has anyone reschooled a trotter!

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cumbriamax

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Hi my non-riding friend was given a trotter because she wanted to learn to ride but he isn't really suitable, so he has been left in one of my fields since early summer and she hasn't been to see him, she says I can do what I want with him!

I have ridden him but tbh riding trotter is horrible but was reading in old issue of H&H hunting review about someone who reschooled trotter to be hunter!!

murphy has trotted in races at appleby fair etc, and mostly paces but have seen him canter very occasionally when excited in feild!

was wondering if anyone has schooled trotter and any ideas on how to go about it would be fantastic!

I just fancy schooling him cos I would like him to be useful to someone so he just doesn't keep getting loaned/sold/given away - basically want him to go to some-one long term. btw I 'm not getting paid for this !!!!!!!!:confused:
 
Our riding school has an ex trotter. She will only trot in the school, no one can get her to canter. On hacks she will canter but she goes like the wind and it is VERY uncomfortable. Her trot is uncomfortable as well. But she is a very sweet and willing horse.
 
I've had an ex-trotter that paced. I did re-school and now hunts very well, but took nearly a year to get there, spent a long while lunging etc to teach it to trot slowly and then canter, before asking it to cope with riden work. he now hunts regularly, but if very het up, will try to go back to pacing!:)
 
Just to clear up any confusion - a trotter trots in the same way as any other horse, a pacer uses his legs in lateral pairs (pacing)instead of diagonal (trotting)You could teach a pacer to canter as well as pace but it is virtually imposable and a bit pointless to try and teach it to trot rather than pace, If you don't want a horse that paces then why buy one.
Both types are hard to retrain but its easier with trotters. That said they are lovely horses and usually very safe and often good jumpers.
 
Any idea if it's a road raced trotter (therefore likely to be Standardbred x) or a properly raced pacer (full Standardbred) - the clue is likely to be whether or not previous owners travelled around... :rolleyes:
If it was a pacer then the horse is likely to have been ridden before but they will have encouraged the horse to pace rather than trot/canter and this is the habit that needs to change - but like all habits it will take time. If you work on slowing the transitions down walk - trot - canter then you will find the horse will trot. Work on establishing trot and canter in a straightline / large area because to start with they usually struggle to work out where their legs should go - this is purely because they're not used to being ridden in these gaits and like any youngster they have to adjust to the weight and balance of a rider.

It can be done but as others have said patience is the key.
 
I'm currently riding and ex-trotter and though I did none of the rehab I have to say he's a wonderful horse. The one thing I really noticed is he's much more difficult in trot to get to work properly as he stiffens through his neck and shoulders and likes to motorbike which takes a huge amount of leg to get him bending and sitting up. Weirdly though his canter is absolutely beautiful and he naturally works in an outline (so using this pace to help to improve his trot).
 
By boy is a trotter, dosen't pace but has the whole over the top trot action, especially wwith the hind legs, his canter was terrible he had a four time canter beat and felt like a ironing board to canter. I just went back to basic schooling as you would with any horse trying to get them working from the hind legs balancing himself ect and started the canter like I woudl with a 4/5 yr old. He still has a very slight 4 time canter beat but it is very difficult to tell with the naked eye now. In dressage tests he is always completed on how lovely his paces are and gets 8 for the paces colletive marks.

A pacer is a totally different kettle of fish adn wouldn't know if you could retrain it not to pace.
 
I have a 28 year old trotter that paced. I bought him about 15 years ago :)

I reschooled him and over the years have had a go at everything, sj, xc, ode etc but have been wide open to lots of critics!!

We did a Working Hunter competition a few years ago and the judge argued with me that he was lame, I explained that he was an ex-racing trotter therefore his action was a bit odd, but she didn't like it. She about threw the 1st rosette at me, when i was the only one to jump clear!!

He has been the most loving, dutiful horse I could have ever asked for though, would certainly recommend/have one again!!
 
If you don't want a horse that paces then why buy one.

I didn't his owner left him in a field of mine - see first post!

i just want to try and turn him into a horse that someone will want as he seems to have had lots of owners!

thanks to all for advice btw
 
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I rode a Standardbred pacer over the summer, that was in the process of being re-schooled. It was quite uncomfortable, to say the least. The mare's owner hadn't yet started canter work, and it was 50/50 whether I could get her to trot or pace.

They'd been working with the horse for approximately ten months, so it sounds like it's been a slow process. (In fairness, the mare came to them thin and with harness sores, so she's doing quite well considering, and her temperament is lovely.)
 
My ex-pacer is the "horse of a lifetime". 50/50 whether you get pacing or trotting when he is over excited but from the first time I rode him I loved the pacing so I dont mind. He is also a fantastic jumper and so it is DEFINATELY worth doing. I would actively look for another trotter or pacer if I wanted another horse.
 
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