Saturday October 9 2010
Since there was a bit of controversy at (most recently) this year's World Endurance Championship about some of the trot outs, I thought it would be interesting to look at some different styles. (And I'm only using the WEC because I have these photos handy - you can see some of this at any ride.)
I've learned many different ways, from different people, to trot a horse out for the vets. Best is to have the horse trot freely beside you on a loose lead rope. But there can be many subtle (or not so subtle) techniques that are used.
One person taught me to do it slow so a lameness doesn't show up so well. One person taught me to do it fast so a lameness doesn't show up so well. One person taught me to make the horse take 4 walking steps before trotting off, to make sure the horse is lined up straight.
Some people never stop their horse at the end of the lane, just keep the horse trotting on the turn around and trot right back; and some say this is bad because it will show the horse's lameness off more if the horse takes any steps off a straight line. Some people will trot the horse to the end of the lane, stop the horse, turn him around in a clockwise circle (walking on the horse's outside, presumably so he can't swing his hindquarters out), straighten him out then trot back.
(You might be able to 'sneak' a horse through that's a bit off, but even if you manage to do that, you don't really want to continue on him, do you??)
What definitely looks best is when the horse trots freely beside the handler, no hazing, no dragging; though if the horse is tired during a ride he may not want to trot out so energetically.
A bit (shown here) is usually not the best thing to trot a horse out in. (Halter and lead rope are usually better.)
This horse is being dragged a bit.
This horse appears to not have a rapport with his handler.
Here he's cantering.
It takes a lot of practice at home, and at rides, to have a horse that looks like this. (And the one up top.)
My mare pins her ears during the trot-out, and a vet told me that if I touch her neck as we are trotting along (read: as I am gasping to keep up with her gigantic strides!) she will put her ears forward.
ReplyDeleteIt works!
They used to--but maybe not anymore, have the horses trot out after hunter classes in the bigger shows. My boy was always well trained to trot freely on a loose rein. Though I don't work them as much on it anymore, it was always an essential part of training for me.
ReplyDeleteIf my horse were lame, I would definitely not want to continue. Trying to hide it in a trot up is not my idea of true horsemanship.
What a great little blog you have here! Thanks for the info as I crew a lot and watch a lot of trot outs and you can definately see a difference, although after a 100 miler I don't see how horse or rider can move at all!
ReplyDeletePor supuesto que el presentador hace muchas veces que un caballo sea presentado como si no estuviera cojo, cuando en la resalidad si lo está.
ReplyDeletePero fuera de estos casos excepcionales, lo que hay que hacer es, entrenar los trotes, como se entrena la competición.
Si a un caballo despues de cada dia de entranamiento, se le entrena los trotes, seguro que el dia de la prueba, lo realiza correctamente.
En el Blog, teneis como se entrenan los trotes para el Vet-Gate.
Saludos de Gabriel.
http://ggjineteraid.blogspot.com/
Nice follow up Merri, thanks.
ReplyDelete