What's the best horse for smooth riding?
My mom wants to know because she likes to ride horses, but has some back issues. So, what type of horse would be the best for her to ride on trails?
Posted Oct 2, 2011, 3:11 AM UTC
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A gaited horse. Something like a Tennessee Walker.
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[deleted]
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The white one. As in cocaine.
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Pegasus
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Appaloosa for sure.
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A centaur.
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Has anyone said "Sarah Jessica Parker" yet?
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Is your mom thinking of buying a horse? There's a lot that goes into it, and it's really not something to do on a whim. Have her take lessons first.
Anyway, most gaited horses (such as Tennessee walking horses, Missouri foxtrotters, paso finos, etc) have a very smooth gait. They're very different than riding a regular horse though, she would require lessons to ride one of these properly even if she already knows how to ride a horse.
If she doesn't want a gaited horse, the conformation of the horse is more important than the breed. She's going to want something with a nice sloped shoulder and a short back. A horse with a thick neck wouldn't be good, since they can tend to get a little heavy and pull you.
She's already taken lessons, and she's pretty serious about it. Thanks for the info about conformation! She also wants to know what the difference is between a gaited horse and a non-gaited when it comes to cantering/loping, if it's not too much trouble?
A gaited horse can always still canter/lope, some can actually trot too but most can't. They should not be jumped if that's what she's interested in.
http://i.imgur.com/NfCkN.jpg
Walker / Clydesdale mix.