Five Gaited minis

[horsehug]

A good friend of mine was wondering if there are any 5 gaited minis out there.

She is talking about either Tolt/Rack or Pace.

I know nothing about these, what they ARE even! But I told her I'd ask.

Susan O.

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

I have never heard of anyone training a mini to be 5 gaited. We have had 5 gaited saddlebreds. Here is a picture of ours doing the rack.

This is Stonewall's Gee Fizz (Fizzie) Corinne

 

[Shari]

I had a Silver dapple pinto mare that would pace, in fact that was her favorite gait.

She would at times also trot and canter. Her son was the same way.

So would say there are a few out there.

 

[pineyoaks miniatures]

Shari, I also had a gaite silver dapple paint miniature. She was going on 3 when I sold her. Her name was Silver Dollar because on one hip she had a circle the size of a silver dollar coin.

 

[RENMACMINIS]

MeadowRidge.. I think Fizzie wants to come live with me... He looks just like the saddlebred I had years ago. He was 5 gaited also. Commander lived to be the ripe old age of 31 he died peacefully in the night. His buddy stood over him till we buried him. to this day I will say that he was the best horse I ever owned. I am looking for another saddlebred I just havent found the right one yet.

 

[crponies]

You might find some good info on this site about miniature pacers: IMTPA

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

SHerry, ...and I bet with the name Commander , he had Wing Commander SOMEWHERE in his pedigree.

... Corinne

 

[Margo_C-T]

Not likely, Susan-though it is possible there might be one here and there, especially among B sized horses(who* might* be more likely to have some blood from the few larger breeds who actually can be 5 gaited.)Only some of the Icelandics, that I know of, are more or less 'naturally' 5 gaited-Saddlebreds are trained into 5 gaits; there are likely to be more breeds/individual horses, from several breeds, that 'might' be 4 gaited-that is, have the 'square' gaits of walk, trot, lope(or canter)-all of which have evenly cadenced, diagonally-based, beats(footfalls)-and then be able to perform, either through natural tendency and/or being trained/ encouraged into, an 'extra' gait. The 'extra' gaits are usually ones which 'break' the even, and DIAGONAL, cadence of the footfalls in some way, and may be either in addition to, or in the place of, one of the 'square' gaits-usually the walk, or more often, the trot. True pacing has an even cadence, but is a LATERAL gait-that is, first the horse is 'on' the two legs on ONE SIDE of the body, then 'on' the two legs on the other side. There seems actually to be quite a variety of ways in which some horses will perform a 'broken' -meaning not of even cadence-gait--for instance, a couple of friends and I went to MO years ago and got several Fox Trotters-not one of which turned out to do a precise, correct Fox Trot, but instead, variations...in my observation, this seems fairly common in gaited breeds-that what they perform may be comfy to ride, but isn't exactly the 'by definition' gait. One of these horses did a 'stepping pace', for instance. IMO, these tendencies are by and large 'bred into' the breeds who do them-and since minis really have little if any background from those breeds, it would be only the rare individual who might perform any 'extra' gait.

In Standardbreds, "hobbles" are used on the harness tracks to ensure that those entered as pacers 'only' pace; others of the breed are raced at the trot--has to do with each horse's natural tendencies, I think. I have observed both Walkers and Fox Trotters who also have a tendency to be 'pacey'--and imagine there are others, within other breeds, also. Five gaits, though, would presume TWO gaits in addition to walk, trot, and canter---harder to 'come up with.'

 

[luvmycritters]

Wouldnt that be some thing if there were five gaited mini's though? ( Great pic. Corinne! )

 

[RENMACMINIS]

Corinne, He sure did. His registered name was Hillcrest Co-Ed Commander. He was a show horse before I got him. He won some championships around here. He was given to me when he was retired at the age of 26. The years I had with him were the greatest. I rode him occasionally and he could be really hot. Especially if it were in a parade in front of alot of people. It was all I could do to keep him reined down to a slow rack. He loved to prance and dance and put on a show. Yet when I would put a child on his back he walked like he was on eggshells. He was foaled on June 26, 1968 and died on January 5, 1999. He was a sugar addict, he knew I would always have sugar cubes in my pockets and the minute he seen me he was at the gate waiting for me and nuzzling my pockets.

Commander's Pedigree

Here is a picture of him and me. not the best picture but its the only one I can find at this time.

yes I am riding him with a western saddle. I perfer western and never could get used to the saddleseat saddle I had. even now with my TWH's I ride them western.

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

Sherry, he looks very nice. I agree saddlebreds are great horses, but alot of people dont like the "hot" that is usually associated with the gaited ones. Fizzie is the only solid ever born out of Champaign Fizz, some of the other stallions in his pedigree would be Wing Commander, Stonewall King, Valley View Supreme, and of course Champaign Fizz.. Fizz is on the smaller side and whenever a article was done about him in the saddlebred magazines they always referred to Fizzie as "the smallest saddlebred with the biggest heart" he only stands 15.2, but he could out preform all the big boys at the rack, (which is what he was known for) He held the midwest champion record for 12 yrs, and he retired alot of trophies. He is 24 yrs old now, but still acts like a 4 yr old. I could never ride western. Would you like to see more pics of Fizzie? I can send you some. Corinne

 

[horsehug]

Thanks so much, everyone!

I really appreciate your input and will email my friend this thread so she can read it all!

Susan O.

 

[RENMACMINIS]

Corinne, I would love to see more pics of Fizzie my email address is in my signature. He is simply drop dead gorgeous! Commander was 16H and I only rode him with a saddle when I was riding in a parade, any other time I rode him bareback. I love the "hot" spirit of the gaited horses. My TWH mare does not have that she is a big baby she will be 18 this year and is a perfect kids horse. A kid can do anything with her and she loves the kids. My TWH gelding has a hot streak thru him He is a one woman's horse, he doesnt like men riding him and will try everything to get rid of them. He likes to prance alot he is only 7 and is out of the above mentioned mare. they both Rack which i like better than the "walk" Of course I think Commander spoiled me on that.

 

[Lewella]

Gaited individuals can happen in any breed, even those where it isn't bred for - sometimes conformation just lends itself to a natural tendancy to gait. I rode a gaited Arab (she foxtrotted) for 20 years. I've seen one Shetland that was naturally gaited - she did a running walk at liberty.

 

[xxs]

Susan, Sabrina is four gaited. Her fouth gait is the stepping pace.