Another thing that's nearby is a 'Cowboy Church'. I'm thinking of going over there to get acquainted. I'm sure the good people there will have alot of interesting advice & guidance.
It may be there'll be a few more 'regulars' added to this thread, as I often extol FR's virtues (such as they are:)). Work calls...I'll check back later. Thank you ALL!
john
Would you like to be put on the "good morning" ping list?
Becky
Hi. Welcome. I was just thinking about cowboy churches yesterday:')
The Paso Fino gait is a 4-beat lateral gait... essentially a "broken pace"...The gait is perfect four beat, with the footfall being left hind, left front, right hind right front. The cadence of the 1,2,3,4, beat is rhythmic with equal time intervals between hoof beat. There is very little up and down movement in either the croup or the shoulder of the horse. The gait is performed at three speeds with the collection decreasing as speed increases. Paso Fino means "Fine Step"...
A "True Pace" is a 2-beat gait with the right front and right hind striking the ground at the same time, then the left front and left hind. If you want to see an honest to gosh true pace, watch a camel run. It's AWFUL!
Welcome to the thread! I see you've already gotten most of the first advice I'd give... I think riding lessons to get back into the groove is a good place to start. Try a few trainers if the first personality you meet doesn't fit. Horse people are better with horses than people sometimes, some will click well with you, and some won't... and for this little venture to stay fun, you should feel good about your teacher.
Yes, John, welcome to the thread.
All the advice here is good, I second the idea of working volunteer in some kind of stable, with horses, for a while. Horses are grazing animals, live entirely on grasses and grains, and have a very different digestive system than cats and dogs, us.
I should have used 'gait' for the sort of uh, procedure of moving forward, let us say, of the gaited breeds; Tennesse Walkers, Pasos, Peruvians, Foxtrotters, etc. etc. It's all the same for all of the above, basically it's just a very fast walk.
Pace, on the other hand, is two legs on the same side of the horse moving forward at the same time. Never mind, as another poster said, it's like a camel. But all that later.
Just hang around horses for a while. You'll love it!
And I forgot to say, Cowboy Church is wonderful. I ride with a group of ladies here in south Texas, ranch-women, and we often have Cowboy Church with a local Cowboy Church preacher. It's special.
One time was far out in a pasture, by a tank (pond) beside windmill. Early in the morning. The preaching was heartfelt, sincere, to the point. I have a 'Cowboy' New Testament.