We often use the term "Mountain Saddle Horse" here at Gaited Meadows Ranch, referring to horses registered under these three registries: The Rocky Mountain Horse, Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse and Mountain Pleasure Horse.
The three main associations were created within a few years of each other starting with the Rocky Mountain Horse in 1986, then the KMSH and finally the Mountain Pleasure Horse.Our breeding program here at GMR focuses on RMH, KMSH and MPH with our Rocky Mountain Horse Stallion Kentucky Tornado.
The number of registries alone is often confusing to many new to Mountain Horses. Essentially, there are slight variations of the horses in the primarily registries with each association having it's own philosophies and outlook. With many horses double or triple registered among the associations, we have always focused on the individual horse, disposition and gait. Each of our quality offspring are registered and DNA'd in one or more of the primary registries then certified once under saddle.
A Natural Gait :: Mountain Saddle Horses perform a rack, saddle rack or single-foot with an even 4-beat lateral gait. The front hoof will land after the hind with equal 
timing between each foot-fall. When you listen, you will hear four evenly timed hoof beats of (1-2-3-4 ). The gait is inborn in mountain horses, producing the maximum amount of forward movement and the minimal amount of lateral or vertical movement.
This is a ground covering, intermediate gait that begs for trotting horses to keep pace while the rider experiences minimal effort and a smooth ride. The gait is inborn and evident from birth. Unlike the trot, with the gait there is always one hoof or more on the ground with no moment of suspension of all four hooves.
The 4-beat gaited sequence is left hind : left fore : right hind : right fore. Gait is essentially a function of timing. Each horse has its own individual way of going within the range of acceptable mountain horse gaits depending on conformation, training and riding desires.
Training :: We are very fortunate to be able to raise our horses in mixed groups on large, treed pastures allowing the horses to naturally build strong muscles, endurance and 
surefootedness on varied terrain. Using natural horsemanship methods, our foals are taught the basics of haltering, giving to pressure and learn respect of space at a very young age, making interactions a continued conversation. With the Mountain Horse disposition and tractability to people young horses are easily started under saddle and finished in a snaffle bit and barefoot, only shooing horses depending on the demand of the terrain.
Mountain horses are renowned for their tractability and willingness making training and trail work easier than most other breeds of the same age. We start our horses under saddle at 2 1/2 to 3 years, when their knees are closed enough to manage light rider weight.
Horses are conditioned to bring out the gait under saddle and set the gait before working between the collected walk and saddle rack. See Joshua at - 22 degrees Celsius
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