[2manypetz]

Another interesting fact is that all horses can pace and sometimes you'll see young foals of any breed pace a little, just to test out and use different muscles. Standardbreds are born to trot or pace. The trot is a diagonal two beat gait and the pace is a lateral two beat gait. When trotting a horse, English riders will post (rise) to this beat and cover great distances efficiently. It is also a very popular gait when driving a horse for pleasure. The pace is wonderful once the Standardbred learns to slow it down to jogging speed. It offers a swaying motion which can be more comfortable for riders with arthritis or back trouble. When riding the pace, it’s most comfortable to sit fully seated in your saddle and let your hips and lower back relax and sway with the motion. Some Standardbreds will even offer a single foot gait (similar to PasoFino horses) and this is pure pleasure to ride!

Since 1990, we have retrained over 100 horses and only three were free-legged pacers (able to race without hobbles to remind them and, therefore, naturally dedicated to the pace). Many unraceable Standardbreds can walk, trot and canter freely in pastures; it's a matter of training them to provide these gaits at our command. Some even offer a canter, a very slow gallop or a four beat canter. Gaited horses are awesome for trail riding, as parade horses, and even driving. Dressage, however, can be a difficult transition for a naturally gaited horse.
More info I found! You learn something everyday! http://www.hourseinvt.org/hfaq.htm this is where that info came from

[JBandRio]

Not all horses can pace. When you see a non-pacing (especially a non-gaited) horse pacing, it's most often a balance issue, which is why you see it in foals. That is why a TWH will pace - lack of balance, it is NOT a desirable thing.

Yes, Pasos are gaited horse and born knowing those gaits. Some do them better than other. Some can be enhanced with proper training. Same with all gaited breed - the quality is there with some, not with others, and with some the quality can be trained in and properly ridden.

Yes, paces can canter - not all of them, some are tough to teach but eventually get it, some never quite get it, it's an individual thing. In other words, if you want a w/t/c horse and are looking at a STB, do not go with one whose natural gait is the pace.

[farmeress]

Originally Posted by JBandRio

Not all horses can pace. When you see a non-pacing (especially a non-gaited) horse pacing, it's most often a balance issue, which is why you see it in foals. That is why a TWH will pace - lack of balance, it is NOT a desirable thing.

Yes, Pasos are gaited horse and born knowing those gaits. Some do them better than other. Some can be enhanced with proper training. Same with all gaited breed - the quality is there with some, not with others, and with some the quality can be trained in and properly ridden.

Yes, paces can canter - not all of them, some are tough to teach but eventually get it, some never quite get it, it's an individual thing. In other words, if you want a w/t/c horse and are looking at a STB, do not go with one whose natural gait is the pace.

So very true.

I own four Standardbred race horses.

Opollo Tad by Lincon Lad Tad, a very, very good trotting line of racers who are naturally balanced for this gait.

Rarely are any of these horses made into pacers.

Lilac Lady by Jambo Dancer II, another good trotting line but over half of Jambos' baby pace as they seem to have better track times in this gait then trotting.

Prince Gregor by Kamfella, a natural born pacer (mom was a great natural herself who won many races/stakes) who wore hobbles for about three months when the trainer decided to take them off as they hindered the horse more than helped it in this gait.

King Montana (NOW RETIRED) paces...at the walk or faster, he has never taken a step out of gait since he was a foal, he is superb at racing yet needs hobbles to stop him from breaking to a slower pace . (His sister is the same)
I do ride this boy and have yet to get him to canter after three years under saddle.

Have you ever ridden a pacer? They have a truly weird rolling side to side movement that is so different that our english broke boys. It is fun though.

[JBandRio]

I did ride a pacer years ago - he was a schoolhorse no less. VERY fun and yes, very different, very side-side rolling. MAN could he jump though!

[Tami]

Now I get it! Thanks so much.