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My 5 yr old WB is a bit over 17h and 1500# wearing an 87" blanket (looong) and has a year or two of growing and maturing to go. God help me. That said, he's smart and coming along.

He's no hot blood! But his trot motors along, and we work on being more responsive and stronger all the time. His walk tho - I can't seem to effect change much there and get a marching, self propelling walk. Even on the trail he has to jog to catch up with 15 h QHs... and even me, in hand!

I try to be as still as possible without blocking, and if I remind him he steps out - for 2-3 strides... I reward him, and he goes right back to slug.

He barely tracks up at walk - overtracking seems a long way off.

His walk also sounds funky on asphalt: instead of 1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4 the rhythm is 1,2.....3,4,1,2.....3,4. To me that would indicate a lateral walk, but he shows a clear V between front and back legs. The legs on each side aren't moving forward at close to the same time, there's just a long delay between the left and right sides, if that makes sense. So perhaps the number order (and the position of the gap) isn't right... if that makes sense!

However, when he's tired AFTER work he usually walks back to the barn with a nice even 4 beat walk.

So, he's somehow tense, but sluggish at the same time?

My trainer isn't particularly worried as he will build strength, but I'm mostly concerned about him being behind the leg at walk. Suggestions?

Not really sure but I would introduce TOF and TOH to start getting those hind legs "up and under" him.

Laddie's walk needs to "warm up" when we first start out--he's also a big boy and its a long way from his brain to his hind feet...
(My husband walked into the kitchen the other day when I was working my way through rolling and enormous pile of freshly washed leg wraps. His comment was "it's just as well you don't ride a centipede." Sometimes I feel that I do.)

Once we have walked around the arena for 5 minutes or so seeing the sights and having a bit of a stretch, we do 15m "squares" with 1/4 TOH in the corners, which really activates the hind end. We graduate to "oblongs" with 1/4TOH in the corners, shoulder in on the long sides (probably 20-25m), straight on the 15m short sides. This gets his butt underneath him and makes him much more supple and forward and in front of my leg. I really dislike a behind the leg walk.

we do squares with TOF corners, and walking turn around the haunches in warmup, but he really only seems to march on the way down the mountain after a long trail ride when he's tired, wants to get home, and gravity is on our side

It does sound like a body type/young, big, long horse challenge.

I would have suggested what Mountaineer wrote, which you are addressing. Another angle is to work on this in-hand so you have good visuals for what's going on and can wake up that far away hind! It might be a matter of strength/changing body, so the feedback may be a bit of re/patterning work.

Just remember, you could have a horse with a short, tight back instead---and totally different walk challenges! Do update us.

Yes piedmont - I went from a short, tight-backed chestnut hyper reactive TB with an AMAZING panthery walk and a sewing machine trot, to a brontosaurus WB that's like piloting the QE2 into a paddling pool and who takes a message on most of my suggestions! #challenged

I know you miss that hyper reactive TB.

Your fellow does sound like a brontosaurus!! So it is impressive that he gets in gear on the decline towards home

#babydino

Welcome to some WBs! My mare Gaila had no intention of marching at the walk, NONE. We could leap around but actually go somewhere at the walk was a big fat no. I fixed it on the lunge line. When I said GO, I meant march at that walk and if you cantered or trotted off when I smacked you on the hiney I said good girl for going forward, but lets walk please. She now has a beautiful marching walk with at least a 6" overstride. Who knew that was in there? I do have to keep my own internal energy up when working with these WBs to remind them to mirror and match me in their own energy. Yeah subtle is not in many WBs, you have to be willing to GO THERE and not feel bad about it.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2267&hilit=pokey+walk#p35152

#younghorseproblems

Annabelle's walk is getting a little better. I try not to do long stretches of walk with her, but get her thinking that I might want a snappy trot transition at any moment.

khall aside from someone videotaping me and it ending up online for mockery or worse, no I'm not afraid to get after him! And he does respond and get loads of praise (and uh... treats ). Promising to hear your horse has an overtrack now!

StraightForward that's a good thread. I'll digest that. I think walk poles/cavaletti are in order.

One thing that WAZ taught was to use the crop on the shoulder for the walk. That this was more natural to wake up that walk and get it marching without the tension that can come from behind the leg or on the hindquarter. Of course the leg is applied too... so hopefully sink into the brain leg means GO. I was skeptical... but it worked wonders. Give it a try.

Uggh Xan, I feel your frustration. Count me in as another member of the warmblood shuffle club. Tio had a great walk as a coming 2 year old but by the time I was riding him, it had degenerated to a mere shuffle. I first addressed it on the lunge, then in hand and finally from the saddle. Two things I noticed while riding is 1) you must be sure you swing your hips as though he/she IS marching, and 2) you must NEVER nag with your legs--use the whip or bat on the shoulder as WAZ advised; it works. Tio has a pretty nice walk now, with a clear overstep 90% of the time (up from 25%). One rule I have followed during this journey, is that he cannot trot or canter until he marches in the walk--I had to teach this on the lunge first, but it not only improved the walk but the trot as well.

You can check the archives for vid of how his gaits have slowly improved. As one who often gets less than flattering critiques, however, I would not hesitate to supply video. This really is a vid friendly place.

Can you guys describe the crop/whip on shoulder technique a bit more? Is it an ask nicely w leg, then tap w whip, then a sharp tap? Or more of a rhythmical thing?

I also looked into the 1,2...3,4 rhythm of his walk more.

Per my above post to me that would indicate a lateral walk, but he shows a clear V between front and back legs. The legs on each side aren't moving forward at close to the same time, there's just a long delay between the left and right sides. I'm not sure what to make of this. Is this lateral?

I'll try and get some video.

How about cavaletti once he is warmed up a little?