The segment that is growing the most on a worldwide scale in the equine industry is the breeding of saddle horses for showing or riding for pleasure on weekends and holidays. The natural four beat gait is the best one, since it is the smoothest. The artificial gait is taught through devices, such as unbalanced shoes, severe bits, chains, amongst others means. Unfortunately, many buyers are disappointed with artificially gaited horses or those not correctly trained to be used for pleasure and trail riding. Most certainly the seller will lose not only one client, but many others, because “bad news” gets around faster than “good news”.
In Brazil there is a taboo against mares being ridden. But they just may happen to be as good as the males and there is the advantage of them being quieter compared to stallions. In any case, the geldings are the favorites. The most valued qualities are their docility, disposition and smoothness. If the gait is competitive the horse can be trained to be shown. The price paid will be worthwhile and the buyer will have many years of enjoyment.
General appearance: Vigorous and healthy condition, fine coat, active attitudes. Hooves: The evaluation of a saddle horse begins with the hooves, the basis for support and movement. Generally, the hooves are not given importance. Size and color are traits easily evaluated by the less experienced buyer. It is essential that each hoof be examined for conformation, balance and health. The most common irregularities are the fragile wall, soft sole and damaged frog. The fore hooves are rounded and the rear hooves are narrower. The frog has a “V” form. The bars should be well defined and the heels, wide and well separated. The wall must be wide enough to give adequate support. The sole should be consistent and concave in form. A hoof with a flat sole is weak on hard ground. As for balance, this can be evaluated between both sides of the walls and between the toe and heels. Greater wear in any part will indicate unbalance. Color is a less important factor. Dark hooves can be stronger than the white ones. However, the correct use of shoes neutralizes this weakness.
Note the trash on the frog
Note the unbalanced wear on the right heel and quarters. The frog and sole show signals of trash.
Bone and muscle structure: The bones must be strong enough, but not too large. The four beat gaited horse must have refined bones, with well defined joints. The muscle mass should be uniform along the neck, body and limbs. The large bone and muscle structure is typical of draft horses and do not contribute to easiness and smoothness of the gait. Uprightness of the limbs: Fore and hind legs should be correctly lined up. However, perfection is not a rule. Many deviations are noticed in four beat gaited horses. The buyer must know which deviations are serious enough to cause a decline in performance. The deviation may be total or partial in various degrees. The total deviation will hamper the movement stability. The horse will easily fall and, sooner or later, injuries will occur. The references for a total deviation are the knees and the hocks. A total deviation begins above these joints. A strong bone, tendon and muscle structure may compensate a partial deviation, but not a total one.
The toes are pointed outwards and the knees inwards.
The hind pasterns are too vertical.
Size: It’s not as important as it is with the sire and dam, but it must be proportionate to the rider’s size. The average height for the four beat gaited horses varies from 14 to 15 hands. The Campolina, from Brazil, is the highest four beat gaited horse in the world, with an average height above 16 hands. The Piquira, also from Brazil, is the smallest one, with an average height of 10 hands.
Conformation: The most important general conformation trait is the body proportion – head length should be equal, or almost equal, to the neck length (measured on its lower region), to the length of the shoulder, back and croup. The regions should be well linked and the limbs show the correct angles. This is the general conformation of the four beat gaited horse. The shoulder angle should be equal, or almost equal, to the pastern angle. In this case, the horse will be well balanced. The angle of the rear legs of the four beat gaited horse is less than that of trotters. If the hind legs are camped the angles of pasterns and hocks will be greater. This conformation will make the regular triple hoof support (two hind hooves and one fore hoof) in the four beat gait more difficult to execute. The hind legs will execute a longer elevation phase and a shorter support phase.
Gait: Above all, the gait must be smooth to satisfy the rider of less or greater experience in riding ability. When a beginner rides a trotter he (or she) will hold the reins with one hand and the saddle with the other hand, so not to fall off, because of the up and down jarring effects caused by the simultaneous support of the diagonal pair of hooves. A steady and evenly paced four beat gait will create a pleasant experience for the rider. There is no diagonal or lateral association, since each leg moves at a different time. It the time of diagonal movement is equal to the time of lateral movement the gait is known in Brazil as “MARCHA DE CENTRO” (CENTER FOUR BEAT GAIT). There is a greater distance from the trot and the pace. If the lateral movement takes much longer than the diagonal movement, the rider will feel others types of jarring effects. His body and legs will be thrown from side to side and in some cases, front to back. The pace is on the other end of the spectrum compared to the trot. A pacer moves the lateral pair of legs together and the rider will feel a side to side uncomfortable movement.
It is extremely important that the buyer verifies the naturalness of the four beat gait. The best method is to execute the transition from the relaxed walk. Since the walk is the purest form of a four beat gait, the rider will feel only the increase in speed. The steady and evenly paced four beat felt and heard at the walk will remain the same.
Disposition: One of the most appreciated virtues in the animal is the easy disposition to go, without the use of whip or spurs. A Spanish word much used is “brio”, meaning a horse with considerable energy and an easy disposition. The answers to soft riding commands are spontaneous. A horse with a lot of brio does not accept the use of whip or spurs. He gaits because he wishes to gait. And he gaits proudly. One of the worse attitudes in a pleasure horse is laziness. The rider will get tired and irritated using the equitation commands.
Temperament: Any attitude of bad behavior devalues a saddle horse. There are vices of bad temperament, such as biting and kicking; vices developed during the breaking and training; vices developed during transportation and vices developed by horses kept in stalls. It is much harder to correct a vice in an adult horse than it is to cure it in a young horse.
Easiness to be ridden: A well trained horse is a treasure to any buyer. Breaking and training are the most specialized phases in the overall management. Although the four beat gait is an inherited trait, it must be trained to produce better balance and style. The vertical flexion (poll) and the lateral flexion (neck, body and limbs) must be well developed in the mature horse. There are specific exercises to develop the flexion. The horse must be quiet when mounted and be prepared to respond to soft equitation commands.
Age: The ideal age is between 5 and 15. Usually the horse will not be prepared to tolerate intensive physical effort before or after this.
Color: The most prized colors are those called exotic, such as tobiano, black, palomino, chocolate, amongst others. However, you should never buy a horse only for its color!
