|
| » What is a gaited horse? |
|
A gaited horse has the
natural ability to move in a way that the rider feels the least bounce or
movement while in the saddle. All actions of a horse such as the walk, trot,
canter, and gallop are called gaits. A “gaited horse” has an additional gait.
This gait is much smoother than the usual 2-beat gait, and is genetically
inherited and replaces the tendency to trot with one of these 4-beat gaits: the
stepping pace, the rack, the running walk, saddle, single foot, and the fox
trot. If you want the attention that Gaited horses attract from onlookers, or
just want to enjoy the elegance of the ride…a horse with a natural gait
may be just the ticket. For people with back problems, they may be the only type
of horse suitable. The gaited horses breeds that we have at Lost Creek
Farm and a little bit about them are listed below:
|
| » Tennessee Walking Horse |
|
They evolved from the Narragansett Pacer, Canadian, Morgan, Standardbred, Thoroughbred, and the
American Saddlebred; resulting in one of the best show, trail, and pleasure
riding horses. There are more than 300,000 registered Tennessee Walking Horses
today. This is because of their gentle disposition, kindly manner, docile
temperamen, and smooth, easy gaits. They have 3 distinct gates: flat foot walk
(4 to 8 mi/hr) Running Walk (10 to 20 mi/hr) and the canter, the smoothest of
all. They have a long sloping shoulder, and a long sloping hip. Colors can vary.
Generally TWHs are 14.3 to 17 hands tall; 900 to 1200lbs and live to be 20 yrs
or more.
|
| » Missouri Fox Trotter |
|
Known for their incredible walk, Missouri Fox Trotters were established in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri
and Arkansas in the 1820’s. They were used for endurance riding over rough
terrain. They are really walking in the front, but trotting with their hind
legs, creating a very smooth sliding motion. They can maintain this gait for
long distances while the rider hardly notices any movement. They are the
all-around pleasure and show horse. Today there are over 15,000 registered Fox
Trotters.
|
| » Spotted Saddle Horse |
|
This is a very old breed. It’s a mixture of the Standardbred, Mustang, and the Tennessee walking horse.
Each horse must have a white marking above the hocks. Colors range from an
almost solid color to an almost completely white. They are a medium size horse;
approximately 14.3 to 16 hands, and 900 to 1100lbs. They are very sure-footed
and will do well in any area. The breed is gentle, docile and has a good
temperament. They make excellent family horses.
|
| » Racking Horse |
|
The rack is very similar to the Tennessee Walk, and is often called the “single-foot”, cause only one hoof
strikes the ground at one time. They are legendary for their beauty, stamina,
and calm disposition. Their popularity grew strong on southern plantations
before the Civil War, cause they could be ridden comfortably for hours due to
their smooth, natural gait.
|
--------------------- |
|
| » Main Page |
|
Click here to go back to the Main Page .
|
| » Location |
We are located just 3 miles east of Ellsworth Wisconsin, and about 50 minutes from the Twin Cities area.
Ellsworth, WI
54011, US
|
| » Contact |
|
For more information, please contact George McCann: george_mccann@mtf.org
or call us at (715)273-1442
|
|
| |
