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Edited on Mon Mar-14-11 07:59 PM by riderinthestorm
Some are very smooth, and others aren't, just like any other gait. The ones with the biggest, longest strides are the hardest to ride (like Secretariat) because their level of suspension (that moment when all four legs are off the ground) is so different than most horses. Also they use their back very differently when they are at a full gallop, and while a rider is typically in a two-point position suspended over the horses back there is definitely still some interaction going on there and it all plays into how easy they are to ride. Beyond all that, some horses are just naturally balanced. They are natural athletes who can carry the extra weight of a human being gracefully while others are dorks and have trouble placing their own feet without tripping. The natural athleticism of the horse is a big factor in how easy they are to ride.
I'm walking proof that "any moran" can't just get on a horse and ride at a gallop. I think I've told the story on DU before but I had met a Qantas pilot when I was travelling in Europe as a young 21 yr old and ended up living with him in Sydney. While he was away on long hauls, I'd travel alone, many times to his parents ranch in the far west suburbs (technically the bush) where a race horse trainer kept his horses. I was fascinated by the work and asked the trainer if I could learn to ride. He said "sure!" and put me on a 2 year old TB, just broke 6 weeks before. I fell off 17 times that first ride, at a gallop pretty much every time. As I hauled myself back onto that colts back the 18th time, he finally stopped me and told me I could work for him. He said that he could teach me how to be a "gallop girl" (exercise rider) but he couldn't teach me how to be brave. He also told me you have to fall off 100 times before you're a real rider and that I was already pretty far along in one day.
I did end up learning to ride (at a gallop) and it's still my work now but I'm the first to admit that you can't just put any moran on a horse and they'll be able to fake it. My neck is now permanently 2 inches shorter from falling on my head so often (heh, that's a joke but unfortunately for me it always feels like I fall on my head when I fall off!)
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