[SAcres]

Hmm, well I have a Macbook as well, so I do actually have pretty good software. It isn't that easy to see the chains/straps/whatever on his back legs, if you're not specifically looking you could miss them, which apparently I did at first.

Calm down, geez.

[SAcres]

Well, it's too bad that there does appear to be something at least on the rear pasterns, because to my uneducated eye, it looks like the horse is having a blast. Again, I'm probably wrong, but I wish that *I* had such a good time when I'm out running! (Or at least looked like I was enjoying myself.)

He really does look like he's having fun, and has lovely movement.

[hurleycane]

I think it is a great example of naturally bred movement that is exaggerated with minimal "non injurious" mechanical devices. This is a good example of how a "shoe/pad" limit can be set cause it absolutely shows the horse moving freely at liberty WITHOUT risk of injury by the nailed weighted shoe and pad or the light chain.

SO it is a good example in my book.

ANd this is a general question - I hear it more and more in hunter jumper dressage circles where trotting horses of saddle seat persuasion are referred to as "gaited." WHen did this use of the word gaited begin? Has it been common? My farrier uses it to refer to any horse with heavy shoes pads. In my book - "gaited" was only used for a horse that performed a smooth gait - like the rack, amble, running walk etc.

So i was a little disappointed to see this video was not a smooth gait. But it is a fun trot for sure - I loved when he focused on the man bent down in the corner.

Just curious about the use of gaited for this horse - this post is not a criticism.

[katarine]

I was expecting a running walk, a flat walk, or a rack.

This horse has a fun and floaty trot. And if no one objects to Linda Tellington Jones using a couple of Ace bandages to help a horse rediscover his engine and his body, how can you object to a little light chain on a pastern to awaken that boing boing movement on this cute ASB?

[sunridge1]

Interesting, here he is a year later throwing his LF resulting in a very uneven gait. Doesn't even look like the same horse once the rider was added.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZR1fGUDryg

[ReSomething]

Three and Five Gaited.
Gaited.
That's what I knew about ASB's before I started to ride them.

[SAcres]

True true, I tend to think of anything with high knee action as "gaited". Off to change the title!

Sunridge, he is definitely not the horse he was as a 2 yr old in that video. What a shame.

I think that "gadgets" aren't necessarily evil, but it seems extreme to use them on a 2 yr old IMO. I wouldn't have posted if I saw the chains on his hind legs. He does have lovely natural action though.

[RedMare01]

He does have chains or something around his back pasterns, and at least pads on the front. I would actually bet those front shoes are lightly weighted as well. He seems like a nice boy, but not what I'd call "natural".

[HeartsongHorses]

If you want to see a naturally gaited horse you have too look at a younger one which has not entered into training, or who is presented by someone who does not use training devices. The exaggerated action is not taught with the little bracelets on the hind legs of this horse but with other aids not pictured in this video.

[gaitedincali]

I'd take him in a heartbeat. He's adorable.

You can't put pads and chains on a QH and get that trot. You can't use stretchies or shackles to get it, either. You have to have a rich wellspring of natural talent to start with to get a horse that bounces around like that with a light chain in back.

[Isabeau Z Solace]

I must say that's one heck of a 2 year old!!

[rmh_rider]

Interesting, here he is a year later throwing his LF resulting in a very uneven gait. Doesn't even look like the same horse once the rider was added.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZR1fGUDryg

sundridge you are so right. I read really quick what you were saying, but didn't pay attention, and clicked and watched for some odd movement and sure enough YOU ARE RIGHT.

He *is* throwing the LF. I have seen this MANY MANY TIMES in the TWH show ring and the Racking horse rings. To me, they are lame somewhere and protecting something somewhere on their body. Seen that and it is heartbreaking. After an amount of time in a show ring it gets sadder and sadder as the laps go by. I have seen other performance horse types do the same thing. Not sure the cause, but it is some soreness somewhere.

Gee. Somebody who has an eye, perhaps, just like ME. ??? Can't be their computer software, oh NO! You are lying if it is.

Oh gee, I bet somebody is going to ignore your post, say it is normal, or say you are "smoking something" since you see something other than what the OP sees.

In the video he IS doing exactly what you are saying. Throwing the LF. Sad.

[Big_Grey_hunter]

If you want to see a naturally gaited horse you have too look at a younger one which has not entered into training, or who is presented by someone who does not use training devices. The exaggerated action is not taught with the little bracelets on the hind legs of this horse but with other aids not pictured in this video.

Have you ever seen a well bred saddlebred move? They don't get that movement from training, they are born with it and training just encourages it. Look at how they move from birth, it's not a man made gait.
Here's a random youtube video of a saddle bred weanling
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOtaVTeGqds

[sunridge1]

sundridge you are so right. I read really quick what you were saying, but didn't pay attention, and clicked and watched for some odd movement and sure enough YOU ARE RIGHT.

He *is* throwing the LF. I have seen this MANY MANY TIMES in the TWH show ring and the Racking horse rings. To me, they are lame somewhere and protecting something somewhere on their body. Seen that and it is heartbreaking. After an amount of time in a show ring it gets sadder and sadder as the laps go by. I have seen other performance horse types do the same thing. Not sure the cause, but it is some soreness somewhere.

Gee. Somebody who has an eye, perhaps, just like ME. ??? Can't be their computer software, oh NO! You are lying if it is.

Oh gee, I bet somebody is going to ignore your post, say it is normal, or say you are "smoking something" since you see something other than what the OP sees.

In the video he IS doing exactly what you are saying. Throwing the LF. Sad.

I watch the WGCH live streamed every year. A few years ago I was also in a chat with others watching the WGC 5-gaited class. There was a horse who appeared brilliant huge trot with reach, as well as at the rack. He was consistently throwing a front foot. It was so blatantly noticeable to me he looked lame. I commented about it on the chat. They thought I was crazy. They could only see was how high he could go, quality of gait (squareness) didn't matter. It is something I think is far more important than how high. BTW he won the class unanimously.

If they aren't square something is amiss, it could as benign as muscle soreness to extreme pain, depends on the horse.

[sunridge1]

Have you ever seen a well bred saddlebred move? They don't get that movement from training, they are born with it and training just encourages it. Look at how they move from birth, it's not a man made gait.
Here's a random youtube video of a saddle bred weanling
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOtaVTeGqds

That baby has either chains or stretchies on I can't tell. But there is something on those feet.

ETA Chains on the front for sure.

[HeartsongHorses]

Have you ever seen a well bred saddlebred move? They don't get that movement from training, they are born with it and training just encourages it. Look at how they move from birth, it's not a man made gait.
Here's a random youtube video of a saddle bred weanling
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOtaVTeGqds

That was sorta my point. The training encourages it, and makes it bigger. Same thing in any movement based discipline. From WP horses to Arabian Park horses. A horse is born with the movement and ability. But in order to really appreciate their natural movement one should look at the horses before they are "trained".

[Amwrider]

He *is* throwing the LF. I have seen this MANY MANY TIMES in the TWH show ring and the Racking horse rings. To me, they are lame somewhere and protecting something somewhere on their body. Seen that and it is heartbreaking. After an amount of time in a show ring it gets sadder and sadder as the laps go by. I have seen other performance horse types do the same thing. Not sure the cause, but it is some soreness somewhere.

Gee. Somebody who has an eye, perhaps, just like ME. ??? Can't be their computer software, oh NO! You are lying if it is.

Oh gee, I bet somebody is going to ignore your post, say it is normal, or say you are "smoking something" since you see something other than what the OP sees.

In the video he IS doing exactly what you are saying. Throwing the LF. Sad.

Thowing a leg like that may not have anything to do with lameness or soreness, it may simply be something out of balance in the shoeing. I see this a lot in club footed horses. I have a clubby Morgan that does this and also had a clubby ASB mare that did this as well. The horse appears happy and bright about his work so I don't think there is pain.

Sometimes when you have a clubby horse they do pitch one leg and fold the other leg and when you try to "fix it" with toe weighted shoes or adding a little lead, you may end up screwing up the horse's timing.

[SAcres]

sundridge you are so right. I read really quick what you were saying, but didn't pay attention, and clicked and watched for some odd movement and sure enough YOU ARE RIGHT.

He *is* throwing the LF. I have seen this MANY MANY TIMES in the TWH show ring and the Racking horse rings. To me, they are lame somewhere and protecting something somewhere on their body. Seen that and it is heartbreaking. After an amount of time in a show ring it gets sadder and sadder as the laps go by. I have seen other performance horse types do the same thing. Not sure the cause, but it is some soreness somewhere.

Gee. Somebody who has an eye, perhaps, just like ME. ??? Can't be their computer software, oh NO! You are lying if it is.

Oh gee, I bet somebody is going to ignore your post, say it is normal, or say you are "smoking something" since you see something other than what the OP sees.

In the video he IS doing exactly what you are saying. Throwing the LF. Sad.

Oh rmh, you know me so well! But actually, if you look several posts above your post, you will note that I replied to sunridges post saying what a shame it was that the horse was being ruined. But carry on, I like being the bad guy!

[Finzean]

I watched several of the videos linked at the beginning of this thread and while I'm trying to appreciate how amazing these ASBs move, it's as difficult to love these results given the "accessories" as it is to love the finished product of horses whose performance is "improved" by various training practices and/or accessories related to their particular breed. The soring in TWH; the trainers who tie heads off to one side for hours on end or tie high so the pleasure horse will peanut roll...

ASBs are such funny, sweet horses. I was never exposed to them until I lived in SC about 13-14 years ago. During that time I was giving lessons to a client who was boarding their h/j at a nationally competitive SB farm while their own barn/fencing was being completed. The youngsters who had not been trained on yet were delightful and bright eyed and beautiful to watch as they played in the pastures. The show horses who lived inside 24/7 were a completely different story. 99% of them wore cribbing collars and pinned their ears when someone/anyone walked by their stalls. Their feet were shod incredibly long/tall and they wore the tail set harness thingies. The BO explained that b/c of the shoeing and tail situation the horses had to stay in their stalls all the time. She went on to explain the nicking/tendon cutting thing, as well. It was an afternoon of overwhelming education. I knew about TW soreing, etc. but just hadn't ever had any exposure to ASBs. This woman was very well thought of and admired in ASB industry and she was very proud of her horses and stallion as they had won daggum everything.

I know bad things happen in every breed but I just don't understand why folks can't love how naturally beautiful and talented their horses are without having to try and make things better. I can't imagine keeping the animals I love the way those nationally winning ASBs I met were kept. Just makes me so sad to remember how unhappy those horses were - especially compared to how wonderfully sweet they seemed to be before they were trained to be winners.

Zipping by Versace flame suit...

[Finzean]

Have you ever seen a well bred saddlebred move? They don't get that movement from training, they are born with it and training just encourages it. Look at how they move from birth, it's not a man made gait.
Here's a random youtube video of a saddle bred weanling
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOtaVTeGqds

If this is what a good moving SB looks like, why can't SB folks be happy enough with that? It looks natural and beautiful.