The Imus 4-Beat(tm) saddle seats measure smaller from cantle to pommel than they actually are when being ridden. This is because of the flexible tree bars and the web suspended seat - the webbing causes the seat area to slightly 'cup up' when the saddle is sitting on a saddle stand. However, when the rider sits in the seat, the bars flatten back out to their true, original size. This gives the rider a snug, secure feel when in the saddle - if the seat size is truly too small, then the rider doesn't feel 'snugged in,' but rather feels as though they're being pushed out of the seat.

One of the most common questions I hear from gaited horse owners is whether it is all right to canter, or to trot, their gaited horse. In regard to both questions, the answer is, "that depends."

Someone who rides a laterally oriented horse may do well to encourage the horse to canter, as it will teach it how to break up that addictive, lazy habit of pacing or step pacing, and teach it the basics of working off the haunches and rounding up through the back. The stronger and better conditioned the horse, the less likely it is to pace. It's unlikely that an animal with a very strong tendency toward pace would learn to trot before establishing a more square gait, and this would not be as productive as cantering, in any case.

On the other hand, a horse with a strong natural tendency to trot will have difficulty learning to gait if allowed to do so, while encouraging the diagonally oriented animal to canter often leads to a specific gait problem that is difficult to fix, once the habit has been started.

The greatest frustration for those owners of gaited horses that are ‘clued in’ to their animals is often finding a saddle to correctly fit the horse. It’s not uncommon for people to go through a half dozen saddles (or more) in their quest to help their horse to perform comfortably. I am commonly asked why this is so. Since this is spring, and the start of a new riding season, it seemed an appropriate time to respond to that question. It is my sincere hope that many of you, upon reading this article, will be spared the frustration so commonly associated with finding the right saddle for a gaited horse. If you know of someone dealing with a saddle issue feel free to forward this article on to them, or to print it out and share. (While gaited horses do have unique action through the back, owners of non-gaited horses with strong athletic abilities, very short backs, and/or unusual toplines also may benefit from the information contained herein.) 

A gaited horse is one that possesses the innate ability to be ‘quadridextrous,’ or to move all four legs independently of one another at speed, while a non-gaited horse can only move pairs of legs together when going faster than a walk. The traditional method for training a gaited horse to saddle has been to encourage it to stiffen up and hollow its back, and raise its neck and head. This effectively raises the animal’s center of gravity, making it easy for the trainer to shift his or her weight, see-saw on the reins, and throw the horse off balance. When this is done with certain timing, it results in some sort of 4-beat shuffle as the horse attempts to regain its balance. The rider then keeps the horse somewhat off balance, pushes for speed, and voila! – a smooth saddle gait has been obtained in very short order. The horse’s conformation, the way it has been trimmed, padded, shod, bitted and otherwise mechanically altered, combined with the rider’s seat, leg and hand position, all help to determine what gait the horse will perform. Repetition of this kind of riding helps to confirm the gait, so that the horse learns to habitually travel in a particular manner and at a certain gait when under saddle.

Myth #1: There is no such thing as a harsh bit, but only harsh hands.

Myth #2: Any bit can be severe in the wrong hands.

Myth #3: Bits with broken mouthpieces are snaffle bits.