Is it possible to teach a horse that trots to pace?

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• Emilliana Kitt Posted : 9/20/2010 3:06:54 PM I was just wondering if it is possible to teach a horse that trots naturally to pace, or whether pacing only occurs in horses that have been bred to do so? My horse is only 2yrs and I haven't started putting her to the cart yet, but I plan to harness race her so would prefer a pacing gait to trotting. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thankyou =]     LIKE 5 REPLIES 1098 VIEWS LAST POST HUNTERSEAT Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• hunterseat Posted : 9/20/2010 10:45:18 PM All Standardbreds have the ability to pace and the majority of racers are pacers.  But I THINK the majority of them would break gait if they weren't put in hopples/hobbles to keep them in stride.  If your horse is not a Standardbred, then I'd say no.  If your horse IS a Standardbred, you'll probably have to use hopples.  My Zag is a natural born pacer from a million dollar winner sire, Broadway Express.  He seems to prefer pacing.  I've had a long road of getting him to trot.  I haven't worked with him consistently, though. A saddle gait, which is not a pace, is something entirely different.  A pace is 2-beat, as you probably know.  Zag's got a nice little saddle gait if I work to get him in it. LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• hunterseat Posted : 9/20/2010 10:47:51 PM Considering you plan to harness race, you must have a Stb.  DUH me.  You'll need to race in hopples.  I don't know how to train them for that.  I guess that's all I really needed to say. [:-] LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• jessepalermo1 Posted : 10/12/2010 11:04:17 AM I used to work as a groom for Standardbred race horses. Yes, it is easier for them to pace than to trot due to breeding. Also, they learn that trotting is wrong or bad very early on because they don't want them to break the pace in a race. LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• hunterseat Posted : 10/12/2010 12:04:59 PM BUT some are raced as trotters, not pacers so it really depends.  Supposedly they all have the pace in them.  I guess the trotters just don't do it so easily. LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• Emilliana Kitt Posted : 11/1/2010 9:40:19 AM Thankyou. In England we have little harness races on unofficial tracks, that you don't need to have a STB for, and I was just wondering if I could teach Indie to pace, as its a faster gait than trotting. She isn't a Standardbred. Thank you for your reply, it has helped a lot.   LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login