Loping...

[Silverspring]

is it something that just comes naturally to QH's or is it taught? I don't know anything about Western but as far as I can gather loping means they split the diagonal in canter to give a less uphill gait (ie less bouncy) can these horses do both lope and canter?

Obscure question I know, just watching random video's on youtube

 

[elizabethshaw]

Hi, the lope should still be a 3 time beat. it is not correct to split the diagonal (known in western as 4 beating - a big no no). However you will see it done, beacause the rider is trying to slow the lope so much that the horse is unable to sustain the true 3 beat canter/lope. It is not correct though.

 

[Tinypony]

A lope is a canter, different word for the same thing.

 

[Festive_Felicitations]

As said above the lope = canter and should be 3 beat pace.

You can school horses to encourage a flatter, smoother canter ie lope, and it often feels like a long/flat swinging stride rather than a 'rocking horse' motion.
Horses trained 'a la western' pick it up/do it more easily as they are encouraged to work flat and long (compared to English) through out their training. But you can teach anyhorse to do it. The really slow lope seen in reining competions requires more work than a 'faster' lope, a bit like the difference between working and collecter canter.

It is not a pace unique to QH's I used to ride an Arab that did it as his 'cruising speed' on trails. Some people think that a relaxed lope requires less energy than an 'english canter' because of the way the horse moves, hence the preference of cowboys who traditionally coverd long distances. The other school of thought is that it is just more comfortable to sit in a western saddle =)-

Hope that answers some of your questions.

 

[Silverspring]

Ah I see, so when you see them split the diagonal they are actually cheating (like when my horse starts to pce rather than extend in trot!) my girl has quite a low flat canter too (well when it's not windy!) but I would never have thought it was verging on a lope. Interesting, that's my new thing for today, I don't need to learn anything else

thanks guys!