Perfecting the Tolt
By Hrodmar Bjarnason

THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TOLT

  Usually, we talk about three types of tolt; a clean four-beated tolt; trot tolt, which is somewhere between trot and tolt, and; pace tolt, which is somewhere between tolt and pace (depending on how pacy the horse is in his tolt).
  In a clean-beated tolt, the horse has an even four-beated gait, in which the time difference is even between every leg's groundtouch.  The movements of the legs are the same as in walk, with the following differences:

1. Every stage of the horse's movement is going faster;
2. Instead of having two or three legs on the ground at the same time, as at the walk, in tolt, the horse has only one or two feet on the ground at the same time.
3. The horse has to be more collected in tolt to be able to carry most of his weight on his hind legs.  Then the horse is supposed to be able to tolt in a good way.

  In trot tolt, which is not unusual for four-gaited horses, the beat is uneven in such a way that the time difference between the lateral legs is longer compared to a clean-beated tolt and, at the same time, the time difference is shorter between the diagonal legs, i.e. the horse is coming closer to trot in his movement.
  The opposite is true for pace tolt, i.e. the time differences are shorter between the lateral legs  (the horse is coming closer to the pace in his movement and longer between the diagonal legs, compared to a clean-beated tolt).

CORRECTING INTO A CLEAN TOLT

  Understanding the mechanics of a true tolt, vs. a trot tolt or a pace tolt is essential to correcting the gait.
  Trot Tolt:  The most important thing to clean up the beat is to delay the movements of the horse's hind legs and try to keep the legs on the ground for a longer time.  At the same time, we try to let the horse leave the ground as fast as possible with the front legs and to return back to the ground fast, as well.  By doing this, the time difference between the parallel legs starts to be shorter and, correspondingly, the time differences start to be longer between the diagonal legs.
  Pace Tolt:  The opposite is true to clean up a pace tolt.  There we have to delay the movements of the front legs from the ground, i.e., keeping their front legs on the ground as long as possible.  At the same time, we have to help the horse to move their hind legs faster, i.e. the horse has to leave the ground as soon as possible, with their hind legs.  while it starts to be shorter between the diagonal legs at the same time.
  To change an uneven beat into a clean-beated tolt, we have to know how the horse moves their front legs, in respect to their hind legs.  There are certain differences in how the horse moves his legs and this difference determines to what degree we can change the horse's movements in front, in response to their hind legs.  As can be seen on al old shoe from the front feet, they are always thinner in the toe part.  This indicates that the horse breaks over the toe when the front leg is leaving the ground.  The hind leg goes almost straight up, and thereby straight down to the ground as well, therefore, the shoes are evenly thin on the hind feet.  this kind of movement makes the horse not as vulnerable to different weights on his hind legs, compared to his front legs.

The methods used to affect the beat

  By increasing the length of the hoof in all directions, the hoof will be heavier.  When the rider uses this method, it is important that all basic rules in shoeing are kept.  That means a correctly made toe axis.  Another effect from a bigger hoof is that a longer toe axis delays the movement further, which helps horses to find the right balance in tolt. Also a bigger (wider) hoof makes it easier for the horse to move and he starts to be more relaxed in his back.
  A well-known method is to put heavier shoes on his front legs, and let the shoe be as a natural extension of the hoof.
  Horse's movements are affected differently by increasing the weight.  It depends on the strength of the horse, as well as their movements.  A horse with rather big movements in tolt is more easily affected compared to a horse with small movements, so it more often needs a lighter weight in the shoes compared to a horse with smaller movements.
  A common method is to put boots on a horse's front legs.  The weight of the boots differs from 80 grams to around 300 grams.  Check how boots affect your horse, and what weight suits him best.  If boots affect the beat positively in tolt, then it is often better to put a heavier shoe on for about five to six weeks and use the boots less often.  A horse can become sore from using boots for a long time.  Using heavier shoes also gives the rider the opportunity to use boots together with them, if the horse is still pacy in tolt.

  After five or six weeks, ask the farrier to change back to the usual size of shoe, which is normally 8mm thick.  A new 8 mm shoe is almost as heavy as an old 10 mm shoe.  To help to keep the balance of the horse in tolt, the farrier should keep the hoof a little longer than usual.  This means, instead of taking away the new growth of the hoof, from these last six weeks, the farrier may leave an extra 1 cm.  This prevents the changes on the hoof from being too great which would affect the movement of the horse too much.
  The hooves of the hind legs are kept small and light.  In some cases, shoes made of aluminum are used to make the hoof as light as possible.

     Tolt Tolt:  The following can be done:
     The hooves of the front legs should be small and light, which make it easier for the horse to break over the toe.  In some cases, no shoes at all are used (if the ground allows that).  Otherwise, shoes made of aluminum are used.  An alternative method is to trim the hoof, so that the front part of the toe (about half of the height of the shoe) is rasped off.  This makes it easier for the horse to break over his foot, and faster as well.
     Keep the hind legs heavy.  As was mentioned earlier, because of how the horse moves his hind legs, the differences in weight has to be huge, if it is supposed to affect his movements of the hind legs.  This means that the hoof has to be bigger and the shoes have to be at least 10 mm thick.
     3)  As an extra help, have your farrier let the heel be a little lower than usual.  This can delay the horse's movement of his hind legs, and affect the movement in such a way that he brings his hind legs further forward before he reaches the ground.
  Changing the horse's movement through shoeing always gives a very limited result if the rider doesn't use his/her aids and his/her body in a proper way.  The rider has to know and understand the coordination between these different aids in tolt as well as in other gaits.