Apache Pacing

ARABS Open Show 9/6/03

I shouldn't really be showing this off, but it's the only video evidence I have that he actually can do a hard pace as well as a hard trot. I was asking for a downward transition from a nice right lead canter and he didn't want to come out of it. After a bit of indecisiveness, he finally breaks into a hard pace.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• gaited
• horse
• SSH
• TWH
• apache
• pacing

[bellabelliboo]

Hmmm, not judging but that little segment didn't look like a very controlled ride... Horse was probably hyped up because of the show, I assume. Gorgeous horse!!!

[theschmick]

@bellabelliboo Haha - oh yeah, it was *not* a controlled ride. He was about 5 years old here and it was our first year of showing. He would get very hyped up. He's not supposed to pace under saddle, but he did it anyway because he was so amped. He really did not want to go back down to the walk when they called for it.

[Horseeee92]

I thought only Standardbred's paced lol.

[theschmick]

The Tennessee Walker came about from a crossing of the Thoroughbred, Canadian Pacer, Narragansett Pacer, Morgan, & Saddlebred. These same two Pacer breeds contributed to the Standardbred bloodlines as well. The TWH breed standard does not call for them to pace, but with these bloodlines, many of them can and do pace, in addition to various other gaits. The breed standard only recognizes the flat walk and running walk as correct middle gaits, though.

[Horseeee92]

Hi, I know the breeds in a Standardbred. Standardbreds also have Morgan blood. Standardbreds only pace if taught to though. Ex trotters and un raced, un trialed Standardbreds don't pace which is why I don't see why the Tennesse Walker does?

[theschmick]

Some horses can pace naturally without being trained, like the original Pacer breeds did. It just depends on the exact genes they end up with based on their bloodlines. There are plenty of TWH that cannot pace at all. Some can trot, some can pace, some cannot do either. It's just a genetic lottery. I have heard the same is true for Morgans and Saddlebreds - some gait naturally without training, and some do not, depending on their genes.

[theschmick]

Oh, because he's registered as a Tennessee Walker / Spotted Saddle Horse and the pace is not considered a correct gait, for showing purposes, for either of those breeds. Thus, I have trained him not to pace under saddle so that he doesn't do it in the show ring. This video was taken when he was still very young and not consistent about it, especially when excited like he was at this show.

[horsejumper13]

why shouldnt you be showing it?

[milliesos]

yes they can

[ridingisasport]

Beautiful horse, He looks just like one I knew.