How To Train A Horse To Gait

Introduction

If you are considering purchasing a gaited horse or want to teach your horse to gait, there are some things that you should know. Gaited horses can add some variety and fun to your trail riding experience. It is true that most horses naturally gait when they are young, but many lose this ability due to the way that they are trained. If you have purchased a horse that does not gait, then it is possible for you to train him yourself.

You need to see if your horse is gaited.

It’s important to know if your horse is gaited. Some horses are born with the ability to gait, while others aren’t. You’ll be able to identify a gaited horse by the way they move. If you have a non-gaited horse that wants to gait but can’t, don’t worry—there are ways you can train them!

It’s not necessarily true that a gaited horse is better than one that isn’t; however, it does give them an advantage in competition because they’re able to perform certain skills more quickly and efficiently than other horses.

Walk your horse in a ring or pen.

Walking your horse in a round pen is the first step. There are two types of round pens: one with one side open, and one with all sides enclosed. An open-sided round pen allows your horse to see what’s going on around them while they’re walking. If you don’t have an open-sided ring or pen, use a gate as an entrance and exit point during this exercise.

Once you’ve got your horse walking in a circle, start changing speeds and directions to start building muscle memory for gait transitions (changes between different gaits). Walk at various speeds: trot or jog around the ring/pen; walk at slower than jogging speed but faster than canter or trot; jog slightly slower than canter/trot; canter or trot at mildly faster than jogging speed; canter or trot at moderate speed; halt (stop) the horse while they’re at full gallop (the fastest gait); then resume galloping after halting them briefly.

Trot the horse, start with long trots and short breaks.

• Trot the horse, start with long trots and short breaks.
• If you are starting on a young horse, you might want to use a rope at first so that you can pull him up more quickly if he gets out of control. This will help keep his head down as well.

Groom your horse while he is trotting.

Once you have your horse trotting, it is time to groom him. The first step in grooming a horse is using a curry comb to remove dirt and hair from his body and mane. To do this, grasp the curry comb in one hand and run it down the length of his body from tail to head, making sure not to rub too hard or you could cause discomfort for your horse. The next step is using a hoof pick to remove any dirt or rocks stuck inside the hooves of your horse’s feet. Use caution when doing this because if you are not careful with your hoof picks (or use them incorrectly), then they can damage sensitive areas on their feet that can result in pain for your animal! After removing all foreign objects from his hooves, brush out any remaining dirt with a soft brush before moving onto other parts of his body such as legs and stomach area where there might be hair clumps that need attention removed by simply brushing over them until they are gone – whether they’re long strands or short ones doesn’t matter because either way will still need removing before continuing forward with grooming duties! At last comes dandy-brushing which involves using both hands while applying pressure downwards onto one side at once so as not too much force applied against one spot but instead evenly distributed throughout each area needing attention; remember: gentle strokes always work better than strong ones because then less likely risk bruising those delicate areas like knees & elbows….

Check the hooves and start to exercise on a regular basis.

The first step to training a horse to gait is to ensure that it’s healthy. It is absolutely essential that you check the hooves of your horse, as well as other parts of its body, for any abnormalities or signs of damage. This includes checking for cracks, stones, corns and thrush in the hooves; infection in abscesses; bruises or cuts on the legs and sides; and sores caused by prolonged pressure from saddles or harnesses. Any problems with these areas should be addressed immediately so they don’t get worse as you start to train your horse for gaits.

Be patient, it can take some time.

It can take days or even weeks for a horse to learn how to gait, so be patient and consistent. If you get frustrated, call it quits for the day and try again tomorrow. If it’s been a few days and your horse isn’t showing any signs of getting better at gait training, then you may need to move on to another training method instead (such as longeing).

It is possible to teach a horse to gait with patience and persistence.

It is possible to teach a horse to gait with patience and persistence. However, it is not a quick process by any means. Gait training requires time and dedication from the rider, which means that you need to be ready for this commitment before starting down this path. If you are just looking for something fun for your horse, then gait training is probably not for you since there will be times when it seems like nothing is working or your horse just isn’t getting it.

If you have decided that gait training is right for you and your horse, then here are some tips on how best to approach the process:

Conclusion

If you are willing to put in some time and energy, training your horse to gait can be done. It doesn’t happen overnight but with patience, persistence and consistency, it is possible.