trotter v pacer????? differences???

[JAGER BOMB :)]

ok so alot of trotters about

i have a trotter cross

my friend has just bought a "trotter cross also and when she put it in the sulky she was told " na its not trotter its a pacer"


so ok does any one know the difference? is it stride difference? i have no idea and just curious?? thank you

 

[Baggybreeches]

A trotter trots with legs moving in diagonal pairs (a normal trotting gait) a pacer moves one side at a time i.e front left and hind left together followed by right legs. Riding a horse that paces can only be described as awful!

 

[Brontie]

I believe trotter cross refers to the breeding.
Pacing, is instead of the trot being the two opposite legs, i.e near for, off hind. A pacers movement, is near for, near hind, and off for, and off hind.

I think that's correct, but im not sure, and will most likely be corrected

 

[Suziq77]

Riding a horse that paces can only be described as awful!

Ahhhhhh poor pacers we had one that came through a yard I was at when I was a kid and I loved riding him. It was quite different though.

 

[kippen64]

They are the same breed, Standardbred. When racing, a trotter trots and a pacer paces. Pacers generally wear hopples to keep them in the correct gait. Some Standardbreds are natural pacers and will pace when loose in the paddock but lots are not. Some people refer to all Standardbreds as pacers which is not correct.

 

[russianhorse]

a pacers trot is very rolling is how I would describe it, as my lad does it. Not alot of people can ride him, as it feels very odd but you get used to it as I have

 

[JAGER BOMB :)]

They are the same breed, Standardbred. When racing, a trotter trots and a pacer paces. Pacers generally wear hopples to keep them in the correct gait. Some Standardbreds are natural pacers and will pace when loose in the paddock but lots are not. Some people refer to all Standardbreds as pacers which is not correct.

so if both bred the same what makes one pace and one trot? is it just a horses preference in the way it moves? x

 

[JAGER BOMB :)]

A trotter trots with legs moving in diagonal pairs (a normal trotting gait) a pacer moves one side at a time i.e front left and hind left together followed by right legs. Riding a horse that paces can only be described as awful!

i dont agree with the awful bit, i actually prefer to ride her pacer than mine who trots i think it is alot nicer to ride (although feels strange for the first few mins) x

 

[taceann]

Pacing is generally not considered a natural pace, as is taught by hobbling the horse's legs together on the same side, so near side fore and hind hobbled and then off side fore and hind hobbled, so when the horse moves it can only move both legs on same side in same direction, whereas to trot it would require to use diagonal legs.

A horse doesn't have to be a Standardbred to learn to pace, just more common in that breed, as they were originally bred for the fastest speed over a standard distance, hence the name.

 

[Baggybreeches]

In fairness to other pacers, the pacer I rode was just general pretty awful to ride anyway!
A friend has a couple that do naturally pace.

 

[nirikina]

Trotters aren't a breed, they are a type. Calling all standardbreds 'trotters' would be like calling all thoroughbreds 'race horses'.

Trot - the legs move in diagonal pairs
Pace - the legs move in same side pairs.

Standardbreds can be trotters or pacers. It's breeding/genetics that decides whether a foal will prefer to trot or pace, although artificial aids like hobbles can be used to train in one particular gait. Pacers can be schooled to trot under saddle and vice versa. Sometimes other gaits are present and can be developed or discouraged.

 

[kippen64]

so if both bred the same what makes one pace and one trot? is it just a horses preference in the way it moves? x

You have different bloodlines. Some bloodlines produce pacers and some trotters. However with most races being for pacers, most Standardbreds are asked to pace when racing and that is helped with the use of hopples. http://www.sport-horse-breeder.com/ST-sport-bloodlines.html

 

[Shantara]

Neddy can do both
I actually like his pacing (but I don't encourage it) it's lovely to sit to.

Standardbreds aren't the only ones who do trotting races, we have a french trotter cross at the yard who we had to teach to canter properly.

Here's Neddy in action (PLEASE ignore my riding and it was a timed round, hence the zooming)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRwnjsDBl7M

 

[JAGER BOMB :)]

Neddy can do both
I actually like his pacing (but I don't encourage it) it's lovely to sit to.

Standardbreds aren't the only ones who do trotting races, we have a french trotter cross at the yard who we had to teach to canter properly.

Here's Neddy in action (PLEASE ignore my riding and it was a timed round, hence the zooming)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRwnjsDBl7M

i agree i think it is fab to sit to and ride to, he does drive in a sulky although i do have to point out her IS NOT RACED, he has in the past before she owned him and so did mine. both are driven and ridden by us now. but it is more pleasure driving and use a sulky because it is light for them to pull.

i had to teach mine to canter although he did end up figuring it out by fluke more than anything and now he prefers to canter when ridden rather than trot. (in the trotter sense not in the walk, trot , canter sense) x

 

[JAGER BOMB :)]

Its a very tough sport and I dont care for it at all.

no dont agree with raceing (of any kind not just trotters ect ) but my post isnt about that. i ride and drive and so does my friend, but we drive in a sulky as it is a light cart and easy for them to pull. we drive for pleasure not for speed.
oh and for a trip to mcdonalds once and a while x

 

[Trolt]

Pacing is generally not considered a natural pace, as is taught by hobbling the horse's legs together on the same side, so near side fore and hind hobbled and then off side fore and hind hobbled, so when the horse moves it can only move both legs on same side in same direction, whereas to trot it would require to use diagonal legs.

A horse doesn't have to be a Standardbred to learn to pace, just more common in that breed, as they were originally bred for the fastest speed over a standard distance, hence the name.

I thought there were bloodlines within the Standardbred that kept pace within the gaits?

Pace is a natural gait in Icelandic horses, so I presumed it was natural within Standardbreds too? Just some people "enhance" the pace with hobbles.

 

[PucciNPoni]

Pacing can be a natural gait - just as tolt, single foot, racking/slow gaiting

It can be taught too I believe, and yes hobbles can be used. Pacing tends to be faster than trotting

 

[EstherYoung]

Pace is a natural gait. Some standardbreds are more inclined to it than others, just like you get icelandics that tend to be more trotty and some that are stronger in the lateral gait department - even then, some tolt but don't pace, and some tolt and pace. Some arabs have a bit of lateral gait about them too. Two of ours will show 'running walk' when excited.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

Hi there. I work for STAGBI (Standardbred and Trotting Horse Association of Great Britain and Ireland) and I'm writing an article for the next newsletter on ex-racehorses that are now being used for riding (jumping/hunting/dressage/endurance), carriage-driving and/or anything else. I'm trying to get people who own ex-racehorses to send me photos and information about what their Standardbred is up to, now that they no longer race. Hopefully, if I receive enough of a response from owners, I can make it a regular feature in the newsletter and people will be able to see where the horses that they bred have ended up.

I would be really grateful if any of you with a Standardbred could contact me, if you would like to see your horse in the newsletter. I can also answer queries on how to become a STAGBI member, and perhaps if your horse featured in the newsletter, we'd be able to uncover some of it's racing history from previous owners who read the article!

My email address is thomassa@1989hotmail.co.uk, feel free to send me photos of your horses demonstrating their versatility and talent off the racetrack and information about what they're up to now.

Thanks for your time,

Sarah