I haven't been around foxtrotters much but with every other breed I've worked with giving them slight mouth pressure and riding them up into the bit instead of full out collecting works. Good luck!
Pace is a lazy gear. I have a MFT mare, and what worked for her (discovered in a clinic) is to take my legs off her and encourage forward with a riding whip, let em put their nose out more and light touch on rein allowing the head bob. She is very light mare, so never thought to ride with a crop. Also have a foxtrotter ride next to you on a surface where they can hear each other. my friend's morgan does a nice foxtrot when riding next to my mare.
My info on this video (to the right) share exactly what gait we were working on. Nope, not a foxtrot yet. Since this horse tends toward lateral movement we were trying to get him to break the pace. It seems clear that he went directly from the pace to the hard trot. Both are a bummer for his owner but the fact that he will go diagonal gives her hope. He is a really pretty little horse and we posted this video in the hopes of getting suggestions on how to get him to go from hard trot to fox
Try sitting back further in the saddle and raising the reigns higher on the neck. Gotta get that head out of the tuck.Almost lean back. Shift weight to the back end and get that front end and head up. Let the head bob. Does he show the gait naturally in the feild? Does this rider usually ride english? What kind of bit are you using? I wouldn't work on anything but the foxtrot until he has that but at 7....?
Just my 2 cents. Can't hurt. Hope it works out. It is usually very natural for them .
@baymom1 I've noticed that the foxtrotter needs some time to get into the gait. Basically you ride him from behind to front... ah its hard to explain. Also I found out that a harder flat ground will improve their gaits too... still good luck
I saw your fella and he looks sturdy! I'm always delighted to see a horse with good legs. It sounds like you're enjoying him. He's beautiful. I was wondering if he's always carried his tail off to the side? I couldn't tell if he was doing it in the video where he was running with the other horse. My hubby's horse went through a period of misbehaving and someone pointed out the tail off to the side & said it could be back trouble. It was, had a chiropractor come out, and he was behaving again.
What a hoot! Great sales approach. I'm in Michigan. I have 4 MFT and one due in May. I learned about the breed from a friend who is a talented trainer and works with gaited breeds. Hey, I just remembered my mare, a foxtrottin' fool, will not fox trot when i use my Aussie saddle. She will perform with my western saddle and bareback. You might have your friend try another saddle.
How has your showing experience gone? I've not done any. We trail ride, but my kids are going try 4H.
Showing has been mostly fun here. No blues for me on my Palomino because he's just not consistent enough yet and just has so little training. He acts like a baby although he's 5 years old. He's sweet enough and willing enough though. I just need to figure out how to ask him for what I want and do it consistently. We seem to float between a trot and a pace. He has it all though...beautiful floaty trot, foxtrot, pace, running walk, flat walk, canter...he's multi-talented! LOL!!
To shift your weight in the saddle, I'd lengthen that stirrup just a touch. Baymom, you have a good eye for the transitions, so you're going to be her best asset on the ground. This is a lovely horse, and if he is smooth in a lateral gait, don't be afraid to be satisfied with that. I know some folks have an issue with squeezing the lateral out of a MFT, but if it's what he does naturally, you may spend a lot of time being frustrated with your horse instead of being happy with his other gaits.
thanks for your great input!! This is the stuff that I find very helpful. Usually I get negative comments on my horse followed by an offer to buy the commenters "perfect" horse!! LOL!! That's never a great approach....I'm going to insult you and then try to sell you something. Ha Ha!
This horse is a wonderful MFT. When my friend got him he did not pace so I don't believe it is his first choice of gait. I believe he will foxtrot..which would be nice because we all like to show a bit!
You're right about using the corners, a horse that paces will do it on the straight-aways, and shift to a diagonal on the circles. He has a pretty head set, but when he paces, he's going to want to carry the head higher. If you shift your weight in the saddle forward, he'll be more trotty, shift toward the cantle and he'll tend to pace. I'd get him on the circles, encourage him to drop his head, balance your weight in the center of the saddle, and begin at the walk and then increase speed.
I haven't been around foxtrotters much but with every other breed I've worked with giving them slight mouth pressure and riding them up into the bit instead of full out collecting works. Good luck!
rodeoeventer 9 months ago
I did not see a hard trot, miss. That was a tölt. The gait an icelandic horse has. :) Very special that your foxtrotter can do that!
cookie4me 1 year ago
She's got some spunk in her..... I like it... just keep working with her..... she'll get there....
Duchesse1981 1 year ago
Pace is a lazy gear. I have a MFT mare, and what worked for her (discovered in a clinic) is to take my legs off her and encourage forward with a riding whip, let em put their nose out more and light touch on rein allowing the head bob. She is very light mare, so never thought to ride with a crop. Also have a foxtrotter ride next to you on a surface where they can hear each other. my friend's morgan does a nice foxtrot when riding next to my mare.
MFTgal 2 years ago
I did not see a fox trot. Sorry. Cute little horse but I don't know what gait you think you were working on but it wasn't a foxtrot.
wolfhybred 2 years ago
My info on this video (to the right) share exactly what gait we were working on. Nope, not a foxtrot yet. Since this horse tends toward lateral movement we were trying to get him to break the pace. It seems clear that he went directly from the pace to the hard trot. Both are a bummer for his owner but the fact that he will go diagonal gives her hope. He is a really pretty little horse and we posted this video in the hopes of getting suggestions on how to get him to go from hard trot to fox
baymom1 2 years ago
Try sitting back further in the saddle and raising the reigns higher on the neck. Gotta get that head out of the tuck.Almost lean back. Shift weight to the back end and get that front end and head up. Let the head bob. Does he show the gait naturally in the feild? Does this rider usually ride english? What kind of bit are you using? I wouldn't work on anything but the foxtrot until he has that but at 7....?
Just my 2 cents. Can't hurt. Hope it works out. It is usually very natural for them .
wolfhybred 2 years ago
@baymom1 I've noticed that the foxtrotter needs some time to get into the gait. Basically you ride him from behind to front... ah its hard to explain. Also I found out that a harder flat ground will improve their gaits too... still good luck
Duchesse1981 1 year ago
Hahah!!! I love that! The "little shit" comment about him. I know how you feel, my horse warrants those comments on occasion too sometimes. XD
NekoRinRin 2 years ago
I saw your fella and he looks sturdy! I'm always delighted to see a horse with good legs. It sounds like you're enjoying him. He's beautiful. I was wondering if he's always carried his tail off to the side? I couldn't tell if he was doing it in the video where he was running with the other horse. My hubby's horse went through a period of misbehaving and someone pointed out the tail off to the side & said it could be back trouble. It was, had a chiropractor come out, and he was behaving again.
2bTransformed 3 years ago
What a hoot! Great sales approach. I'm in Michigan. I have 4 MFT and one due in May. I learned about the breed from a friend who is a talented trainer and works with gaited breeds. Hey, I just remembered my mare, a foxtrottin' fool, will not fox trot when i use my Aussie saddle. She will perform with my western saddle and bareback. You might have your friend try another saddle.
How has your showing experience gone? I've not done any. We trail ride, but my kids are going try 4H.
2bTransformed 3 years ago
Showing has been mostly fun here. No blues for me on my Palomino because he's just not consistent enough yet and just has so little training. He acts like a baby although he's 5 years old. He's sweet enough and willing enough though. I just need to figure out how to ask him for what I want and do it consistently. We seem to float between a trot and a pace. He has it all though...beautiful floaty trot, foxtrot, pace, running walk, flat walk, canter...he's multi-talented! LOL!!
baymom1 3 years ago
Thank you again.....
Now, where are you located and how did you come to know about Fox Trotters??
baymom1 3 years ago
To shift your weight in the saddle, I'd lengthen that stirrup just a touch. Baymom, you have a good eye for the transitions, so you're going to be her best asset on the ground. This is a lovely horse, and if he is smooth in a lateral gait, don't be afraid to be satisfied with that. I know some folks have an issue with squeezing the lateral out of a MFT, but if it's what he does naturally, you may spend a lot of time being frustrated with your horse instead of being happy with his other gaits.
2bTransformed 3 years ago
thanks for your great input!! This is the stuff that I find very helpful. Usually I get negative comments on my horse followed by an offer to buy the commenters "perfect" horse!! LOL!! That's never a great approach....I'm going to insult you and then try to sell you something. Ha Ha!
This horse is a wonderful MFT. When my friend got him he did not pace so I don't believe it is his first choice of gait. I believe he will foxtrot..which would be nice because we all like to show a bit!
baymom1 3 years ago
You're right about using the corners, a horse that paces will do it on the straight-aways, and shift to a diagonal on the circles. He has a pretty head set, but when he paces, he's going to want to carry the head higher. If you shift your weight in the saddle forward, he'll be more trotty, shift toward the cantle and he'll tend to pace. I'd get him on the circles, encourage him to drop his head, balance your weight in the center of the saddle, and begin at the walk and then increase speed.
2bTransformed 3 years ago