Apache Jumps Again

My trainer's assistant was good enough to record one of our jumping lessons. It was actually one of the worst we've had in a while. Much of the time, Apache wasn't wanting to carry a good canter step. He also ran off or bucked a couple of times, as well as putting in extra half strides before the jump several times. Regardless, it was still fun and educational as always.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• gaited
• horse
• SSH
• TWH
• apache
• jumping

[horsebackrider420]

hehehe i hate riding that gaity/canter. nice to see someone is doing somthing INTERESTING with a gaited horse though. eeryone at my barn is like SCARED to canter a gaited horse cause it will "mess up there gait" lol keep up the good work!

[theschmick]

I have heard a lot of the same thing about cantering messing up the gait, but I haven't had that issue. Tennessee Walkers are known for their awesome rocking chair canters and Apache's is no exception. Note that this video is not representative as he was over excited from jumping and wasn't giving me a true canter. He also loves to jump and do lots of different things. He should have a fun and happy life, not be bored always doing the same thing, even if it did effect his gait somehow.

[bellabelliboo]

that is one of the prettiest horses i've ever seen O_O

[theschmick]

Wow, really? I think he's pretty, but I am biased! What do you think is pretty about him? I like that his mane is two colors. : )

[winnieifyouloveme]

haha my horse does the exact same thing in the canter....I call it a tropanter...because its sorta like a pace trot and canter mixed together. my horse is a morgan mix..thought Paso for a while but now im leaning towards standard bred...haha and this is what me and my trainer come up with after I was told her was a morgan X draft *sigh*

[theschmick]

He actually has a really nice canter, which you can see in the canter video I have posted. This particular day, my trainer wanted me to concentrate on keeping him really slow, since he was still apt to take off running at this point in our jumping training. When forced to canter slowly, he sometimes does the canter-trot gait. Usually I push him back up when he does that, but she wanted me to concentrate on keeping him slow and calm during this lesson, so we just let him get away with it.

[love2ride589]

it's called a tranter.

[like the actual term for it.]

l0l

[theschmick]

You're right - he tries so hard at everything I ask him to do. He really does love jumping and has made big improvements since this video was taken.

[whatsername513]

i'll comment on the whole gaited horses not jumping. i've got a TWH too! and we event right now. so we've jumped up to 3'9" and done training level XC courses, so i KNOW your horse can do it. GOOD LUCK! have fun with your walker. they really do try hard.

[theschmick]

I have heard from a surprising number of people, even gaited horse owners, that they didn't know gaited horses could jump. I'm not sure how that idea came about, but they can definitely learn if you want to teach them. I am glad I did it with him because he *loves* it and he gets bored if you don't find new and interesting things for him to do.