Gaited horses

[Candleliteranch]

I was wondering any of you ride a gaited horse. I have 4 compressed discs in my back and am considering looking into getting one as giving up riding is just not an option for me. I ride QH now and sometimes am sore after a long trail ride. I've heard you can ride a gaited horse all day and still feel good. I also heard that the horse should be "nayurally gaited" for the smoothest ride. I don't know if this is for me as I've ALWAYS been loyal to my QH's but my back just can't take it anymore. Would love some input if you have/ride one.

 

[runamuk]

I had the chance to ride gaited horses back when I worked on a big pony farm. I leased a peruvian paso mare and could ride her bareback for hours. There were also 2 peruvian paso geldings that I just loved riding.

I rode a tenessee walker once and did not like that movement at all. My sister had a foxtrotter and he was very smooth and she could ride for 1/2 a day or longer and feel great.

I have had compressed discs since I was 16 and at 34 I had to finally have one that exploded removed it had strangled my spinal cord............I swore I would never give up riding .....I haven't ridden since about 6 months before the surgery :no: :no: as much as I miss it I just cannot take that extra risk to the rest of my shot discs, the ability to walk is kinda high on my priority list

:

I would suggest you locate some breeders of gaited horses and go take a test drive.......you really need to feel all the different types of gaited movement. It is very common for gaited horse breeders to offer test rides

: as they want to sell you on the comfort and the best way is with you riding one.

 

[TangoMango]

I have a Tennessee walker mare for sale if your interested.

deadbroke, 14 y/o black. We are in Ohio

 

[wendy4mini]

After having back and knee problems, I switched to paso finos. They are so smooth and I can ride for hours with out any pain. There is a good farm in New Columbia, Pa http://www.featherhills.com/ . I sold them a couple of broodmares several years ago. Have fun looking.

 

[Chamomile]

I worked on a paso fino ranch for a few years and really enjoyed their horses. They are naturally gaited and VERY comfortable to ride. We had one that was 3/4 paso and 1/4 quarter horse. He was so smooth and just a wonderful horse. He made my dad look like a cowboy and that's a feat in of itself!!

: The ranch I worked at was experimenting with the breed. They bred one of their stallions to a jenny and got a gorgeous gaited mule. He was smooth as silk. They bred their paso stallions to the arab mares and got beautifully gaited, babies with tons of stamina. And they bred the pasos to the quarter horse mares and again got beautifully gaited babies. I did ride a peruvian paso, but the way she was gaited was different, she used her whole leg and gaited from the shoulder, which made for a different feel. Also I was told that because they use the shoulder more, they have joint issues. <<<Shrug>>> I don't know about that, but I do know that they had pasos in their 20s going like crazy and the peruvian was 12 and already slowing down... pasos gait from the knee down... Anyway, I would definately recommend the Paso Fino. Also they are fairly mellow horses and I found they weren't too spooky or silly, as a whole. Of course there were a few that were difficult, but that was mostly because they came from abusive situations. The ones we raised and trained, were wonderful.

 

[PaintedPromiseRanch]

we have a spotted saddlebred and boy is she a dream to ride... she can walk as fast as the other horses lope! the only issue i have with her, and it may be just her, is that she is our only gaited horse, and sometimes when we are out riding with the others, she wants to trot when they trot instead of gaiting. and her trot is like a jackhammer... however we bought her greenbroke and never had a gaited horse before, so i would not be surprised to find that we are mixing our signals to her sometimes. i would absolutely recommend "test-driving" and also ask the seller to instruct you on how to ask them to move out...

 

[justagirl]

Lisa ~ I'm in the same saddle as you .... years of riding have played heck on my back and I already have 1 back sx under my belt.

I had never ridden a gaited horse and had given up riding all together until a client introduced me to Rocky Mountain Walking Horses... OMG I rode for 2 hours and didn't feel a thing the next day 'cept for a sore butt.

These horses are extremely calm natured and gentle giants. It took a quick lesson to teach me how to ride a gaited horse but I took right to it and will be looking to purchase one as soon as possible.

 

[Leeana]

Thought i would share pictures of our Tennessee Walker gelding, he is 15hh so pretty small for a walker but strong built. My preference is bareback, he is very smooth and no rocking back and forth to much. He is just 'backyard trained' as i call it, nothing fancy. He knows how to respond to what i ask of him, he does not know all the fancy stuff but then agian neither do i so we are a perfect match lol. He has to be calm for me to get up on him. Ridding horses are not my thing or really my number one priority, but its a side hobby for he and i and i enjoy it. I see trail rides in the future with friends agian

This is him with my hillbilly southern father a couple weeks ago, dad looks rediculous on him in overalls, running shoes and a baseball cap but that is my father, take it or leave it lol.

Those pics were right before his hoof trim so his action changed slightly afterward but not much.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

I can attest to the people at Feather Hills Farm in PA nice people.

I used to ride a paso fino and they are so much fun. I could ride when raven was a baby like 6-8 months old and we rode togther bareback and could ride for hours i love them. But theyare to little or hmm I am to big at the moment to ride one

 

[iluvwalkers]

[SIZE=14pt]i grew up riding QH's and thought i would forever until i got my first Tennesse Walker, you are right about them being natural or not, just because they are a gaited breed doesn't mean the can gait and some do it better then others. my boy is a dream to ride, like Susan was saying, my walker can walk as fast as some horses lope or faster

: , it is a strange feeling at first, my first though during my first ride was i wondered if his legs were going to fall off, he felt all loose and weird but i loved it and now i can't imagine ever trotting again :bgrin . keep us posted on what you find...Nikki [/SIZE]

 

[Lewella]

I owned a gaited Arabian for years (no, not desireable in the breed but man was she smooth and comfortable!) and currently when I ride usually ride a friends Spotted Saddle Horse who does a foxtrot. I love the foxtrot and a good rack is a joy to ride too!

 

[Reble]

Yes gaited horses are your answer, hubby could not ride because of back and other conditions so we tryed a Tennesse Walker not always in the bloodline, have to be trained to keep in their gait. Not all are naturally gaited..

Than we went into Paso Finos he could ride for hours as others have said.

We are looking to Trade a Paso Fino filly being she is going on 4 years old and staying under 14 hands.

Paso's are sometimes hard to find tall. My daughters fiance is 6 foot so need a taller gelding being he is not an experience rider.

If interested email for more info....

: Diosa is ready for breaking and is Registered.

I have also heard Mountain horses have a nice natural gait.

Picture of Diosa

Her Mother 17 years old shown last summer.

 

[rhea]

I've ridden a friends' young Tennessee Walker mare, she was definately very smooth. She had only been trained in the running walk, I'm told some of the other gaits are nicer.

 

[Shari]

I have owned and ridden gaited horses for a long time.

Each breed has is't =/-'s. You will not find most TW have a smooth enough ride.

I have mostly ridden Icelandic's (who have the smoothest ride out there) peruvain Paso's. Peruvian paso is a very smooth ride but there are some major health issues with some of the lines. They just can't stay sound and I know many that have to be put down at a young age because of it. So doing one's homework before looking into them would save you a lot of heart ache.

In Icelandic's you have to watch waht is called "sweet itch"... some Imported Icelandic's have this problem.

Very rare,,in the domestic bred ones. Health wise they are one of the most sound breds out there.

Been on my TN walkers and the ones I have been on..are only smooth at a very high rate of speed...where I rode (not riding right now) speed would be dangerous.

Paso finos... well,,many are not like they used to be. Some are still breeding the more mellow ones. But the onesI have been around..are snorting dragons...great int he show ring,,but on trail...well..lets say they are not relaxing.

There are a few other breeds...Rocky mountiain/Kentucky mountain and so on... that is Chocolate or Silver Dapple with a white mane and tail...ask if their eyes have been checked....many of that color go blind. A friend found out the hard way.

Missouri Fox troters can be nice.

But like any breed you need to figure out what you want..and take your time looking. Even with in a breed some are more talented and smoother than others.

Have fun shopping!

 

[Warpony]

I've had two naturally gaited walking horses. I like a horse that trots, but there is no denying that a gaited horse is superb for people with back/joint problems.

If I could I would have a paso or icelandic right now.

 

[RainSong]

After having back and knee problems, I switched to paso finos. They are so smooth and I can ride for hours with out any pain. There is a good farm in New Columbia, Pa http://www.featherhills.com/ . I sold them a couple of broodmares several years ago. Have fun looking.

(pardon my typos please- Nathan's in my lap and kicking the keyboard)

I knew someone would mention Pasos!

Pasos (and Arabs) were my supreme loves before finding Minis. If I ever have a big horse... I WANT A PASO! Don't listen to people who say they are all very hot-headed and "full of brio". YES, a lot of Pasos have Brio ("spirit") but there are plenty of them that are calm, level headed wonderful trail/pleasure/backyard horses.

I rode a full-blooded mare a couple times, and while I still had some bounce at the Paso equivilent of a trot, it was NOTHING compared to a regular trot.

Try visiting www.pasofino.com .... just be careful on the forums. I used to hang out over there, and ... eeeesh.

I should add- I've been told that some mustangs and appaloosa have a nice gait called the "Indian shuffle"... you may wanna look up more info there.

 

[Koko]

I've ridden a gaited Arab mare, she was particularly smooth, but then she isn't particularly smooth gaited in any gait.

: That or i'm just bad at sitting to her gait.

PS - Don't want to steal the thread or anything, but does anyone know what cantering in the back, trotting in the front is? I thought it was a foxtrot but a book said that was walk/trot?

 

[runamuk]

but does anyone know what cantering in the back, trotting in the front is? I thought it was a foxtrot but a book said that was walk/trot?

This is common in young horses just learning to canter under saddle. It often resolves when the horse learns to carry itself correctly and to be engaged in the hind end. I used to work with a paint mare who had a terrible habit of being lazy and she would do this if you didn't really keep her going forward.

It isn't a specific gait more of an improper gait

:

 

[maranatha minis]

Lisa,

I have been wanting to get back into riding, but my strength and balance is so bad I couldn't stay on a "regular" horse. I have a friend that has a Racking Horse (what ever that is) he is 17.2hh, had to climb on a truck to get on him after tons of persuading. I have been around this horse all of last summer and winter so I knew him, and when the toddlers at the show would want to ride him I couldn't be out done. Anyway, I was led around the arena and never moved off my saddle, I couldn't believe it!! I just knew i would fall off with the 1st step because it would be so to feel him move under me. NOPE!! I loved it. Now i have my friend looking for me a horse like Big Mac!! Did I mention I was afraid of regular size horese? Then I go and ride one 17.2hh!!! What was I thinking!!!!

Shelley<><

 

[Oreo]

I love gaite breeds especially EWHs. I won one named Pushers Indian Lady.