Our friends rode their RMH's over to our house on Sunday. They had just brought one of them back from KY and they decided to see how he would do on the trail (excellent, by the way ). Anyway, when they walked back to the barn to see us he said "jump on, try him out". So, not being able to say no to anyone who asks me climb on the back of a gorgeous horse, I jumped up and our other friend got on his "seasoned" mount and we went out on our dirt rode to take a spin and OMG...I'm in love !!!! What a nice, smooth, pleasant ride. What a great breed. He was calm, moved without any effort and even his gallop felt like I was on a cloud . It was fantastic!!!!!
I just wanted you guys to hear about my experience and I guarentee my next horse will be gaited !!!!

"Ride one today; own one tomorrow!!!" That is usually how it works!

Glad you had a great time; now you know why we love our gaited horses! When I rode my first walking horse, who was a stallion incidently, I had paid for an hour lesson just to see what a walking horse was like. After half an hour of gaiting through his field with this HUGE smile on my face (I had never felt anything like it before), I got off the horse, and told the man "that's enough. Take me back to the barn, so I can pick one out to buy!!!"

I'm so glad you had a great ride!!!!! I have yet to ride a Rocky!

I've never ridden a RMH, but I got that exact feeling when I rode a Tennessee Walker. I'd love to ride a gaited horse bareback, because it must be the most amazing feeling ever.

Flakemusic, where do you ride/board in Chicago? I used to ride horses at Palos Hills Stables, in Palos Hills, IL, when I lived in Chicago. I rode Saddlebreds and Thoroughbreds there; there was a wonderful Saddlebred named McGregor that taught me so much. Just wondering where you ride and what kind of horse you own/lease?

Glad to hear your first "glide ride" was so much fun

I went to gaited horses 17 years ago in order to keep riding.

I know many others have moved on to gaited horses for various health reasons. Plus we love, love, love, the sweet and forgiving dispositions that all of them seem to possess

Even my A.D.D. TWH is sometimes missing the sweetness, he ALWAYS has a forgiving disposition -- he might be chewing his tongue and generally annoyed, but he is forgiving

Right now I ride at a barn about forty minutes out of Chicago called Tower Hill Stables. I can't afford my own horse, but I'm basically leasing an Appaloosa mare while her owner is at college in Wisconsin. I would love to buy a TWH or other gaited horse someday, but unfortunately I have to pay for most of my own college tuition and have to take whatever I can get. Next year I'm hoping to find something closer to Chicago, and I'm praying that I can scrape up the money to shareboard or half-lease.

I know how hard it is to find a place near Chicago, and how HIGH the costs are. I didn't own a horse while I lived there. I mostly rode lesson horses, but once was able to ride a privately-owned horse for an owner that had health problems. I spent many years riding lesson horses and half-leasing until I got a better job that could pay for a horse.

I consider horsemanship a journey, and each of those horses I leased or borrowed contributed to the person I am now. I used to ride an Appy named Beau Cheval; I remember him to this day. There is something to learn from every one that you ride.

WTW, I know I probably have asked this before, but can you tell me about your A.D.D. horse? Which one is it? I'm sure I've told you about my horse Joe, who "thinks" very differently than other horses do. Since I'm "grounded" from riding right now, I've been doing a lot of leading, bitting, and ground work; and I'm really trying to understand the mindset of horses that think differently and how to work with them. I've got a Silver Dollar mare that didn't do well in two training barns, but I don't think it is because she is dumb, I think it is because she is focused very intently and differently; and unless I am keying to that focus, she doesn't respond well. Yet she will focus, I just have to read her differently than my others. Joe is that way too. I'd like to hear about yours.

Can anyone tell me about bits and saddles for gaited horses. Anything I should know different from my quarter horse? Thanks

TMN, I started an "A.D.D. Rusty" thread - lol lol

Touchmenot is going to smack several of us up alongside the head because we always say we hope she comes in and posts to questions like yours

TMN is not only very knowledgeable, but is the best at explaining "things"

I have the answers, but am lousy at explanations, so I will wait and hope someone much better at it, comes in

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Can anyone tell me about bits and saddles for gaited horses. Anything I should know different from my quarter horse? Thanks

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I opened up a new topic to talk about saddles. I posted my experiences and pictures.

Just curious, how many miles is the barn you used to ride from Chicago, approximately? I'm looking for places that I can get to without a car when I'm out there, and it's proving very difficult...

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Just curious, how many miles is the barn you used to ride from Chicago, approximately? I'm looking for places that I can get to without a car when I'm out there, and it's proving very difficult...

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Flakemusic, here is the address. You can type it into MapQuest to see how many miles it is from your house.

Palos Hills Riding Stables, Inc.
10100 So. Kean Avenue
Palos Hills, IL 60465
(708)598-7718/7719
E-Mail: PHRSINC@aol.com
Website: http://www.phrsinc.com/

I don't know if there are buses that run on Kean avenue, if that is how you get to the barn. Years ago when I didn't have a car, I had a friend whose Mom was willing to let me ride with her daughters, as I was older than them and she felt comfortable leaving me there with them during their lessons. So, maybe you can work out an arrangement.

I have family up in the Orland Park area, so I visit occasionally. The last time I visited, the board cost at Palos was very high, and people were looking to half-lease just to be able to afford to board there. So, you might be able to post your name on their noteboard that you are looking to half-lease. Sometimes people need someone to share the cost; sometimes it is driven by the fact that can't exercise their horse regularly, so they need a rider.

There is another stable down LaGrange road. I've never ridden there, but I would see people riding in the forest near there. It is a little farther than Palos Stables, but you might be able to work out a ride to that stable. I got the following info from Google:

Fitzjoy Farm
12211 South LaGrange Road
Palos Park, IL 60464
(708) 361-7977
Hours: 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM Fitzjoy Farm is the premier stable in the Southwest Suburbs of Chicago adjacent to Cook County riding trails. We offer certified training in Dressage, Show Jumping, Beginner as well as Advanced Riding Lessons in English and Western.

There are a couple other facilities listed in Cook County if you search on Google.

Best of luck to you! Let me know what you find! By the way, what does your username mean? It is intriguing!

Cole, You had the same response I had the first time I sat the saddle on a gaited horse. They are so much fun, I knew when I bought it would be gaited.

I have owned gaited horses for 20 yrs. now.