Back when I was
teaching riding lessons I often had gaited horses in my school horse string.
“But, you can’t use gaited horses for lessons, they don’t trot,” a lady admonished
me when she learned I had three Tennessee Walking Horses in my lesson
string.
I thought my
students were learning to ride just fine on my non-trotting horses, but her
comment made me wonder if I was the only instructor teaching balanced seat and
equitation on horses that don’t normally trot.
I learned while instructors
I interviewed had differing opinions, most agreed the gaited horse could certainly be used to
teach basic horsemanship successfully, and in certain situations can even be a
better choice over the trotter.
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| Student riding Tennesse Walking Horse |
Only one thing is
found lacking in the gaited horse—the trot.
People who ride these smoothies will probably tell you that is a good
thing. But if its trot you want, some gaited horses can be persuaded to travel
that bouncy two-beat gait.
To answer the
question of whether a gaited horse is suitable for a lesson mount we should
review what the instructor looks for in a good school horse. Good disposition
(which includes tolerance of the student’s mistakes), soundness, responsiveness
to the aids and the athletic ability to perform at the level of lessons being
taught are the basic requirements of a school horse. None of those traits are
breed specific, or even gait specific. Only when the student advances to
showing in a particular discipline does he or she have to make a choice between
trotting and non-trotting horses.
Liz Graves,
author, horse show judge and teacher has conducted over one hundred All Breed
Gaited Horse Clinics in the US and Canada. She says, “Yes,” to the question of
using the gaited lesson horse, “Gaited horses are a wonderful mount
in teaching programs.”
Liz uses both
gaited and none gaited horses in her program, but she finds teaching basic
balance without the excessive movement of a trot is an advantage of the smooth
gaited horses.
“Once a
good knowledge of total body use and balance is achieved then I mount them
up on a none gaited breed.”
Referring to the
gaited horse, Liz says, “First and foremost though, they still are a
horse before a breed and all the basics of leg, hand and seat aids apply the
same as well as learning equine physiology, and handling from ground to
riding.”
“There
are also variations of smooth in all the gaits,” Liz explains. She says riding a variety of horses with
different gaits help teach the rider how the gaits effect their body when
riding. “Folks become more aware of there own bodies in using gaited horses and
learning what each gait is.” She goes on to say, “I see no
limitations using gaited horses. I have
used gaited horses for jumping for many years as well as cattle work and
driving.”
To be fair not everyone
who answered my query felt that gaited horses would work in their program. Beth
Thomas of Johnstown, Pennsylvania teaches hunter seat and jumping at Stone
Hollow, and like several other hunt seat trainers, doesn’t have a place for
gaited horses in her program.
She
says, “I don't use or
want gaited horses in my lesson program because they usually don't trot. I have
nothing against them but I teach hunt seat and I need horses that trot well and
can canter down to jumps. I do realize there are a lot of gaited horses that
can jump but that is more exception than rule.”
Beth clarifies her answer by saying, “Please keep
in mind, I do like gaited horses, just generally speaking, they aren't built to
jump; they are built for smooth riding. I know some do jump and a lot of gaited
horse fans will probably want to fight me over that statement.”
This is the baby boomer age, and more and more
people in these demographics are turning to gaited horses because it’s just
more pleasant to ride their smooth gaits once you get to the age that the bones
and joints are feeling every little bump and grind. Instructors are teaching
more adults than ever, and having a gaited lesson horse, or two, in their school
is a plus for these clients.
Mo
Freitag of Tennessee recognized this trend.
She found gaited horses especially suited for her older adult
students. “I had an older couple, in
their late sixties, starting to ride. The gentleman had a very secure seat, and
was a natural. I started him on a gaited horse, and then progressed to a
trotting horse at his request. His wife wasn’t quite as balanced, and one
Spotted Saddle Gelding was perfect for her. She and her husband could take
lessons together, and she was comfortable and her confidence grew on the
smoother horse.”
The only “con” Mo finds to using the gaited horse is
in the case of students wanting to move into the hunter jumper discipline. Even
so, Ms. Freitag says she has friends who jump with their Tennessee Walking
Horses.
The results of my
informal survey assured me my gaited horses could remain in the lesson barn and
keep their jobs. My three Tennessee Walkers had wonderful dispositions, were
sound, and willing workers. I found them
every bit as good teachers as my other horses. The only problem I had was
convincing my students to take a turn on a trotting horse after they have
learned to enjoy the smooth ride of the gaited lesson horses.
