Fans of historical books and films probably know exciting stories about the adventures of brave warriors. Perhaps no story is complete without the participation of a faithful pacer horse. The legendary horses faithfully served their masters. The famous smooth gait and endurance of stallions made human life much easier. Unusual animals are still popular today. This is not surprising; the pacer is a wonderful horse.
What is an amble?
Ambling is an unusual way for a horse to move.In this case, the front and hind legs located on the right side of the animal first begin to move, and then the limbs on the left side are synchronously rearranged. Ambling differs from the traditional cross gait, in which the horse throws its right foreleg forward and then its left hind leg, repeating the maneuver with the second pair of legs.
In nature there are animals that move in this “parallel” way. If you look at a hard-working camel or giraffe, you can see that same amble. The gait protects the limbs of these animals from accidental coupling of the hind and front legs. Nature itself has provided a way to prevent injuries in long-legged creatures.
In the horse story, things are a little different. The culprit of the unusual phenomenon turned out to be a mutating gene responsible for coordinating the horse’s movements. Some breeds of horses have an innate ability to amble. In some cases, horses are artificially trained to “parallel” walking.
Distinctive features of pacers
This unusual horse is hardy, and in steppe conditions it is a real gift for the rider. Due to the peculiarities of its gait, the horse does not jump, but transfers its weight from one side to the other. Thus, the ride becomes comfortable for the person, and the horse tirelessly covers long distances, running up to 120 km in 24 hours. You can watch the running pacer endlessly. The beautiful, noble gait of a horse is an unforgettable sight.
Unfortunately, horses cannot boast of agility and the ability to maneuver. Clumsy animals are unstable and can only move freely in a straight direction. Any deviation from the route causes difficulties.
If you need to change the pace of running, the horse will have to stop first.The stallion is not suitable for carrying cargo. As a heavy-duty horse, the horse gets tired quickly.
History of appearance
The latest research by scientists proves that the unusual horse first appeared in England. The first mentions of horses date back to the 9th century. The animals came to other countries in Europe and Asia thanks to the Viking campaigns. Warriors highly valued the ability of pacers to travel long distances under human saddle. In addition, the ride on such a horse was comfortable.
Thanks to the ambling, the horse transferred weight from one side to the other, so the rider did not shake. However, during battles, the Vikings switched to trotters - pacers were of little use on the battlefield. Non-standard horses are extremely clumsy.
Merchants also had a hand in the distribution of non-standard horses. In those days, a horse was an expensive commodity. With the advent of roads, pacers were used less frequently. People tried to use trotting horses for transport.
Artificial removal of pacers
The Americans were the first to do serious work on artificially removing the pacer. Pragmatic breeders have found that the speed of a pacer’s movement exceeds that of an ordinary racehorse. To achieve the result, experts crossed a Norfolk horse with an English stallion. The 19th century was marked by the birth of a bay, frisky foal with the habits of a pacer. This is how a breed called standardbred appeared.
Work on raising pacers continues to this day. Despite the negative attitude towards pacers in European countries, American specialists enthusiastically continue their work on horse selection. During the Soviet era, they tried to use pacers in competitions at Russian hippodromes, but this trend quickly died out.Unusual horses are welcomed in Asia and the Caucasus. In those parts, non-standard helpers are treated with gratitude and love.
Some experts resort to a harsh method of transforming an ordinary horse into a pacer. Metamorphosis occurs as a result of the use of special straps. The horse's limbs are tangled in a certain way, in which the horse can only move at an amble. This method is fraught with dangers for the horse. In a tied position, a horse can easily fall or be injured. In addition, the barbaric procedure inevitably leads to abrasion of the horse’s limbs.
Breeds with a congenital ambling gait
Real pacers are very different from their “retrained” counterparts. For them, a “parallel” gait is natural.
- The breed under the romantic name Peruvian Paso deservedly enjoys the love of the local population. The animal is used as a riding horse, as well as for work in the agricultural field. A small horse cannot boast of being tall, but it has a number of advantages. The Peruvian Paso is harmoniously built, and the thickness and length of the mane will be the envy of a true fashionista. Strong hooves do not require shoeing. The owner of strong legs moves with a special type of amble. The horse's hind limbs take sweeping, long steps, and the front legs describe an arc. Professionals call this method of running termino.
- Cuban pacers are distinguished by their unique beauty. A flexible, graceful neck, large expressive eyes and slender legs serve as decoration for the bay assistant. The horse is used to participate in eventing competitions and races. The horse does not shy away from working in agriculture.
- Kyrgyz pacers have an unprepossessing appearance.Small pack animals can often be seen in the mountains. Pacers faithfully serve people without requiring attention or special care. Horses survive on pasture all year round.
- Kazakh pacer horses. Their ancestors served the invaders during the invasion of the Golden Horde. The hardy animal could tirelessly gallop under the saddle of an armed warrior, leaving hundreds of kilometers behind. To transport goods, a horse was harnessed to a cart, and if necessary, the horse became a source of meat and milk.
- Brazilian horse of the Campolina breed. The tall, short-legged horse has a powerful build. The hump-nosed strongman is an indispensable assistant for agricultural land owners. The animal is often used for long horse rides.
Curious facts
Unique horses have amazing abilities and never cease to amaze connoisseurs of the breed.
- In the vastness of Kazakhstan, pacers feel at ease. Local residents' favorites often graze unattended at any time of the year. In winter, with the help of their hooves, horses rake away snowdrifts and obtain food. The Kazakhs call this snow “hunt” Tebenevka. Local pacers have enviable frost resistance; they can easily withstand temperatures dropping to 45 degrees.
- In India, there are horse pacers called Marwaris. The horses are unusually beautiful and graceful. A distinctive feature of the breed is the unique structure of the ears. The Marwari's hearing is tens of times more developed than that of other representatives of the horse kingdom. The animals are unpretentious; they are simply created for life in difficult desert conditions. Most of the time, horses graze on their own. They are perfectly oriented in any area and always return home to their owners.
Equestrian enthusiasts claim that the way a horse runs depends on the weight of the horseshoes. If the front horseshoes of the horse turn out to be significantly lighter than the rear ones, the horse will immediately turn into a pacer.
