SCA tokens--the garter buckle

When you attend a SCA event, you are given a token to wear when you sign in to prove that you have paid for the event and signed the appropriate authorizations.  Tokens that I have been given ranged from a glass jar of honey to a bead to a charging mounted knight.  The token for this tournament was particularly attractive--a miniature garter buckle decorated with a horse used to hold up hose.  I will be wearing this token frequently as a piece of jewelry.

Blessi and the Lewis Chessmen Blanket

I am asking Blessi to walk on to compete at the
ring joust.--hence my slightly forward seat.

One of the knights from the Lewis Chessmen--Wikipedia

My persona in the SCA Jófriđr Mánadőttir is of course a woman living in Iceland around 1100.  I am trying to create more historically accurate garb and tack.  For the latest tournament, I made a saddle blanket inspired by the Lewis Chessmen.  The blanket is blue wool with a card -oven braid in red and greens and yellow.

Found on a Scottish island in 1831, these ivory chesspieces were carved in Norway or Iceland (academics are still debating the source) in the 1100s.  

Is this pacey, trotty or clear tolt?

 
Difference Between Pace, Stepping Pace, and Smooth Gait (updated 2014) from Ivy Schexnayder on Vimeo.

Ivey Schexnayder speicalizes in the training of gaited horses with a background in "trick training, natural dressage, classical dressage, endotapping, and clicker training."   She created this video and graciously said that I could feature it on Blessiblog.  Here she shows--in slow motion and normal speed--showing how to determine the difference between:

- pace (pacey tolt)                    -- Beat starting with left hind is 1 - 2 - - 3 - 4
- stepping pace (trotty tolt)      --  Beat is                                    1 - - 2 - 3 - - 4
- clear beat gait or rack or tolt --  Beat is                                    1 - 2 - 3 - 4

Note flying pace in the Icelandic horse is a totally different gait in which the hooves on the same side of the horse strike the ground almost simultaneously. 

If you are thinking of buying a gaited horse or starting to evaluate your own horse's gait to determine how to improve it, you will appreciate this video.

Ivey has more help available at her web site at:  http://www.ivyshorses.com/

Keep in mind that how even the beat of the tolt/rack is can be impacted by many factors at that point in time such as amount of training, natural ability, quality of training, age of horse, conformation of horse, etc.  Very often a good trainer can help you improve the quality of the gait of your horse.

I wish FEIF or USIHC would create some educational videos like this.