>> I am gonna put shoes on for their gait Pam..if your Ice Ponies...need shoes for gaiting, then they are not naturally gaited. Huginn is not the best tolter...but he does still gait and without shoes. Sure ...I guess if I wanted him to be a tolting machine, I could try shoes or heavy shoes, but why? Huginn is what he is. I think that using shoes for gait enhancement is a gimmick. And I would perfer to work in improving his gaits on the trail. The secone summer that I had Huginn...that is ALL I worked on...improving his gait, by riding him slow...improving his walk actually helped his gait ALOT. We did tons of hill work, slow and long rides, and when he asked to move out, I would only allow it ...if he presented me with tolt. If he offered trot, I would ask him to slow down again and then..he finally figured it out, "hey, i can move out...fast...if i give raven...tolt".
Some horses are not built for tolting, and I think that Huginn is built more for trot, but he does have tolt in him. He just needed to learn how to do it naturally, without a ill fitting saddle, heavy shoes and a tight noseband. One of the things that I love about Huginn is the fact that he can TROT and TOLT. I love his trot, it's smooth and easy to post. And riding him in trot...builds up his back. <;] I sure wish you were not thinking of using shoes for gait enhancment. Raven Lucy & Molly, the Girl Doggies Huginn & Dixie Chick, the Back Behind the Barn Ponies Maggie Rose, the cat who makes me sneeze Respect ALL Earthlings. We are all animals of this planet. We are all creatures.
