Re: OT: More Equestrian

m&m wrote:
On Aug 23, 1:12 pm, Jangchub <Jangc...@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Sat, 23 Aug 2008 09:54:14 -0400, "Dr. Brat" <epc...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

Jangchub wrote:
Speaking of four leggers, I also love giraffe. Did you know that they
are the only four legged animal which walks on both front and hind
legs on one side then the other? I wonder how they balance.
Ummm, how is that different from pacing, which lots of animals do? My
boyz pace when I walk them, if I don't go fast enough, and some horses
are bred specifically to pace. Is there something different about what
giraffes do?
Elizabeth
Not sure what pacing is. When a giraffe walks, he takes a step using
both left legs, then both right legs. They don't walk using an
alternating front and rear leg. I read they are the only four letted
animal which walks like that. When they run, they also use both front
and rear on the right, then the left.

I thought camels paced as well.

I *think* the distinction is that camels pace exclusively in all their gaits. (Although how they could manage it while cantering escapes me).

Horses that pace only do it while trotting or foxtrotting. The normal walk is a four-beat gait in which each foot strikes the ground separately. The normal trot is usually a two-beat diagonal process, but some horses are bred to pace (the lateral one under discussion). Riding a pacing horse is very comfortable - we had one called 'Shanachie' a million years ago. AFAIK, *no* horse could possibly pace while cantering or galloping ('running'). The canter is a three-beat gait where the two forelegs strike the ground at the same time and the hindlegs each have their own beat. The gallop is four-beat again, so no room for a 'pacing' action there.

Now, the running walk that some American horses do... Can someone clear that up for me please? I do know *some*one from here has/had a Tennessee Walking Horse, but for the life of me, I can't make the connection! And someone has also written me to say they had a Missouri Foxtrotter, but again, that was years ago and I forget... Old age. Buggerit!

I know there are also other gaits like the slow gait and the rack etc. I read all about it in a kids' novel called 'Jill's Victory' when I was about ten. (Gee, that was a good book!)

--
Trish Brown {|:-}

Newcastle, NSW, Australia
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Lummoxs feet
    ... The rack is the fifth gait sometimes used by Icelanding ponies. ... most horses period) don't pace. ... Horses have to be taught to do so, ... than icelandics can do it, ...
    (rec.arts.sf.written)
  • Re: Lummoxs feet
    ... Icelandic Horses: ... most horses period) don't pace. ... The gait chart for all gaited horse breeds is here: ... There's lots of misinformation out there on Icelandic Horses ...
    (rec.arts.sf.written)
  • Re: Training exercises for the hard to stop horse
    ... This is more like she is feeling her oats and chooses a pace ... the jump and not even heading to another jump. ... We start out jumping a single vertical at the trot, ... It keeps weight on without making the horses ...
    (rec.equestrian)
  • Here is the article with Milolka questions.
    ... After reading in Dressage & CT the series of articles on Baucher written by ... legs' and ' legs without hands'. ... listening to the pupils the masters left behind and by assessing the horses ...
    (rec.equestrian)
  • Re: The hardest part of owning a horse....
    ... underneath that snow was a fresh layer of ice ... | AM feed everybody standing bright eyed and moving sound on four legs. ... | paddock with the other horses present and left him there overnight. ...
    (rec.equestrian)