Expert: Claire Karst - 10/10/2009

Question
QUESTION: Dear Claire, This year I decided to explore saddle seat equitation, what a challenge, but I'm sticking with it. I just purchase a saddle seat saddle and was wondering do they normally have point pockets? Mine does not. Also is a running walk the same as a slow gait? Thank you!

ANSWER: Welcome to the wonderful world of Saddle Seat Equitation!  I do not believe Lane Fox saddles have point pockets one of the reasons being I have never heard of a point pocket.  No the running walk and slow gait are not the same.

The running walk is a natural gait of the Tennessee Walking Horse which they are famous for.  It has the same footfall sequence as a regular walk but with a greater speed.  It is characterized by an extreme overreach of the hind feet that often can get up to 2 feet in front of where the front foot landed and get up to 10 mph.  There are always 2 or 3 feet on the ground at a time with suspension occuring only with the front feet and that is the reason why the gait is often described as "trotting with the front and walking with the hind."  It also has a distinct head nod.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpgX9CKqqhQ


A slow gait is a trained gait of the American Saddlebred.  It is a slow, smooth, balanced gait with the weight suspended on one foot at a time.  It begins with the lateral (same side) front and hind feet starting almost at the same time with the hind foot contacting the ground slightly before the lateral front foot.  It is performed with precision and style.   The footfall pattern is 1-2 3-4 instead of 1-2-3-4 that is demonstrated in the rack.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xASCMbAmVwA

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QUESTION: My trainer usually teaches jumping and dressage but she is doing her best with my gaited horse and does have resources to the gaited horse community. Point pockets are sewn into the saddle to hold the pointed ends of the saddle tree on an English dressage or jumping saddle. My theory is the tree on a saddle seat saddle may not have the longer points on the tree by the withers. But it is my own theory and I am not sure if it is right or not, what do you think?

Answer
You may be correct in your thinking.  I would believe that with the design of the Lane Fox saddle to give as much freedom to the shoulders as possible that the tree's points wouldn't be as long as an english saddle.  That would be my educated guess. :-D