The Walker Ranch

I'm about to share another one of those 'hard truths' that people don't like to hear. Buying a 'naturally' gaited horse does not ensure that you will have the perfect gait. By gait, I don't mean the one-size-fits-all gait that is being sold and promoted today. I'm referring to the specific gait for the horse's specific breeding (foxtrot, running walk, etc.). Although gaited horses are born with the DMRT3 gene, it doesn't necessarily create gait, and they can still pace, step-pace, or hollow/brace. Why? Because they weren't born with balance, strength, or rideability. They must be developed correctly in order to carry the burden of the weight of the rider, bend, and use their body. These outcomes cannot be achieved through shortcuts or gimmicks and also require the rider to develop their riding skills.

‘Natural' doesn't mean 'trained.' The gene will give the horse the key to the door, but horsemanship teaches the horse how to correctly walk through it.

You buy a gaited horse because you want smooth. So all you work on is 'gait.' Head down. Collected. Gait, gait, gait.
But you skipped the horse part. Can he stop? Can he back? Can he move his shoulders? Can he lift his back? Can he think? No? Then you don't have a gaited horse. You have a prey animal in panic mode doing a pace and a stepping pace that the internet calls a rack because his body can't do anything else.

Gait is a byproduct of good horsemanship and an educated rider so stop trying to make them gait. The gait is the reward for doing things the right way. Your horse will thank you for
it🤠