Strenghtening a Saddlebreds trot

Question
QUESTION: Hello! I have a question about my 13 year old Saddlebred, Spirit. I want to start showing him in hunt seat shows, but he's naturally gaited, and mixes his gaits! His trot is horrendous, it's this bizarre mix of a trot and slow gait. Is there any way I can get him to trot? Thanks! -Montana and Spirit

ANSWER: If he is shod, it may be that he needs to be shod differently, to have more of a trot.  A farrier who does Saddlebreds can help there.

It may also be, if this horse was shown as a gaited horse, that you are confusing him with your cues.

For a trot, you should bring your hands up and close together and bring your legs in on his barrel, whereas for a slow gait or rack, you would bring your hands low and wider and sit deeper and bring your legs off of him.

If you are mixing these up, then he does not know what you want.

And you may also have to retrain him completely, by working him with a whole different set of cues.

And it may also be that you will not be able to get a satisfactory trot.

Your best bet, would be to have a trainer, who does Huntseat with Saddlebreds work with him to my way of thinking.  Or find a different horse, that does not gait.

Are you wanting to show in Hunt attire at a Saddlebred show?  Or just want to do Hunt shows?

There are many nice TB's now, that would be better suited for this, unless it is going to be a Saddlebred show and you are wanting to enter him there.

How long have you had him?  And what was done with him during his earlier years?

You can also build cavelliti, and trot him over that, that will break up his rhythm and might stop the ambling he is doing.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi, thanks so much for your response:)
We've had him since he was a weanling, and my dad trained him (he doesn't know anything about ASB's, he just wanted a nice trail horse), and he basically just broke him to saddle. He didn't do any "advanced" training with him, and I just started riding him about 3 years ago. Unfortunately, there aren't any other Saddlebred trainers/riders/barns around here (welcome to scenic nowhere), so there's no one I can ask for help. He was always ridden western before I started riding him, and was never told to trot. He would just be ridden maybe 10 times a year on trails. And I'm wanting to show him in actual Hunt shows, not just Saddlebred shows (Again, no Saddlebred riders up here). And as nice as it would be to get a TB, we already have 6 horses, 3 of which we're in the process of training, 2 that are over the age of 20, and then there's Spirit. I give lessons on my old Appy, but she's not able to really compete. Plus the fact that I really love Spirit, and couldn't just get another horse because I wanted to show.
Thanks again, Montana

ANSWER: Thanks for the extra information on Spirit.  Let me do some thinking about this now that I have more background, and come up with some things that will help.

Cavelliti or even 4x4's laid on the ground, at equal distances will help to keep him from doing a rack, or singlefooting.  

And make sure too, that you are steady in your hands, as even the slightest motion there could start his head to shaking, which will start his racking.

Also, teach him the cues that I told you were for trot, and use voice commands too, at least while you are working to attain the trot alone.

Write me back, as I am going to do some research on this, to help you better.  I know there must be a way to resend to an answered question, but not sure how...

But I will find some things that you can use for your Hunt Seat training, and that you can use on your own too.  

Don't despair, we'll figure something out so you can do this.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you so much for your help, I will defiantly try that! So should I set the poles about the spacing for normal trot poles?

Answer
That spacing would be fine.  And periodically widen them or make them two strides at a trot, then throw a 3 stride in.  Mix them up and see what happens.

Also, if he is barefoot behind, you might try shoeing him, or if shod now, remove shoes in back, anything to make it a little harder to gait.

And use your legs to bring him up under you, rather than bringing them off of him.  

You might also try working him in plowed fields, or deep sand, that may make it easier for him to trot than rack.