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  Discussion on Size for riding ring
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Member:
Fototrop

Posted on Friday, Apr 14, 2006 - 9:09 pm:

We live on 2 acres with no flat spots. I want to put up a small ring for my daughter to ride her pony in. I have an area about 45 feet by about 60 feet, I think, that is relatively flat. Would that be big enough for a 12'2 pony to work in comfortably?
Pam
Member:
Hwood

Posted on Friday, Apr 14, 2006 - 9:55 pm:

That's the exact size of my POA, Pamela, and he could canter fine on that sized area. If you have the option, you may want to look into eventually having a back hoe come in and dig away part of a hill. I did that on my property in VT . . . same problem as you . . . no flat land. I got a nice-sized arena (about 50 X 100) that I could use for lessons. After we dug out the hill, we packed it well and put down some sand, and the arena was really nice . . . no puddles.
Member:
Ilona

Posted on Friday, Apr 14, 2006 - 10:55 pm:

Holly, I have an arena 70 X 110 (approx). It's great for all the horses except my 17.2 TWH. Every time I move him into a running walk I have the ghastly sensation that we are simply going to tip over! Ludicrous of course, but none-the-less a very real sensation.
Member:
Corinne

Posted on Saturday, Apr 15, 2006 - 12:08 am:

Pamela good luck in setting up the arena. I sure wish I could have had a pony as a kid. Your daughter is very lucky and I am sure you will find a nice solution.
Ilona....please excuse my ignorance....what is the running walk? I am unfamiliar with this gate.

Corinne
Member:
Ilona

Posted on Saturday, Apr 15, 2006 - 1:02 am:

Corrinne, absence of information does not need to be excused, if so I would spend most of my life apologising!
The running walk is a four-beat lateral gait. It is similar to a walk of any regular horse of any other breed. The difference is that it gets speeds of up to 10 miles per hour. The horse will glide over the track left by the front foot with his hind foot (right rear over right front, left rear over left front). The action of the back foot slipping over the front track is known as overstride. Overstride is unique to the walking horse breed. A Tennessee Walking Horse will nod its head in rhythm with the cadence of its feet. It is so fabulously comfortable, that after you have ridden this gait many people wonder why they ever rode anything else. I do trail riding, and the experience is sublime. I have always owned either TB's or QH's and now would never go back. The TWH stride of a 17.2 horse has to be experienced to be completely believed. (can you tell I LOVE my big boy?)
If you go to the following website: https://www.twhbea.com/gaitsVideo.htm, you will see the different gaits. My horses are all flat shod. The performance requirements for this breed are sickening for me. Hope this is helpful.
Member:
Ajudson1

Posted on Saturday, Apr 15, 2006 - 9:15 am:

Pam,

When my daughter had her pony, we had an area that was about the same size. She rode in it fine, and our older kids cantered an Arab mare in it too, and rode a TWH in it.

Now I have a 60 x 60 training pen, and an arena that is 80' by 120' which is a nice size for riding. The 60 x 60 is great for ground work, but I ride in there too.
Member:
Alden

Posted on Monday, Apr 17, 2006 - 9:37 pm:

Since this is slipping into a discussion of gaited horses I'll make a small correction.

Over-stride isn't unique to a Walker, my Missouri Fox trotters all over-stride in differing degrees. I worked with a Paso Fino that did also.

Good day,
Alden (HTG)
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