a Quarter Horse.

Maybe I'm just "different" from other folks...
I have a "favorite breed", but I don't labor under the dilusion that he can do stuff as well as another breed which has been developed especially for a certain discipline... he has his "niche", and I prefer to develop him to his full potential in that area rather than try to make him a "Jack of All Trades".

I love ALL horses and breeds... and my policy is to match the best suited breed to the work I want to do.

[Kellye]

HOWEVER... it seems that a few of our "gaited friends" here could use a dose of reality when it comes to their horses... there's a difference between appreciating a breed or type of horse and idolizing it beyond what it deserves, and judging from some of the posts I've read, some of the "gaited" members of this BB are just not realistic when it comes to their "favorite breed".

I cannot comment on the Ivory Pal thread because frankly, I've seen him perform and he did not impress me. Yes, his story is a tear jerker and he's cute and all, but there are many other stories that are just as heartwarming and many other horses who are just as cute. I am not one to jump on a bandwagon, but I digress.

What I see Cindy saying, which I quoted, is so true. Those who tend to "idolize" their breed of choice are just not being realistic. It's kind of like a mom who thinks her child is the greatest singer in the world, sends them out to audition for American Idol, but they get shot down with a big ole reality check by Simon. But the mom believes it to be true, so no matter what Simon says, the mom will always think her child is the greatest singer.

I agree with Cindy's observation, but the fact is, no matter what I say, or what Cindy or anyone else says, those people will still think their gaited horse can do anything. And although it may be misguided idolization, it's a personal feeling and as long as they don't hurt their horse by putting him in a compromising position, then we should let it be.

Isn't everyone supposed to think that THEIR horse is the BEST horse in the world?? I certainly do!!

[Gaiting Naturally]

Originally Posted by ruuhzoo

Breed alone and ability to gait or not gait does not determine a horse's ability to perform dressage, reining, roping, barrel racing, jumping, racing, or what ever. It is determined by the horse's physical conformation. Certain breeds do have particular conformation attributes, but to say a particular breed of horse should be limited to a particular disciplines only is like saying a bicycle should only be ridden a bicycle trail.

exactly-right on.

[perform]

Originally Posted by ruuhzoo

Breed alone and ability to gait or not gait does not determine a horse's ability to perform dressage, reining, roping, barrel racing, jumping, racing, or what ever. It is determined by the horse's physical conformation. Certain breeds do have particular conformation attributes, but to say a particular breed of horse should be limited to a particular disciplines only is like saying a bicycle should only be ridden a bicycle trail.

I understand what you're saying, and agree to a certain extent...
But WHY would you want to take the time and effort to train an unsuitable horse to a discipline where he would always be nothing more than "marginally acceptable", when you could take a horse of a different (better suited) breed and turn out a champion?

[ruuhzoo]

Originally Posted by perform

I understand what you're saying, and agree to a certain extent...
But WHY would you want to take the time and effort to train an unsuitable horse to a discipline where he would always be nothing more than "marginally acceptable", when you could take a horse of a different (better suited) breed and turn out a champion?

I did not say anything about training a horse for a discipline for which it is not conformationally suited. Of course, and we all are aware, if a horse is not conformationally suited to do a particular task, it will not be able perform the task at a "champion" level. But that does not mean that the horse can not perform the task or should not be trained to perform the task. I do not believe in putting in horses in discipline "boxes" because of their breed.