New horse - pacing! ? All tips for canter welcome please!

[PatchyBabyHorse]

Hello

I’ve got a new 4 year old, bought 3 weeks ago. He’s lovely, but when I’ve cantered him on the right rein at home it felt dreadful. Sort of disunited but not..? Other rein fine. I put it down to baby and very unbalanced. Anyway I’ve saved the cantering for my lesson today, where we diagnosed the problem. He was cantering in front....but pacing behind ?

The vet at the vetting said his canter was ‘very strung out’ which I thought odd. He mustn’t know what pacing is ?

Anyway he’s a lovely lovely horse so I’m not too devastated. But I would really love to hear other people’s experiences and tips on getting canter.

Thank you!

 

[Clodagh]

Try out on a hack, canter is very hard for a youngster in a school.

 

[PatchyBabyHorse]

Thanks
I don’t have a school so it’s always in hacks or open fields, except today which was a big school.
He canters happily on the left, it’s just the right.

I’m really quite annoyed with the seller tbh. They deliberately didn’t mention it and hid it in videos. I know that’s the nature of buying unseen, and I do like the horse but I can’t help thinking it was very sneaky.

 

[ycbm]

He's a baby, don't panic yet

I can't picture what he's doing. He can't really pace with only his hind legs, because the term pacing (I'm sure you know) means that both legs on one side go forward at the same time. Could you post some video?

He'll probably crack it when he's a bit stronger.
.

 

[Clodagh]

He's a baby, don't panic yet

I can't picture what he's doing. He can't really pace with only his hind legs, because the term pacing (I'm sure you know) means that both legs on one side go forward at the same time. Could you post some video?

He'll probably crack it when he's a bit stronger.
.

If he is bred to be a pacer or trotter he may never have a great canter, I assume at the moment he is only breaking in front and continuing with the trot behind? I would try not to let him run onto it but have a nice, balanced collected trot and then ask for canter while going over a pole (or branch if you are out) and he may fall into canter naturally.

 

[PatchyBabyHorse]

He's a baby, don't panic yet

I can't picture what he's doing. He can't really pace with only his hind legs, because the term pacing (I'm sure you know) means that both legs on one side go forward at the same time. Could you post some video?

He'll probably crack it when he's a bit stronger.
.

Thanks
He’s pacing really, then sort of half breaks into canter at the front with the back end still doing the really wide apart pacing. It’s very odd. Then goes back to pacing.
On the left he does a fairly normal, albeit long and unbalanced canter but that I don’t mind.

 

[PatchyBabyHorse]

I’m increasingly annoyed with the seller though. It’s not the sort of thing you should withhold IMO.

He’s a lovely horse and I wouldn’t send him back, he actually has an amazing trot and huge jump, as well as being a lovely person.

But would I have paid what I did for a pacer?? No. He wasn’t mega bucks but still, he cost a good price for a nice 4 year old. And it was deliberately masked.

 

[stormox]

He definately sounds like a pacer (trot isnt diagonal pairs but both legs on same side moving together).
Their canter often isnt great or is 4-beat, but they are usuallt great jumpers!
As he gets stronger the canter will improve. Jump a small jump and then let him canter on so he starts the canter from behind.

 

[Clodagh]

If you buy unseen you set yourself up to fail, sorry, and if all that is wrong with him is that you have done OK.

 

[PatchyBabyHorse]

He definately sounds like a pacer (trot isnt diagonal pairs but both legs on same side moving together).
Their canter often isnt great or is 4-beat, but they are usuallt great jumpers!
As he gets stronger the canter will improve. Jump a small jump and then let him canter on so he starts the canter from behind.

Thanks I’ll try that.
Yes he’s definitely pacing. He hasn’t done it on the lunge, just under saddle which is hopeful.
And yes, definitely a great jumper!! He can pop a metal gate like it’s not there...!

If you buy unseen you set yourself up to fail, sorry, and if all that is wrong with him is that you have done OK.

Thanks, I don’t agree that buying unseen sets you up to fail though. I’ve had some good horses unseen. This is a good horse.
But buying unseen doesn’t absolve the seller from deliberately hiding a fairly major aspect of the horses way of going.

When buying unseen I never spend more than I can afford to lose; expect the worst and hope for the best. But this should have been stated imo.

 

[ycbm]

I’m increasingly annoyed with the seller though. It’s not the sort of thing you should withhold IMO.

He’s a lovely horse and I wouldn’t send him back, he actually has an amazing trot and huge jump, as well as being a lovely person.

But would I have paid what I did for a pacer?? No. He wasn’t mega bucks but still, he cost a good price for a nice 4 year old. And it was deliberately masked.

Was he bred as a pacer? What he's doing doesn't sound unusual for an unbalanced baby to me, (and i wouldn't expect a pacer of 4 to have a great trot). . Especially as he is absolutely fine on one rein. Proper pacers are likely to have trouble on both reins. I might be cautious how much I jump a horse of 4 who is only cantering balanced on one rein.

.

 

[Auslander]

I'm thoroughly confused - he's a pacer, but he has an amazing trot, then he paces behind and canters in front, even though that's not physically possible
Maybe he's just a green unbalanced baby who's trying to find his feet under saddle. Some of them do stupendously weird things while they're developing the strength to carry a rider!
What's his breeding?

 

[ycbm]

Thanks, I don’t agree that buying unseen sets you up to fail though. I’ve had some good horses unseen. This is a good horse.
But buying unseen doesn’t absolve the seller from deliberately hiding a fairly major aspect of the horses way of going

Sorry, I buy unseen myself and I have to disagree with you there. If they were hiding lameness, I would agree, but they were only hiding an unbalanced canter on one rein and you could always have asked for more video.

.

 

[Clodagh]

When buying unseen I never spend more than I can afford to lose; expect the worst and hope for the best. But this should have been stated imo.

That’s sounds very sensible. He sounds like he should be fine so good luck with him.

 

[PatchyBabyHorse]

Was he bred as a pacer? What he's doing doesn't sound unusual for an unbalanced baby to me. Especially as he is absolutely fine on one rein. Proper pacers are likely to have trouble on both reins. I might be cautious how much I jump a horse of 4 who is only cantering balanced on one rein.

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He rather conveniently has a duplicate passport with no breeding recorded ?

He has been jumping 1.10 with the seller, poor lad, although he has an amazing technique over a fence.

My plan is really low key and back to basics - 2-3 hacks per week, 1 low key lesson some weeks (mainly walk/trot and bending, poles etc), and some long rein sessions; fun ones, over ditches/down little drops/in the sea etc. I don’t work him 2 days in a row and trying to keep it all relaxed, living out etc. He’s been in a bit of a whirlwind and pushed for a good sales video.

 

[PatchyBabyHorse]

Sorry, I buy unseen myself and I have to disagree with you there. If they were hiding lameness, I would agree, but they were only hiding an unbalanced canter on one rein and you could always have asked for more video.

.

It’s not an unbalanced canter though; he’s pacing which is completely different and could be quite a big issue for a potential eventer.

Appreciate all the views though, thank you.

 

[PatchyBabyHorse]

I'm thoroughly confused - he's a pacer, but he has an amazing trot, then he paces behind and canters in front, even though that's not physically possible
Maybe he's just a green unbalanced baby who's trying to find his feet under saddle. Some of them do stupendously weird things while they're developing the strength to carry a rider!
What's his breeding?

I haven’t explained it very well. His trot is very very nice. When you push him to canter on his worse rein, he paces.
Yes I do wonder why he doesn’t do it in trot, but there we are. He doesn’t. Wish I had a video!

 

[LadyGascoyne]

What is his conformation, type and condition like OP? Do you have a side on photo?

 

[PatchyBabyHorse]

Here he is.
*braces self*

He’s far more beautiful in real life though ??

 

[ihatework]

Well if he can canter on one rein then it doesn’t sound insurmountable?

Hopefully just baby weakness / one sideness rather than a more serious physical issue

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Oh I think he’s lovely! No wonder you like him.

It’s hard to tell from the first picture but from the second, it looks like he could be a little bit weak behind the saddle.

I might do things like raised poles in walk and trot, to try to get his core engaged and strengthen from the bottom up if you know what I mean?

To get the bum working, I do lots of hills.

 

[PatchyBabyHorse]

Well if he can canter on one rein then it doesn’t sound insurmountable?

Hopefully just baby weakness / one sideness rather than a more serious physical issue

Yes hopefully! I’m reassured that he doesn’t do it in trot.
I’d love to know how much pacer is in him.

Oh I think he’s lovely! No wonder you like him.

It’s hard to tell from the first picture but from the second, it looks like he could be a little bit weak behind the saddle.

I might do things like raised poles in walk and trot, to try to get his core engaged and strengthen from the bottom up if you what what I mean?

To get the bum working, I do lots of hills.

Thanks very much
Yes we live in a very hilly area so hills are not optional luckily!

 

[be positive]

I’m increasingly annoyed with the seller though. It’s not the sort of thing you should withhold IMO.

He’s a lovely horse and I wouldn’t send him back, he actually has an amazing trot and huge jump, as well as being a lovely person.

But would I have paid what I did for a pacer?? No. He wasn’t mega bucks but still, he cost a good price for a nice 4 year old. And it was deliberately masked.

I think I have seen a video of him and the canter was fairly obviously incorrect on both reins, I don't think is is insurmountable but will take a lot of work, time and patience to work through, he looked generally tense in his way of going in all paces, as he relaxes that should help with the canter.

 

[ihatework]

Having just seen the video, well you haven’t been ‘had’, it was quite obvious what you were getting.

There is A LOT of unpicking and putting back together needing there, but hopefully it will be worth the effort because he looks to have the makings of a nice jump in him.

 

[PatchyBabyHorse]

I think I have seen a video of him and the canter was fairly obviously incorrect on both reins, I don't think is is insurmountable but will take a lot of work, time and patience to work through, he looked generally tense in his way of going in all paces, as he relaxes that should help with the canter.

Did you see the ad?
I thought his canter looked unbalanced and he was being ridden in a very forced and tense way. Not unforgivable or particularly unusual in a rushed baby. He definitely wasn’t pacing in the video.
I have many more videos than in the ad, and now I look back knowing what I know I think it was quite cleverly concealed; most of the canter shown is on the left, and not much after a fence when it does tend to fall apart a bit.

But hey ho. That’s the risk you take. Like I say, I like the horse a lot and wouldn’t return him. I think he has serious potential, he can’t half jump.
But they should have said that he paces.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Where is the ad ihw? Be interesting to see.

 

[PatchyBabyHorse]

Having just seen the video, well you haven’t been ‘had’, it was quite obvious what you were getting.

There is A LOT of unpicking and putting back together needing there, but hopefully it will be worth the effort because he looks to have the makings of a nice jump in him.

If only you’d been there, no one I showed the video to, including my vet and several well known trainers thought that he paced. Just that he looked unbalanced and needed lots of schooling. He doesn’t pace in the video so you must have a very good eye.

He actually has far fewer schooling ‘problems’ than I was expecting, which is good but he’d only been ridden that way for a very short time, and even just 3 weeks of long rein chilling has had an effect so that’s promising.

It was clear that he was very far from the finished article and needed lots of work, but that I enjoy

 

[PatchyBabyHorse]

Where is the ad ihw? Be interesting to see.

Im not sure how to link to it, it’s on Facebook.

If anyone else is though, please would you mind doing it via pm as I don’t think it’s fair on the seller, no matter my views on whether they were 100% fair to me.....(!)

I’ve just watched the videos again. He categorically does not pace in them. He’s unbalanced and goes 4 time at one point but he’s just turned 4 and not been broken long.

 

[ihatework]

Well if you have got a clean vet cert I’d also get him insured pronto.
Im gobsmacked a decent trainer would have supported this purchase unless it was seriously cheap.
That said, alway nice to see a real project come good so I’ll follow his progress with interest.

And he doesn’t pace in the video but he does tranter. I could see how it could deteriorate

 

[be positive]

If only you’d been there, no one I showed the video to, including my vet and several well known trainers thought that he paced. Just that he looked unbalanced and needed lots of schooling. He doesn’t pace in the video so you must have a very good eye.

He actually has far fewer schooling ‘problems’ than I was expecting, which is good but he’d only been ridden that way for a very short time, and even just 3 weeks of long rein chilling has had an effect so that’s promising.

It was clear that he was very far from the finished article and needed lots of work, but that I enjoy

I saw the video earlier and my reply to the person that sent it was the canter had issues, possibly bred as a trotter/ pacer, it is clearly 4 time and I am surprised it was not picked up by a trainer as I would have passed him by for any of my clients, that said I did say I liked his jump which is tidy for something so green.