CANTER AND GALLOP
It is often of great help, when teaching a horse to canter, to have an uphill track or logging road to practice on; the tilted ground helps to balance the horse back on its hocks. A more experienced horse in the lead also helps. The horse should not be raced or hustled, but encouraged to keep a steady, moderate pace. Here Julie Tougas canters her mare Purple Durple uphill at an endurance ride. Julie reports that Purple Durple has become a trustworthy trail partner and is featured in United States Trotting Association educational materials regarding longdistance riding.
Owner Mary McDermott and her gelding Nite Train flashing through a barrel race. Mary tells us that her dad is a trainer of Standardbreds, and that she “inherited Nite Train when he was 4 and I was 9. He was the top 3-year-old in Ohio with a record of 11 firsts in 36 starts and earnings of over $100,000. He was my dream horse so when he was injured, my dad contacted the owners and next thing I knew—he was mine! We have taught each other everything together. We now barrel race against some of the top Quarter Horses in the NBHA—along with English pleasure, trail riding, and everything else under the sun. He’s a fire-breathing dragon when he works the barrels or poles, but a puppy dog outside of the ring. He’s amazing with kids and takes them around the arena all day! He is now 17 and I’m 23…he is forever my heart horse and he gives me everything he has, 24/7. I am so excited to get the breed out to the public. I think it’s amazing what these animals can do and I hope more people discover them!” (Vicki Wright photo).
Dakota Karras with her mare Shangri-La. Dakota tells us that she has groomed for multiple trainers and works as a security guard in the paddock at Freehold Raceway, “so I have a more in-depth insight on the breed before, during and after their racing careers having been a groom for multiple trainers as well…. I own two mares, one who raced, one who did not due to injury. Both are used in western gaming, trail rides, my lesson program, and for therapeutic rides. My first mare, Yolo Lindy (also known as Dahlia) is a 9-year-old trotter and the foundation of my program. She can walk, trot and canter, and competes in all Western gymkhana events, including cattle sorting and team penning.
Shangri-La (Baby Shang) is my 4-year-old pacer that I got because she had a serious injury to her hip which requires injections and chiropractic maintenance in order for her to stay sound and pain-free. She, too, competes in Western gymkhana, cattle sorting and team penning. However, she does best in hunter paces and competitive trail rides. She’s fearless.” (Vicki Wright Photography)
Slowing the rhythm a little bit, in this photo we see Colleen NolanTran in a lovely canter in the dressage arena with her gelding Determine This.
This shot of Robyn Cuffey’s daughter on Wendy Ridgecrest shows the pair cantering during a dressage test.