Arena Routine
Lateral flexion 2-3 times, then head down on the vertical. This teaches horse to give to bit pressure.
Bring your energy up, squeeze with both calves and walk off slow walk, do not gait, and make 2 -10-meter circles, one direction then the other. Work on bending and getting horse to give laterally. Or make as many circles as you need to get horse to bend and give.
Then a figure 8. Same concept, till horse bends well and gives laterally.
Then serpentine up and down arena, I make the serpentine the size I would use on a fire trail. Same concept, get horse to bend and give.
All these exercises help horse to learn to separate legs and make them more supple.
Then go to rail and bring energy up, squeeze with both legs till you get your flat walk or first gait. I keep my leg against the horse with light pressure, so they know to stay that speed,
I make circles up and down the arena, one at each end and one in the middle, I do this twice around the arena, then I leg yield 4 times around arena. I then stop him by taking leg off sit back, deep breath in and out, say whoa then pull if he hasn’t stopped. Then I back up 3- 5 steps every time I ask horse to stop, until they have a very good stop.
Then a turn on forehand and repeat everything the other direction. Then another turn on the forehand and a break for a couple minutes on a loose rein.
Then I go back to flat walk for half way around and bring speed up to a running walk or your horse's intermediate gait, by using more leg, I do not kick, it should be smooth and head shaking if running walk, it should have soft bounce with head shake if fox trot, if racking gait or saddle gait you should feel a little jiggle or smooth but not much or any head shake.
If bouncy you are pacing or trotting and should slow down, I do a running walk or intermediate gait, 4 times around the arena. Then I bring my energy down, leg off sit back, breathe out, whoa and stop. Back up 3-5 steps.
I then do a turn on the haunches and then flat walk halfway around and speed up to running walk or intermediate gait other direction 4 times around arena. Then I stop the same way and do another turn on the haunches and then a break on a loose rein.
If you want to do a faster gait like a true rack, you can try now, the lateral work – circle, leg yield and turns help to separate legs for the gait. If you go faster and bouncy you can try bringing his head down with pressure or sliding the bit across tongue or moving shoulders in while gaiting to separate the legs. Some horses you will need to bring their head up, especially if on the trotty side.
Otherwise I practice canter steps. I use poles to help departure or a jump. Half halt on rein, shift weight to outside, say canter and dig with outside leg, right as you're getting to the pole or jump. He should skip over it and give you a couple steps of canter, if he falls out of it just walk and repeat. It takes a long time for the gaited horses especially twh or pacey horses to hold their canter. So, I practice steps here and there. Try to get the correct lead if you know them. If he gets wrong lead just walk and start again. Anytime he does it right stop and reward him with a break. I usually try to get the lead 3 times each direction and quit.
Then I do side pass and I’m done
I always bring energy up and push him to go and stop riding and bring energy down to stop.
Ground Training https://amzn.to/3Z9mRMl
Jumping Exercises https://amzn.to/3Cpcavh
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
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