What Does Timing Mean in a Gaited Horse?
By Gaye DeRusso
Timing is a very important tool in any kind of horse training. But it is key in Gaited Horse Training, when you are trying to get your horse to gait well. When you are teaching your horse to gait or your horse knows how to gait well, it is in your timing that will either teach that horse to gait or stay in gait or go out of gait.
The release of pressure with any kind of horse training, teaches the horse that whatever it is doing at that particular time, gave him the reward of a release. This means you put pressure on and when he did it right, you took pressure off, or you stopped and gave the horse a rest, or you stopped and gave the horse a treat. These are all ways of showing your horse, he did the right thing.
Sounds easy right? Well, it's not.
If you release too soon or too late, the horse will associate whatever it was doing with that release and therefore, thinks that is what you wanted. So, giving the release must be at the right time, and that my friends, is what you call timing.
Many horses come to me and yank on the bit or throw their heads up. It's annoying to fix this over and over again, but that is what I do. The reason the horse does these things is because the rider had bad timing or did not understand about timing and released when the horse threw its head up or yanked on the bit. Some riders are so unaware they don't even notice the horse is doing this. But when the horse yanks or throws its head, it got a release of pressure or got all your reins and got a big release. Now the horse does this all the time to get the release of pressure.
It is the same with pacing or trotting, it's easy for the horse to do these. Horses like easy, it is harder for some of them to gait, due to their breeding and training. So, the pace and trot give them a release of being easy.
The gait is hard and makes more work. But that is why if your horse trots or paces and your timing is good, if you stop and back them up and immediately try to gait again, some will stop trotting or pacing. Why? Because now you made gaiting easier, and the trotting or pacing is now associated with more work- the backing up and no rest. But don't forget when they do gait to give them a rest. To the horse rest is good, work is not.
So, when trying to fix the horse's gait or any bad behaviors, the timing of your release must be within seconds, hopefully less then 3 seconds, for the horse to understand what you wanted.
When trying to gait a horse that does not gait well, I tell the rider, once we get the gait even one step, I am going to have you stop and give the horse a break. That way the horse knows this is what we want. But many times, the riders timing is off, and they stop many seconds after I tell them and by that time the horse is pacing or trotting. So, the horse thinks, oh if I trot or pace that is what they want.
Timing is so important to get the right message to the horse. They don't speak English, so you cannot just tell them. You have to show them by your actions when they do the right thing.
So many people try to get the gait and when they do, they just keep going and tire the horse out. Then they realize oh he is pacing now or trotting, so I will stop and that is why they start pacing or trotting more.
Then there's the horse that gaits well but the rider doesn't really have a clue, so they ride it too fast past its gait, when it gets bouncy, they stop and the horse gets a rest. So, that nicely gaited horse now starts to trot or pace.
It applies to so many things. The horse is stubborn and kicks out, rider gets scared and gets off. Horse is happy and gets reward of rest. So next time the horse kicks out sooner to get the reward.
If the horse kicked out and was backed up or spun around or just made to work harder right after he kicked out, if the timing is right, he most likely won't try it too many more times. Why? Because he got more work instead of rest, he doesn't want to work more, that's why he kicked out in the first place to test what would happen.
Precise timing is one of the greatest tools available to encourage or discourage a behavior.
So, to sum it up, a good trainer will have good timing and that is why the horse learns so quickly. This is why, a gaited trainer can get on and if your horse has talent, it just starts to gait well, even though it did not gait for you. The trainer can feel the gait and when the horse does it right, they give it a release. They do it again and again until the horse understands what they want. Then the horse tries harder and harder to get that release by gaiting better. But a trainer or rider with bad timing or no idea about timing, can encourage bad behaviors as well as discourage the horse to gait well. If they release when the horse paces, guess what, the horse starts to pace more.
If you want the best gaits, you need to encourage your horse and show him that if he does it, he gets something for his efforts. This is why, so many horses will gait well going home but not leaving home. Leaving home, they know is more work, but coming home, they know they get food, friends and rest. That even sounds good to me!
So, start practicing your timing and remember when they do something right immediately stop, rest, praise, or treat. You're riding on the trail, and you get the best gait, stop immediately don't keep going and when you stop make a big fuss over your horse like he did the best thing ever. Get off and graze him, give him a special scratch, or treat. Over time you will get more of that gait, but if you don't have the right timing and you don't give that release or reward, most horses won't know what you want.
Timing is Everything!!! Especially, in Gaiting!
Gaited Books
Easy Gaited Horses By Lee Ziegler https://amzn.to/3vFuk8w
The Gaited Horse Bible by Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3It0Imf
Gaits of Gold by Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3jGXam0
Heavenly Gaits By Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3ieKGBP
Training the Gaited Horse By Gary Lane https://amzn.to/3jPcAVq
DISCLAIMER: This description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission if you buy something. This helps support the website. Thank you for the support!
By Gaye DeRusso
Timing is a very important tool in any kind of horse training. But it is key in Gaited Horse Training, when you are trying to get your horse to gait well. When you are teaching your horse to gait or your horse knows how to gait well, it is in your timing that will either teach that horse to gait or stay in gait or go out of gait.
The release of pressure with any kind of horse training, teaches the horse that whatever it is doing at that particular time, gave him the reward of a release. This means you put pressure on and when he did it right, you took pressure off, or you stopped and gave the horse a rest, or you stopped and gave the horse a treat. These are all ways of showing your horse, he did the right thing.
Sounds easy right? Well, it's not.
If you release too soon or too late, the horse will associate whatever it was doing with that release and therefore, thinks that is what you wanted. So, giving the release must be at the right time, and that my friends, is what you call timing.
Many horses come to me and yank on the bit or throw their heads up. It's annoying to fix this over and over again, but that is what I do. The reason the horse does these things is because the rider had bad timing or did not understand about timing and released when the horse threw its head up or yanked on the bit. Some riders are so unaware they don't even notice the horse is doing this. But when the horse yanks or throws its head, it got a release of pressure or got all your reins and got a big release. Now the horse does this all the time to get the release of pressure.
It is the same with pacing or trotting, it's easy for the horse to do these. Horses like easy, it is harder for some of them to gait, due to their breeding and training. So, the pace and trot give them a release of being easy.
The gait is hard and makes more work. But that is why if your horse trots or paces and your timing is good, if you stop and back them up and immediately try to gait again, some will stop trotting or pacing. Why? Because now you made gaiting easier, and the trotting or pacing is now associated with more work- the backing up and no rest. But don't forget when they do gait to give them a rest. To the horse rest is good, work is not.
So, when trying to fix the horse's gait or any bad behaviors, the timing of your release must be within seconds, hopefully less then 3 seconds, for the horse to understand what you wanted.
When trying to gait a horse that does not gait well, I tell the rider, once we get the gait even one step, I am going to have you stop and give the horse a break. That way the horse knows this is what we want. But many times, the riders timing is off, and they stop many seconds after I tell them and by that time the horse is pacing or trotting. So, the horse thinks, oh if I trot or pace that is what they want.
Timing is so important to get the right message to the horse. They don't speak English, so you cannot just tell them. You have to show them by your actions when they do the right thing.
So many people try to get the gait and when they do, they just keep going and tire the horse out. Then they realize oh he is pacing now or trotting, so I will stop and that is why they start pacing or trotting more.
Then there's the horse that gaits well but the rider doesn't really have a clue, so they ride it too fast past its gait, when it gets bouncy, they stop and the horse gets a rest. So, that nicely gaited horse now starts to trot or pace.
It applies to so many things. The horse is stubborn and kicks out, rider gets scared and gets off. Horse is happy and gets reward of rest. So next time the horse kicks out sooner to get the reward.
If the horse kicked out and was backed up or spun around or just made to work harder right after he kicked out, if the timing is right, he most likely won't try it too many more times. Why? Because he got more work instead of rest, he doesn't want to work more, that's why he kicked out in the first place to test what would happen.
Precise timing is one of the greatest tools available to encourage or discourage a behavior.
So, to sum it up, a good trainer will have good timing and that is why the horse learns so quickly. This is why, a gaited trainer can get on and if your horse has talent, it just starts to gait well, even though it did not gait for you. The trainer can feel the gait and when the horse does it right, they give it a release. They do it again and again until the horse understands what they want. Then the horse tries harder and harder to get that release by gaiting better. But a trainer or rider with bad timing or no idea about timing, can encourage bad behaviors as well as discourage the horse to gait well. If they release when the horse paces, guess what, the horse starts to pace more.
If you want the best gaits, you need to encourage your horse and show him that if he does it, he gets something for his efforts. This is why, so many horses will gait well going home but not leaving home. Leaving home, they know is more work, but coming home, they know they get food, friends and rest. That even sounds good to me!
So, start practicing your timing and remember when they do something right immediately stop, rest, praise, or treat. You're riding on the trail, and you get the best gait, stop immediately don't keep going and when you stop make a big fuss over your horse like he did the best thing ever. Get off and graze him, give him a special scratch, or treat. Over time you will get more of that gait, but if you don't have the right timing and you don't give that release or reward, most horses won't know what you want.
Timing is Everything!!! Especially, in Gaiting!
Gaited Books
Easy Gaited Horses By Lee Ziegler https://amzn.to/3vFuk8w
The Gaited Horse Bible by Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3It0Imf
Gaits of Gold by Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3jGXam0
Heavenly Gaits By Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3ieKGBP
Training the Gaited Horse By Gary Lane https://amzn.to/3jPcAVq
DISCLAIMER: This description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission if you buy something. This helps support the website. Thank you for the support!