Questions from emails and The answers with gaited horse trainer Mike Meizler

Many questions come to Mike about Gaited Horses and their special needs. Mike explains that gaited horses need to be soft,supple and light to be a productive citizen.
Questions about loping a gaited horse should I or should I not lope? Loping is a natural gait to horses. Of course you should lope your gaited trail horse. Loping can free a horse up to extend his body and uses his hindquarters for propelling themselves forward. Many pacing horse will vastly improve by loping. Lope is a 3 beat gait, a pace is a 2 beat gait thus breaking up a pace in a horse by loping.
Gaited horses do not need a special but in order to gait properly. However if you do not spend time to teach your horse how to bend and be soft, supple, light and responsive then a snaffle bit is not for you. A horse that is stiff, straight and unresponsive needs a more severe bit to keep it from running off with the rider. A bit is not meant to be the device for you to hang onto a horses face and pull to keep yourself balanced. Many riders use the bit in this way. Our goal is to get your horse bending, flexing, complete control of the entire horse and you the rider being a team member with your horse.
A gaited horse is bred to gait, you can either help them or get in their way. Mike explains how you can be a partner to your horse in getting a smooth gait out on the trail.
The four beat walk of all gaited horses is your smoothest gait it is the gait you should strive to master. The gaited walk is comfortable to sit and comfortable for the horse for long periods of riding.
Creating a horse that is soft, supple, responsive and relaxed is the goal for any horse of any breed. Having a horse that stays with the rider not trying to go faster and faster but instead listening to the rider at all times. Having a horse that is relaxed and responsive will help you in the event of an unplanned spook.
The one rein stop is a tool that every rider should be able to master at any level of riding. This technique will be a life changer in your horsemanship game.
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