Gaited horses are popular, especially with those of us who have back or knee problems or other physical issues that make riding a horse that requires a posting trot difficult. There are many breeds of gaited horses, including the Paso Fino, Peruvian Paso, Icelandic Horse, Rocky Mountain Horse, Saddlebred, Tennessee Walking Horse and American Standardbred.

 

All horses that are regarded as gaited have a four beat gait.


The footfall pattern is that of a walk. Although different breeds may give these gaits different names, such as tölt, running walk, foxtrot, or rack, they are all known as ambling gaits. Because there is little impulsion in these gaits, they don’t throw the rider up out of the saddle like a trot can.

Some horses, at the trot have more impulsion than others, so their energetic strides can make the ride very bouncy and uncomfortable, straining the seat, the back and if the rider is posting, the knees. Breeds like the Arabian or Thoroughbred have springier gaits than a breed like the American Quarter Horse, whose gaits tend to be flatter, and their trots easier to simply sit.

But, it’s important to remember that posting is the only thing you may not need to learn when riding a gaited horse. Because the horse gaits comfortably, does not mean you can just sit there. There is a misconception that these horses are easy to ride. Their gaits may be, but they still require good riding skills for the safest and most comfortable ride.

And, some gaited horses do trot, so learning to post may be a useful riding skill. You’ll also need to learn to use your natural aids, such as seat, hands and legs effectively. Being able to control your horse with greater skill will make riding safer. It certainly will make riding horses other than your own gaited horse easier.

Many people think that they need to sit back further on the horse’s back, and will even place the saddle further back than on a normally gaited horse. This isn’t necessary for a pleasure horse that will be ridden on tail. While some show riders ride in the ‘back seat’ to free up the horse’s shoulders for high action, pleasure riders, who aren’t encouraging high action but a smooth, safe comfortable ride, need to sit more forward on the strongest part of the horse’s back. Sitting too far back makes it more difficult for your horse to carry you and will cause a sore back and other problems, especially over long distances.

Nor will you need a special saddle. Any properly fitting saddle will work for a gaited horse, as will any comfortable and appropriate bit. Gaited horses, who gait naturally do not need any special equipment, shoeing, trimming or training to encourage them to gait. Even some traditionally non-gaited breeds will gait, and rarely is any special training required.

Gaited breeds have a reputation, depending on who you talk to and what their experiences have been, of either being hot or very laid back. Much depends on the individual and the training. Some breeds have a reputation for being very easy going, but that’s not always the rule. You can’t just get on any horse, gaited or not, and expect it to have read the breed standards and follow the guidelines. All horses, like people, have individual temperaments and abilities, and it’s best to judge each one on its own merits.

While you may be looking for a pleasure horse, gaited horses can participate in most disciplines with the right training. They are even gaited dressage events and some gaited horses are talented over fences. Although they’re often touted as good long distance horses, this isn’t quite true, as often their high footfall rate, means their heart rates tend to be higher too. There is a reason why Arabians excel at endurance racing, and have faster recovery times in events that use heart rate and respiration to measure fitness and gaited breeds do not. But for pleasure trail riding, and for lower level distance riding sports, gaited breeds do well for their owners.

Is a gaited horse for you? If you’re avoiding irritating your back or knees, they may be a natural choice. There is plenty of opportunity to compete if you wish. And, they are no more difficult  to care for or find equipment for than a horse that does only walk, trot, canter or lope.