a good 'getting there' walk - can you train it?

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dorito

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I tried out a most lovely pony today - still quite green/babyish. had a lovely trot (we didn't canter) and very comfortable to sit on BUT so slow/lazy in walk. Is this likely to be because he's green or do horses just have/not have a good 'march' on them naturally?
Is it anything to do with breed? (I would like to think not, but feel free to say otherwise).
thanks in advance.
 
I do think it can be trained, I worked with a 4yo that was destined for SJ she had a fab temperament but her paces just didn't 'go' anywhere, we spent a couple of months working on 'forwards', left her head alone no asking for outlines just re-trained her brain so that there was no snail option only a business like pace.
She came pretty good after that, its much easier if they have a trainable attitude so yes I do believe you can train a better walk.
People often get into the habit of only doing real schooling in trot and canter and just using the walk to wander about before and after the session too so it can be quite a neglected pace.
 
I think for some it is more natural, & it can be improved. But ime a good walk is the easiest thing to ruin & the hardest to train back. If I liked it I'd be inclined to take it out on a hack & see if the walk came then, it could just be used to lazing about in walk in a school, in which case the walk will be easier to work on. I'd consider it but would offer less than if it had 3 good paces.
 
littlelegs,that is interesting, my try-out was a hack and not a school session.
hmmm...not sure what to think now. he was forward enough in trot to the point of needing to be held back a little....but the opposite in walk, really needed urging on but still fell way behind our escort - who was not especially marching on.
 
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