Thinking about a gaited

[Cedarsgirl]

Can someone suggest a gaited horse that would be appropriate for these types of events. Forgive my spelling I go home late from work.

Long story short. Went trail riding alone last summer :innocent: and a coulple of big assed dogs came after my two year old cold. He's used to dogs but these ones didn't even bark and because all you could hear was da dump ta dump... and these big mastifs came running out bent for leather to us up on the roads. Needless to say my colt got scared and so I began spinning him around...knew he was gonna try to bolt. At the end he turned and his but went down into a steep ditch and you can imagine i went falling backwards (english saddle), and landed on my rump. You might say so what, but I ended up with some severe L1 L2 compression fractures. Didn't resume riding for months. My back is in chronic pain but the love of horses keeps me going.

Anyway fast forward. Riding my horse 5-6 days per week but she's got a pretty rough trot at times. Especially on the trail. Just want to gogogo. Gonna be hard to hadle that after 20-40 miles in competitive trail. Can anyone suggest something to either a gel seat or a gaited horse. I'd love to continue riding but my back is in need of help. :(

[JackieB]

Tennessee Walking Horses are real popular around here. And Tucker would likely have a great saddle for you.

Sorry about your injury. I have similar injuries, but I'm now pain-free just from exercise and not sitting upright too much anymore (I can recline and work with my laptop). But I have had lots and lots of bad back pain, radiating down the nerves in my legs as well, over the years. No fun.

[WashingtonBay]

I think if you've never been on a gaited, you should ride several, get their feel. They are smooth and they are efficient and fast on trail... and it's smoother, but not without it's own motion. It's just different.

My friends who do a lot of long distance trail ride racking horses... they don't have a fancy gait, just a steady ground covering one, and they can go miles alright. It's a bit of a pickle doing the start and finish soundness checks at CTRs because the judges require you to lunge and trot in hand, and some don't know how to interpret soundness on a gaiting horse, unless they will also trot in hand. Most know how, it's just a training issue to get them to do it reliably and steadily.

[gaited07]

As for preferred gaited horses I would suggest trying many different one's as they will display different gaits.

Even a TWH who is known for the running walk may display a pace (this will be worse than a rough trot!!), rack, fox trot and or etc. gaits. So with this said, go with what is smooth for you:)

I have a SSHBEA (Spotted Saddle Horse) who is Saddlebred/Walker cross and he is SOOOOO SMOOTH. I lucked out with him since I bought him before he was broke and finished him off myself.

You can train your gaited horse to handle the trails at whatever speed you choose. Do about any obstacles or disciplines with a gaited horse (TWH, MFT, SSH, KMH, RMH, RH and etc.) Even dressage, jumping, barrels.:)

As for a suggestion about your trotting horse now, the only thing that I can suggest is posting to break the trot. It's a good exercise for your legs but on a long haul, not so comfy.
This is why I LOVE my gaited guy.:)

[Buckpoco]

I have a bad back, and like you, started looking for a gaited horse. I sold my paint horse after I got my TWH. I love the gaits, but as everyone said, try different horses. My hubby's walker is too wide for me and kills my back. My horse trots as well as gaits. I do a posting trot while in the woods going over rough terrain...I think it's easier for them.
Recently I rode my old horse since I sold him to a friend...ouch...did that hurt.

I love the gaited horses. As I always had trotting horses, when I got my TWH I hired the president of the Jersey Walking Horses to come up and help explain gaits and such to me. She said she showed jumpers and her jumper was a walker. The judges used to say "I heard someone is on a walker...which horse is it?" She feels that a gaited horse can do anything. You just don't want a "show horse" that somebody made hot and crazy." I bought Dice from a place that just breeds trail horses. Good luck.

[Remali]

Missouri Fox Trotters are really nice, and have good dispositions..... I'd check out a few breeds.... TWH's are very nice too.... Maybe give a few breeds a test ride to see.

I'm sort of hoping to get a gaited horse some day, I have a bad back.... if I do get another horse someday, I'd like it to be a gaited horse. I also really love the Peruvian Pasos..... lovely gaits! But don't get the Peruvians confused with the Paso Finos.... entirely different breeds and very different gaits (the Paso Fino has more of the sewing machine gait, more up and down.... where as the Peruvian has the longer stride with termino)..... My dream horse would be a Peruvian Paso. :)

http://www.peruvian-pasos.com/comparison.html

[Cedarsgirl]

Wow, lots of different breeds to choose from. I have a trail comp coming in a couple of weeks so that will be the real test. About 90 percent of my trot is done at a post. My back just can't handle a sit trot for long. On the up side, my legs sure are getting strong. :)

WashingtonBay your right about the inability for some gaited horses to trot in hand. I recently volunteered at an endurance comp and the vet I worked with told me he had a heck of a time determining soundness.

I'm surprised at how many folks have bad backs but still continue to ride. Sounds like I'll have to do my homework on this one. Thanks everyone.

[Buckpoco]

WashingtonBay your right about the inability for some gaited horses to trot in hand. I recently volunteered at an endurance comp and the vet I worked with told me he had a heck of a time determining soundness.


It's funny, Dice won't gait in hand or on a lunge. But when I get on he gaits. They are all so different.

[TheRedHayflinger]

I second the riding a bunch of different gaited horses...sometimes even the same gait will feel different from horse to horse (one horses running walk might be nicer for you than another one).

I've got a Spotted Saddle Horse (in pony size--13.3hh) right now and she is FULL of go! She does a saddle rack and a trot..and her trot is pretty darn nice too! I switch back and forth on both of those. Her walk is also nice and quick and she has a nice canter, but I don't canter much so I rarely use it.

As for saddles--look into Tucker Saddles. They make a nice endurance saddle and they have a gel cush seat you can get. The college I went to had mostly Tuckers as we did field tests for them and one of our teachers worked/still works with Tucker Saddles (he's done a lot of photography and video for their ads and such...he's even in their commercial on their website..haha). But seriously...our riding classes would be minimum of 3 hours on the trail and those were, hands down, the most comfy saddles in the world.

[Palogal]

TWHs are great horses, they're also a little big sometimes so if you think you might struggle mounting a big horse, might want to consider that.

I have three RMH's in training this summer that they're awesome. Their gaits are different but they're very smoothe and they're very sweet. Very people oriented and lovey-dovey. They're also shorter, breed standard is @ 14h.

In the end, they're all different, some are smoother than others.

Tucker saddles are awesome, very comfortable, also Aussie saddles are nice.

[TheRedHayflinger]

TWHs are great horses, they're also a little big sometimes so if you think you might struggle mounting a big horse, might want to consider that.

I have three RMH's in training this summer that they're awesome. Their gaits are different but they're very smoothe and they're very sweet. Very people oriented and lovey-dovey. They're also shorter, breed standard is @ 14h.

In the end, they're all different, some are smoother than others.

Tucker saddles are awesome, very comfortable, also Aussie saddles are nice.

my first horse was a TWH..she was pushing to be 14.3hh..so you can find small out there :)

A RMH is what kicked me in the back...but totally not her fault..she had EPM. Whenever she wasn't in a "mood" she was a total sweetie of a mare...the college had one of her daughters there too...again..total sweetheart. Both had different gaits too...lol

[All4Grace]

y'all know what I'm gonna say right? hahahah

I know several women with bad back that ride trotters. Hazel's trot is smooth and fluid, Gracie is a pacer and her trot is horrid but her canter TO DIE FOR!

Like everyone said already, try around. I know many standies that are smaller and have that fluid smooth trot. I've also heard Paso's are great for back injuries but I have no experience with them. But I wouldn't rule out all non gaited breeds. My old Qh, her jog was amazing you barely moved yet you covered the ground.
Our Fizz (standie) would be a great horse for what your looking for, very smooth to ride at walk and trot (she doesn't canter). She's a pacer too. If we can keep her from injuring herself long enough fo rme to get actual ride time on her. haha My friend broke her back several years ago and now competes on her 16.3hh ex-pacer in senior barrels.

I've also heard Rocky Mountain horses and fox trotters are a nice ride. But I only have experience with the gaited breed that many forget are gaited. :D either way Good Luck in your search.

[offgridgirl]

Try all sorts of gaited horses and find one that suits you!! They do all disciplines and whatever you decid to do, they will fit the bill. I have painful hips, knees and back and I wouldn't trade my MFT for any other horse.

[offgridgirl]

Try all sorts of gaited horses and find one that suits you!! They do all disciplines and whatever you decide to do, they will fit the bill. I have painful hips, knees and back and I wouldn't trade my MFT for any other horse.:cowboy: