So, you want to ride the
glide? An increasing number of trail riders are taking a close look at smooth
movers — gaited horses that carry their riders with nary a bounce or a bobble.
That smooth ride, they say, is the essence of real pleasure riding!
Here, we’ll offer a brief
overview of six popular gaited breeds. We’ll cover four all-American breeds: the
Missouri Fox Trotter, the Mountain Horse (Rocky Mountain Horse/Kentucky Mountain
Saddle Horse), the Spotted Saddle Horse, and the Tennessee Walking Horse. We’ll
also visit two breeds that evolved in Central and South America, but that have
received a warm welcome here: the Paso Fino and the Peruvian Horse. For each
one, we’ll give you history highlights, briefly explain the gaits, and discuss
trail-riding talent. Come with us as we journey
very smoothly
down the trail. (Note: Breeds are listed in alphabetical
order.)
Missouri Fox Trotter
History
highlights: The Missouri Fox Trotter
originated after early settlers traveled west across the Mississippi River and
into the Ozark Mountains with horses of Morgan, Arabian, and Thoroughbred blood.
In time, those horses’ descendants evolved into the versatile, good-minded,
smooth-gaited breed of today. The Missouri Fox Trotting Breed Association Inc.,
based in Ava, Missouri, currently boasts nearly 9,000 members with 85,000
registered horses.
Gliding
gaits: According to the MFTBA, the
breed has three natural gaits — the flat-foot walk, the smooth “fox trot” that
gives the breed its name, and the canter, which riders liken to the motion of a
rocking horse.
The fox
trot is a “broken gait,” that is, the horse walks with his front feet and trots
with his hind feet. The back feet shuffle and slide, frequently stepping into
the track made by the front feet. This shuffling, as opposed to a hard-step
trot, makes the fox trot exceptionally comfortable for
riders.
On the trail:
“Missouri Fox Trotters combine the
athleticism of a Quarter Horse, the stamina of the Arabian, and the smooth gaits
of the Tennessee Walking Horse,” declares JoAnn Becker of Missouri. “We’re stuck
on Fox Trotters.”
Becker
and her husband, George, own 140 Fox Trotters, and offer guided rides at their
Valley Springs Foxtrotters. The property, which adjoins the Mark Twain National
Forest and the Ozark Trail, offers riders meandering trails through stands of
picturesque oak and maple trees by sparkling creeks fed by the Black River.
Bill
Hinkebein has owned Missouri Fox
Trotters since 1956; he and his wife, Jeanne, have bred and ridden a dynasty of
North American Trail Ride Conference champions. Their Fox Trotter stallion,
Hickory’s Country Gold, is a NATRC Hall of Fame horse with more than 5,000
competitive miles. In 80 events, he marked 43 first-place and 22 second-place
finishes. Twenty-five Hinkebein-bred Fox Trotters have logged more than 40,000
competitive miles, and 15 have earned 26 national
championships.
A recently retired college
department head, Hinkebein still teaches, only now he teaches riding on Missouri
Fox Trotters. “They have good structure, with excellent bone and feet, great
minds, and my students marvel at their smooth gaits,” he says. “The Fox Trotter
wants to be your partner on the trail.”
MFTBA Trail Committee chairman
Paul Martin notes that 90 percent of the members are trail riders. In fact, the
association’s national show features daily trail rides from the showgrounds. “We
want folks to see how terrific Fox Trotters are on the trail,” he says. If you already own a Fox Trotter, check out the association's trail programs. "the MFTBA sponsors tow national trail rides in Missouri, and our affiliate clubs sponsor rides across the country, all of the Fox trot America Program, where riders log hours on the trail for year-end prizes," Martin notes.
Mountain
Horse History highlights:
The Rocky Mountain Horse and the
Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse share the same rich history and beginnings in the
tranquil rolling hills of eastern Kentucky. According to legend, an anonymous
traveler from the Rocky Mountains arrived in the area early in the last century.
The traveler traded a handsome young colt for supplies. Bred to local horses,
the colt’s offspring were the beginning of the Mountain
Horses.
The next
milestone occurred 50 years later, when Sam Tuttle’s stallion, Old Tobe, and his
five sons were recognized as foundation sires of the modern-day Mountain Horse.
Strongly built and with a distinct four-beat gait, the horses became essential
to Appalachian farms. They traversed trails, plowed fields, worked cattle,
babysat children, and, hitched to a buggy, took the entire family to town.
The strengths of these horses
became part of local legend, but remained an eastern Kentucky secret until 1986,
when the Rocky Mountain Horse Association was formed in Mt. Olivet, Kentucky, to
maintain and promote the breed.
Then, in 1989, Robert Robinson
Jr. formed the Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse Association, based in Lexington,
Kentucky, to document and preserve the breed’s ancestry and rich heritage.
“Junior Robinson didn’t fully
buy into the Old Tobe theory,” notes Dave Stefanic, KMSHA executive director and
owner of Classic Farm in Georgetown, Kentucky. “He believed there was an
existing herd of gaited horses in central Kentucky dating back to the 1890s, and
that Old Tobe was one of several foundation stallions of the Kentucky Mountain
breed.”
Early Kentucky Mountain Saddle
Horses were small, so two size classifications were created: pony size, 11 to
13.3 hands high; and horse size, 14 hands and up. There’s no predominant breed
color, in contrast to Rocky Mountain Horses, which are known for their chocolate
coloration.
In
2002, the Spotted Mountain Horse Association (a subsidiary of the KMSHA) was
formed to register Mountain Horses that sported too much white to meet the
existing breeds’ solid-color standards.
The KMSHA has closed its books
and is working with the University of Kentucky to continue to identify new
genetic markers that will further enhance the breed.
Gliding gaits:
The Rocky Mountain Horse has an
ambling, four-beat gait that owner/riders love. It’s a natural gait, requiring
no artificial aids or action devices, and with no evidence of pacing. There
should be four distinct and equal footfalls: left hind, left fore, right hind,
right fore. Speed is between 7 and 20 mph.
The KMSHA, says Stefanic,
promotes a more animated, showy horse. “There are four gaits,” he explains. “A
trail walk; a show
gait, which is an ambling gait
between two and five mph; a canter; and a pleasure
gait, which is a rack-y style,
singlefoot gait between 10 and 14 mph. The RMHA doesn’t promote the canter; the
KMSHA does.”
On the trail:
Mike and Kathy Hartong of Cedar
Grove Farm in Vermont, describe their Rocky Mountain Horses as “the Golden
Retrievers of the equine world, sweet and mellow, never high-strung or hyper.”
While their amiable
personalities were what originally attracted the Hartongs, the couple quickly
discovered that the breed offered so much more: a naturally smooth, four-beat
gait; intelligence and calm on physically and mentally challenging trails; and
hearty constitutions.
“Aging baby boomers can ride
all day and still walk at night,” Mike says with a smile. “They’re part of our
family. We imprint foals at birth, then teach them to ride, drive, and pull
sleighs in winter. They’re smart and willing partners.”
Christie and Dave Goodman of
Wild Mountain Farms in Frenchtown, Montana, are living their dream on 60 acres
with 25 Mountain Horses. “From our property, we have dozens of beautiful trails
into the Rocky Mountains, with vistas of snowcapped peaks,” Christie says. “We
love the sweet, gentle nature of the breed.”
“When the mountains are wild,”
Dave adds, “your horses shouldn’t be.”
Mary
Beth Autry and her husband, Steve, have 27 Rocky Mountain Horses (also
registered with the KMSHA) at their Broken Bone Farm in Mount Olivet, Kentucky.
Autry became interested in the breed after reading a story about them in a local
newspaper. “And I soon learned that their kind temperament and smooth gaits were
perfect for someone new to horses,” she says.
“Time
spent in the saddle is my bliss. Walking out my back door onto 800 acres of
trails provides a wealth of possibilities. My passion is riding through the
woods or through broad meadows, pausing while my gelding, Maximus, munches rich
grass. Steve and I invite friends to horse camp with us at our lake, and we
introduce them to our favorite horse: the Rocky.”
The KMSHA offers a trail-riding
program, in which members log miles and enjoy end-of-season awards. The
association, which promotes trail riding at breed fairs throughout the country,
started a competitive trail riding schedule this year; the first ride was held
last August in North Carolina’s Leatherwood Mountains. Future rides are planned. The KMSHA also supports Trail Rider Equestrians in Kentucky, whose goal, with assistance from the Kentucky Equine Education Project, is to preserve, expand, and promote equestrian trails and campgrounds, protecting trail riders' right of access to these facilities.
Paso Fino
Horse
History
highlights: Equine ancestors of
the Paso Fino arrived in the New World more than 500 years ago, when Christopher
Columbus made his second voyage from Spain to what’s now the Dominican Republic.
The Barbs, Andalusians, and Spanish Jennets that carried conquistadors
into Mexico, Central American, and
South America would lend their genetic treasure to the new
breed.
The explorers needed tough,
surefooted mounts. Bred in relative isolation, these horses combined the
durability and stamina of the Barb; the charisma and elegance of the Andalusian;
and the naturally smooth, even gait of the Spanish Jennet. They became known as
Los Caballos de
Paso Fino — the horses with the fine
step.
Centuries passed, and it was
only after American servicemen stationed in Puerto Rico “discovered” the
smooth-moving horses, that importation into the United States began. Today, the
Paso Fino Horse Association Inc., based in Plant City, Florida, has 45,000
registered horses, and 8,500 members.
Gliding
gaits: The ultrasmooth gaits of
the Paso Fino are completely natural to the breed. In fact, so instinctual, it’s
common to see newborn foals moving in gait around the pasture. The breed’s
lateral, four-beat gait leaves three feet on the ground at all times, without
any up and down movement to jar the rider. The rhythmic and evenly cadenced
movement is absorbed by the horse’s back and loins.
The
Paso Fino’s gait has three distinct speeds:
• The Classic
Fino, primarily a show-ring
gait, is slow moving and collected with a rapid footfall, like dancing in
place.
• The Paso
Corto, an effortless,
medium-speed gait, is most commonly used on the trail. Comparable to a trot, the
horse can travel at the Corto for hours, smoothly carrying his rider for great
distances.
• The Paso
Largo is the fastest, least
collected gait, but should be smooth and balanced.
Like other breeds, the Paso
Fino has the same gaits as other breeds, including a four-beat walk and
three-beat canter or lope.
On the
trail: Annie and Danny Keith own
10 Paso Fino horses, and own and operate Timber Ridge Horse Camp Ground, located
adjacent to hundreds of miles of trails in Tennessee’s Big South Fork River and
Recreation Area.
“The Paso Fino horses’
smooth-as-silk action gets into your soul,” Annie says. “Some trails can be
daunting, but Paso Finos have the heart and spirit to rise to every challenge.
Aficionados call that brio. The Paso Fino is a proud breed, and we’re proud to
ride them.” The PFHA recognizes its avid trail-riding members; both its Pasos for Pleasure and Ticket to ride programs award national recognition and prizes to the riders for hours in the saddle.
|
| Peruvian
Horse 
The
Peruvian Horse. Photo
courtesy of
NAPHA
Peruvian Horse Resources
Fiesta Frontier
Farm
(918)
653-2234
Lakeside
Peruvians
(318)
559-0435;
www.lakesideperuvians.com
La Estancia
Alegre
(505)
852-0444;
www.laestanciaalegre.com
North American
Peruvian
Horse Association
(817)
447-7574;
www.napha.net
Peruvian Horse
Association
of Canada
(403)
935-4435;
phac.netway.ab.ca
Peruvian Paso
Horse
Promotion Project
(760)
788-3918;
www.peruvianhorsepromotion.com
Rancho Chiripa
Peruvian Horses
(602)
460-PASO [7276];
www.rchiripa.azgaitedhorses.com Wood
Guest Ranch
and
Equestrian Center
(817)
483-5478;
raywood@swbell.net
SHOPPING SAVVY
Owners
and riders of gaited horses offer their suggestions for anyone shopping for a
smooth-moving trail horse:
• Learn all you can about the
breed. Start with associations,
websites, libraries, and breed owners. • Find a mentor who’s
knowledgeable about the breed and
its trail capabilities. • Take lessons from a trainer
familiar with the breed, and learn
to recognize the breed’s special gaits, and when and how to cue for
them. • Shop
around. Don’t buy the first horse
you like — go home, and divorce yourself from the emotion of the moment — then
make your decision. • Note general
health. Prospects should have
clear, bright eyes, a shiny coat, and good body weight. Invest in a prepurchase
veterinary examination. • Look for a calm
horse with a kind eye and sweet
disposition — one that’s interested in people. • Spend time with the
horse when he’s wearing just a
halter, and get to know his personality. • Pick a horse that suits
your size. A petite rider with a
tall horse may have challenges mounting and dismounting on the
trail. • Test-drive the horse on the
trail. Cross water, climb hills,
and look for challenges to see how the horse responds. • Check tack fit
carefully. Gaited horses come in
all shapes and sizes, so your old tack might not do. Invest in new tack if you
need to. Tack fit is crucial not only for the horse’s comfort, but also to allow
him the freedom of movement to gait properly. • Negotiate a trial period.
Most sellers want a good match
between horse and rider, too, and will have a reasonable return
policy. • Then
have fun
with your new, smooth-gaited trail partner! |
Peruvian
Horse
History
highlights: The Peruvian Horse is
a descendant of the Barb, Spanish Jennet, Andalusian, and Friesian horses that
Spanish conquistadors brought to South America more than 400 years ago. The
breed developed in Peru as owners of vast haciendas sought horses to carry them
comfortably throughout long days and over great distances. They selectively bred
for the smooth, rocking gait, stamina, and willing temperament that characterize
the horses today.
Although Peruvian Horses have
been imported to the United States in significant numbers for only about 40
years, they’ve quickly endeared themselves to owners and riders. At the end of
2005, the breed’s two primary organizations, the Peruvian Paso Horse Registry of
North America and the American Association of Owners and Breeders of Peruvian
Horse Horses, merged to form the North American Peruvian Horse Association,
which has registered more than 17,000 Peruvian Horses. Five years in the
planning, breed aficionados hope the union will strengthen and enhance the
visibility and promotion of their favorite horse.
Gliding
gaits: From the walk, Peruvian
Horses move into their signature gait, the paso
llano, an evenly spaced, lateral
four-beat gait with a side-to-side rocking motion. It’s executed with termino, a rolling movement that begins in the shoulders and
ends as the front legs move out during extension. The Peruvian Horse is also
known for its sobreandando, also a four-beat gait, but unevenly spaced and
faster than the paso llano.
On the trail:
Ray Wood of Wood Guest Ranch and
Equestrian Center in Boswell, Oklahoma, smiles when he calls the Peruvian Horse
“the Rolls Royce of riding horses. They’re an elegant, gentle horse with an
automatic transmission.”
The
NAPHA’s Joy of Riding Program allows its members to keep track of their hours in
the saddle, and earn recognition, certificates, and patches. Pat Stevenson kept
track of her hours, came up with more than 2,500, and was honored at the NAPHA
national show. “I’m just making up for lost time,” says Stevenson, who took up
riding with her husband, Andy, after they retired.
The Stevensons, who own six
Peruvians, plan their adventures around stories in The Trail
Rider. They often ride the broad
Atlantic coast near their home in North Carolina and particularly enjoyed Lost
River State Park in West Virginia.
“In springtime, the mountain
laurel blooms and showers riders with delicate white petals,” Pat says. “We’ve
also seen lots of wildlife — including black bears — on the trails, and our
Peruvians take it all in stride. But I shouldn’t have been surprised. They
ignore flapping tarps, barking dogs, and loud farm equipment with the same good
sense. "The Peruvians' easygoing personalities, moderate size, and smooth gaits make them perfect for us," Pat notes.
Spotted
Saddle Horse History
highlights: If you’re looking for a
smooth ride with a bit of flash, the Spotted Saddle Horse might be for you. This
eye-catching breed developed in Tennessee, when the Walking Horses and Fox
Trotters were outcrossed on spotted horses of various breeds, with colorful
results. Eventually, Standardbreds, Mustangs, Paso Finos, and Peruvian Horses
also contributed to the rich genetic heritage of the breed.
In 1979, the National Spotted
Saddle Horse Association was organized in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. In 1985, the
Spotted Saddle Horse Breeders and Exhibitors Association was formed in
Shelbyville, Tennessee. The SSHBEA requires that horses have white above the
hocks (not including facial markings) and exhibit the breed’s hallmark saddle
g |
